Knitting in the Real World

Forgive me..

2009-06-08T21:46:00.001-04:00

We've been particulary busy around here with graduation coming up & wrapping up some projects. I neglected to take the time to select an Etsian of the week yesterday. My apologies... I'll do my best to get back on track this Sunday.

Spinning a Yarn with Martha

2009-06-06T07:50:00.002-04:00

Just in case you missed it (like me...), Martha Stewart had an entire show on Knitting & Crochet this past week. It premiered on Thursday at 11am(Eastern).

Had I not had an unexpected meeting, my tush would've been planted firmly in front of the TV absorbing it all. Much to my dear Mother's dismay, I like Martha's shows and ideas. Now, I can't say too much for her manners, as on most of the shows she talks over her guests or gets snippy with them, but many of the ideas she shares are simple & wonderful.

Mom doesn't appreciate her because she believes that Martha has a staff that comes up with all of the ideas & Martha is basically a spokesperson. While that may be the case now, I do believe that her beginnings were truly her own ideas. Hey, if I had a multi-million dollar company I'd hire people to search out goodies, too...

Any who, here's a link to "The Yarn Show." (Don't you just LOVE the fact that you can view many of your favorites online???)

There is a beginning piece about building a yarn bag, a visit to Lions Brand yarn studio (where she mentions Amigurumi!), a fashion show & some crocheted goodies. Enjoy!

Making Granny Squares...

2009-06-05T07:05:00.001-04:00

So, do you remember those big 'ole colorful and usually stiff crochet creations from your childhood? One of my grandmother's had full size Granny Square afghan draped across her bed when I was a child. I remember wanting to cuddle up with it, until I touched it! LOL

Now that I've begun crocheting I've found myself fascinated with some of the creations I've seen over the years. I'm remembering things from people's homes, from the county fair, and from local markets. What color combinations they had in the 70's!

When I started on this bent of fiber arts I snatched up a book on Granny Squares called "The New Granny Square" by Susan Cottrell. The lovely photos and color combinations made me rethink the whole Granny Square phenomenon.

I've put off learning how to do the Granny Squares until I had a decent foundation on the basic crochet stitches - single, double, triple, and, of course, the chain! A few weeks ago I attempted to follow a pattern from one of my mom's old pattern booklets. It had me lost. I couldn't tell if the shells needed to be worked inside the hole of the square or woven into the yarn, as normal, and there was nothing in that book to clarify, either!

YouTube is fabulous! I love that you can go there and watch someone do it, in person. That way you get to watch their motions & see details that aren't always clear in a book.

This lady offers a whole collection of how-to crochet videos. I picked the 2 that give the construction of two rows of shells. If you need the beginning video of how to make the chain & join it, it is available.

Lesson 2 - 1st row

Lesson 3 - 2nd row

I'm glad I waited until I had a small foundation, otherwise I might have been confused due to the quickness of her motions and quality of the video. Now that I have a decent base on which to begin I think I'll tackle a Granny Square project soon. (Right after I finish the 12 projects ahead of this!)

Crochet & Knitting handicapped??

2009-06-03T07:55:00.001-04:00

I've heard so many people say this lately. "I can't crochet because I'm not coordinated." Or "I can't knit because I can't hold the two sticks."

It's okay! If we were all good at the same thing, the world would be one BORING place. Besides, then you'd never need to buy anything AND you'd never have time to do anything fun because you'd be loaded up with the tedious tasks of making EVERYTHING! Gosh, that even sounds painful.

Trusty ole YouTube to the rescue! According to this lady, you can buy pre-made crochet headbands and make baby beanies with them. The sidebar on YouTube says that she buys them on eBay by the dozen, but I've seen some a the local dollar stores, too. (Just in case you don't need a dozen!)

You could carry this idea over into making baby clothing - jumpers, pants, skirts, shirts, etc... You'd only need to know how to hand or machine stitch. Wow! The possibilities are endless!

The best part... You can amaze your friends and family with handmade baby goodies in a fraction of the time, at a fraction of the cost! Imagine their faces when they open the gift expecting to find something that was pulled "off the rack" (and, perhaps, matches another gift) and then find the most precious, hand selected & designed apparel!

Monday's with Etsy

2009-06-01T07:05:00.001-04:00

I'm so excited about this weeks pick! (Not that I'm not normally excited, but I guess I'm even more so this week... you'll see...)

I met this fellow Etsian on Twitter. I have recently become a Twitter fanatic, and not only does this person always give the nicest, most helpful replies, but she's funny and very personable.

Honestly, I hadn't visited her shop until the other night when another person on Twitter recommended something from her shop. (I know...but sometimes I forget who's Profile I've checked and whose I haven't. Guess that happens when you're being followed left & right!)

Anyway, let me introduce you to Sharon Paradiso of Seedlings: Jewelry Because.

Dark Blossom

Sharon's shop offers hand-crafted jewelry of all shapes and sizes. There you will find a small selection of goodies ranging from earrings to bracelets and necklaces.

Across the Universe

Her color selections are naturalistic, presumably because her creations are "inspired by and created from natural materials (including recycled materials where possible)." Recycled materials??? Woot! That's a big plus in my book! I'm constantly looking for ways to incorporate something to be "upcycled".

Swirlmaille

And, she had one piece of crochet jewelry lurking on the second page... Hey, this is a fiber arts blog, after all!

Cosmos

While I enjoy her work immensely, the thing that put Sharon over-the-top this week was her decision to do more with her shop. Twenty percent of every purchase goes towards making a donation purchase at Heifer International. If you're not familiar with this amazing group I encourage you to visit a previous post I did earlier in the year or their website.

As Sharon states this is "a group that takes the "teach a person to fish and feed them for a lifetime" just a bit further with gifts of animals, bees, etc.". These gifts enable families around the world, including the United States, to start their own home business and eventually procure a better livelihood for not only themselves, but their entire community!

Visit Seedlings: Jewelry Because to enrich your life and the life of someone else!

Photographic rights are retained by Seedlings: Jewelry Because.

Have you heard of Amigurumi???

2009-05-27T07:23:00.001-04:00

While searching for my Monday's with Etsy featured seller I continuously ran upon Amigurumi Patterns. I'd never heard this term before. I happened to be Twittering at the same time, so naturally I asked about it on Twitter. (Have I told you that I'm addicted to that site??? Well, I am...)

Thanks to Jadielady & mysie_at_etsy for their help with this mystery!

Amigurumi means Knitted stuffed toy in Japanese (according to Wikipedia). Although crochet appears to be just as common during creation. The toys can be intricate or artistically rendered.

Traditionally, the patterns run in spirals and use multiple colors. These creations are made on small or fine needles, which prevents the stuffing from escaping. This translates into very time-consuming for me! ;-)

The patterns I've found are precious. Here are a few of my favorites...

Worm in Apple

Fairy Doll & Mushroom Set

Fuzzy Guinea Pig

Elton, the Sheep (doesn't he look like the Serta sheep??)

From the traditional to the not-so:

Pancake Stack Treasure Plate (this reminds me of an actual plate from the 60's!)

If you are interested in any of these patterns, just click on the photo and it will take you straight to the proper individuals' Etsy shop.

*****

Moral of the story -

If you're looking for a way to test your skills and while away some hours...these may be just the thing you're looking for! Enjoy!

Photographic rights are retained by the individual artist.
Links are accessed through the photos above.

Monday with Etsy

2009-05-25T07:54:00.000-04:00

I spent yesterday combing the Etsy Pounce feature for "new" and "undiscovered" artisans. I found some really lovely shops. Unfortunately, several had no seller "Bio" or Shop Policies listed. As much as I want to share Etsy finds with you, I'd like to know something about the seller (other than what their listings look like) before I feature them.

To me, buying handmade is an entire package. That's the same reason I love shopping at the farmer's market - I want to get to know the person behind the creation. It adds something to the experience for me. It's something you simply can't get shopping at Walmart...

During this long search I Twittered about it a few times. As luck would have it Popsicle Stick found me there. Will wonders never cease! Just when I needed a fiber arts oriented post...

Skate Socks Granny Square Afghan

Apparently she's been selling on Etsy for several months now, utilizing her fiber and other mediums to entice us. What a sunshiney, happy shop. It reminds me of the 70's!

Hang Ten Crochet Bracelet

She states that she picked up the crochet skills from her mother who went everywhere with crochet in hand (hallelujah...that makes me feel not so crazy!)

Knee Socks and Nikes Crochet Scarf

With almost too reasonable prices, and 100% cotton, customizable creations how can you miss? Hop over to visit when you have a moment and snatch up a great deal for that upcoming birthday or shower!

Bubblicious DNA Crochet Bracelet

(Doesn't this look like the old Bubblicious package??? Too cute!)

All photographic rights belong to PopsicleStick.

Don't worry - I'm still here!

2009-05-24T13:19:00.002-04:00

Hey, everyone!

Sorry to be "missing in action" so long. I was vacationing this past week & had planned on blogging while I was gone, but my darn Internet connection didn't have a signal where I was at.

Oh well! Guess God was telling me to take a break...

I did complete several projects while I was gone, which I'll be posting this week, for your viewing pleasure!

Had a great time and I'm refreshed and renewed. Hope you all are well, too!

Danita

Mondays with Etsy

2009-05-18T07:27:00.001-04:00

Pottery is another love of mine. Actually, I guess you could say that I like anything you can make with your hands. Making something out of earth is an added bonus for me!

I found Emburr a few weeks ago in the Etsy forums. I just LOVE her things! Ms. Monika has some cute pins made out of clay tiles- walruses, frogs, sea turtles, etc... There are even some color pencil drawings, mostly showing nature. But, my favorites are the larger pottery items...

Teal Tree ceramic soap dish, $12

Set of Cream Colored Cups, $22

Trio of Fish candle holder in Teal, $30

Monkia has a Fine Arts Degree from Nova Scotia College of Art & Design, so she's accredited and has apparently devoted her life to art. Who can fault that?

Her "Bio" on Etsy states that "creating is what she does & who she is." That's refreshing to hear these days as more and more artists are creating solely for the purpose of gaining riches or fame. It's like a teacher stating that they teach so that they can help others grow & learn. Heart warming, isn't it?

Emburr's selection is currently limited, unlike many larger Etsy shops. I think that's a good thing. When artisans create for pleasure that's normally what you find, a limited selection, lovingly made. If you want cookie-cutter and huge stock - go to Walmart...

Hurry over and snatch something up before I buy all of the goodies! At prices like these, how can you resist?

Photographic rights belong to Emburr.

Have sticks, will travel...

2009-05-15T08:50:00.006-04:00

Did you know that in the Middle Ages people would knit while walking? Yep. It's true. Above, you can see a few examples of sheaths that were used to assist with this task. One needle was held fast in the sheath, which would've been attached to a belt or sewn into an apron or dress. The sheath enabled them to knit faster & with more defined detail, while maintaining an open hand for other things.

Did you happen to notice I said people vs. women? Men used to knit MORE than women. Can you believe that? It's thought that they learned to assist in making fishing nets and other utilitarian items.

In the evenings, after a hard days work around the home, the family would gather for conversations after dinner. To make the most of their time, this family time would also be utilized for sewing and fabric making. The entire family could participate in the making of clothes & cloth for their needs. Makes me think of "Little House on the Prairie", when the mother would always mend things by the fire after dinner...

Ok. That's your history lesson for today. Time for recess class!

To Do this week -

2009-05-13T09:06:00.003-04:00

Finally started delivering the Prayer Shawls this past week!

Couldn't wait to get started, but we had a few small delays. The lady that is making our gift labels ready kept telling me that they were ready to go, but I don't have Microsoft Publisher to print them out. She was going to work something out at the church office, but I haven't heard anything about it in weeks. Perhaps she was otherwise occupied...

Last week I worked up a new label and got them ready to go, picked up about half of what needed to go out, and began giving them out at church. We'd decided against this originally, and the group wanted to go out two by two to deliver them at home.

At the last meeting, I had no one interested in going out to make the deliveries (only 3 other members were attending.) Of two other people I asked last week, one is now not feeling well enough to do it and the other wasn't sure about her schedule this week. I gave up asking after that. I probably could've found someone else, but by the time I lined up everyone's schedule with everyone else's we wouldn't have made a dent in the number that need to be delivered. (Since this is the first delivery, it would've been over 25 deliveries.)

I've lined up 5 so far for today, and will call a few more this afternoon if I can squeeze them in. 5 were delivered Sunday at church. I think that's a good beginning! Friday is designated for another delivery day for me. Ideally, all will be delivered by Saturday evening, as I'll be out of town next week.

Lesson - It's ok to depend on others, but when they don't follow through, it's no reason for you not to. Making tons of items to give out and never giving them is the same as never making them at all!

Mondays with Etsy

2009-05-11T07:42:00.003-04:00

We have another yarn "find" this week!

Atlantis Roving

SolsticeSupplies shop provides fiber from locally (Canada) raised animals. At Solstice Studios and Farm they raise llamas and angora rabbits for their fiber, along with dairy goats and chickens. They're working towards building a eco-community or village "where happy people and animals can exist in harmony together." How sweet!

Playground Roving

Solstice Supplies also buys fleeces and roving from local fibre farms. Their selection appears to all be dyed and ready for spinning. This is a perfect shop for those of you that already know how to spin or are looking to delve into this area.

Not into spinning and have no aspirations for it? I have located a two sites that have free project patterns for crocheting & knitting with this unspun roving! Or, you can try your hand at Needle Felting...

Pufpaff's has a pattern for crocheting rugs with roving. This would be perfect for the kitchen or tossing in front of the fireplace. This link provides a great knitted scarf pattern from Painted Ewe Rovings. It's a PDF file, so you can print it out immediately!

Jungle Drums

The listings state that they can work with you on quantities and dye lots. Fantastic!

All photographic material is property of SolsticeSupplies.

The Kreativ Blogger Award

2009-05-05T07:36:00.001-04:00

Dear, sweet WarPony, whom I've come to know through blogging gave me an award!!! She has three blogs, but the main one is centered around horses. I know, what does that have to do with knitting??? Nothing. Which is why I'm even more honored to receive this award! Thank you, WarPony!

It seems the tradition is to list 7 of your favorite things and then pass the award to seven blogs who you think deserve it. This isn't an obligation but I definitely wanted to pay it forward!

So here are my favorite things:

1. My faith

2. My family, actual and church - they're the best!

3. My garden

4. Creating with my hands

5. Learning new things - especially having to do with creating new things and learning more about other cultures

6. Fresh, straight-from-the-oven bread - yummy! Especially with a slab of butter on top!

7. Making new friends and getting to know them.

Kreativ Blog Awards I'm giving away:

1. To Miss Jen at Blessed Femina - I ALWAYS enjoy reading her posts! They're inspirational, enticing, and the photos are lovely. You know it's a good blog when you feel better after reading it! (By the way, she has a giveaway going right now...) AND, yes, I know her blog is award and tag free but, I love it and I'm saying it!

2. Cheap Healthy Good - I enjoy the recipes, creativity, and experimentation that goes on here! Enjoy!

3. Dave and Brit Plus One - They've shared the journey to becoming new parents. They already have one of these awards but, it's a great site.... Congrats, guys! She's lovely!

4. JadieLady - She keeps it short and sweet, shares lots of photos, and is very witty!

5. Anne Marie at Married to the Empire - Her posts are cute, thoughtful, and really invite you into her life, in snippets, of course! Best part, her hubby dresses like a storm trooper, and who doesn't love Star Wars????

6. Joy of Frugal Living - It appears that she has few followers. I don't know why... I enjoy her posts. She shares, is thoughtful, inspiring (they live debt free!) and seems super sweet.

7. TECHknitting - Hey, this IS a knitting blog! TECHknitting has wonderful photos, easy to follow ideas, and has helped me several times with confusing items. Can't say thanks enough for all of the hard work that goes into these posts...

Thanks again, War Pony! I've enjoyed getting to know you and wish you the best with your knitting.

Mondays with Etsy

2009-05-04T07:19:00.001-04:00

It's Ok We're Still Home

Today's find is BarbraJoan. Yes, it's another visual artist...

Barbra Joan is an artist living in Central Florida. She works in many mediums but enjoys watercolor and pencil/graphite the most. Her favorite subjects are flowers, women, nature and animals and she enjoys "bringing as much beauty to this world as I (she) can." Barbra Joan was honored with the Artist of the Year Award 2005-06 for her watercolor and pencil work!

Flower Pots

Sunflower

These designs come in different sizes, some are matted and some aren't. All would be beautiful to display in your home...

Her listings state that she is currently selling original works of art and may move into prints in the near future. Snag an original while you can!

All photographic rights are held by BarbraJoan.

Knitting errors...

2009-05-01T07:16:00.000-04:00

It's inevitable. You're going to have knitting errors, some small and some large. If you're like me almost every project will contain an error of some sort. I've found that some are much less noticeable than others and a few are major errors that results in unwinding the entire project.

Whatever the case, don't give up! Errors are common occurrences. Tell yourself it's okay to have them. They make your item unique. Heck, at times you can even discover a stitch you've never made before.

When all else fails, find humor in your errors. This family made a film as proof of their mom's error...poor lady was aiming for a scarf with 35 stitches and ended up in the 200's! Can't you just imagine her being enthralled in a TV show and ending up with a sweater instead of a scarf?

Aren't children lovely????

How to increases your sales!

2009-04-30T07:50:00.001-04:00

For many years I've heard that your sales technique is everything. You have to skill yourself on how to interpret the needs of others and listen when they speak.

Mastering the art of the sale is another bullet on my list of things to do. If it's on yours I recommend that you take a look at this passage...

The Art of Salesmanship

A young man from Wisconsin moved to Florida and applied for a job at a huge everything-under-one-roof department store. During the brief interview the store manager asked, "Do you have any sales experience?" The young man replied, "Yeah, I was a salesman back in Wisconsin. I worked at a car dealership, a general department store and I also sold real estate."

The manager took a liking to the young man and gave him a job saying, "You can start tomorrow. Be here by 9:00 in the morning and ask to speak with Tom Barnes. He is the assistant store manager and he will show you what you need to do. I'll come down after we close and see how you did." With that they shook hands and parted ways.

After the store closed and the doors were locked up , the boss went to see how the young man's first day had gone. After looking all over the store, the manager finally found the young man sitting on a box in the stockroom, hunched over and looking exhausted.

"How was your first day, son?" he asked.

"It was difficult learning about all the departments and products you sell here sir," The young man replied.

Then the manager asked, "How many sales did you make today, son?"

The young man replied, "Only one."

The manager then asked, "Well, how many customers did you talk to?"

Once again, he replied, "Only one."

The manager responded, "Just one? Our sales people average 20 to 30 customers a day! How much was the sale for?"

"$101,237.65," he replied.

"$101,237.65!" exclaimed the manager. "What the heck did you sell?"

The young man responded, "First, I sold the man a small fishhook. Then I sold him a medium fishhook. Then I sold him a larger fishhook. Then I sold him a new fishing rod, reel and a whole tackle box full of lures and stuff. Then, I asked him where he was going fishing, and he said he was going down the coast. I explained to him that if he was going to the coast, he was going to need a boat. We went down to the boat department and I sold him a twin engine fishing boat. After that, he said he didn't think his Honda Civic could pull it, so I took him down to the automotive department and sold him a 4x4 Expedition."

The store manager, with a look of astonishment on his face proclaimed, "A guy came in here to buy a fish hook, and you sold him a BOAT and a TRUCK?"

"No sir!" The young man said. "He came in to buy tampons for his wife. While I was showing him where the tampons were, I said, "Dude, your weekend's shot. You should go fishing."

Folks, that is a GREAT salesman! Hope I never run into him...

Another knitting video...

2009-04-29T08:05:00.000-04:00

I was visiting JadieLady's blog today and she had the cutest Fraggle Rock knitting video. I don't know about ya'll but I loved watching Fraggle Rock on HBO growing up. I remember coming home every day from school and watching it.

I can't remember ever seeing those Doozers sing this song though... Oh well, enjoy!

Prayer Shawl Ministry update

2009-04-28T08:03:00.001-04:00

As a group, we've been knitting and crocheting our hearts out since the beginning of the year. The results were on display this past Sunday, April 26th before the entire congregation for our very first mass blessing. What a wonderful way to included everyone in the spirit of the ministry!

To date we've completed the following to be dispensed to our shut-ins, sick, elderly or otherwise in need:

24 Shawls, 23 Scarves, 6 Lap Robes, 6 Afghans/Blankets, & 5 Hats

64 completed projects in 4 months! Wow! What an amazing group we have. However, realize that it's not only the hands of these ladies at work but, the hearts of the entire congregation. It takes every person in the church to make a ministry thrive.

Mondays with Etsy

2009-04-27T07:36:00.001-04:00

Lily of the Valley

As promised, here is another wonderful Etsy "find", MayaLee . She lives in Sweden with her family and loves photography!

Maya Lee states that she has many other creative interests but, has been drawn increasingly more toward the photographic arts. A few of her pieces are TtV, Through the Viewfinder. According to her listings, this means that the photograph is made with two cameras, the first camera looks at the true object of interest and the second camera is used to photograph the image shown on the first cameras viewfinder. How interesting!

Maya Lee says that photography has enabled her to see the world more clearly and allowed her to "see more details, being more aware of the colors and tones around me (her)." Isn't it amazing what we learn through our artistic endeavors?

Ranunculus

Turquoise Hearts

I Love Yarn

The photos come in various sizes, all seeming to be a standard size thus easily framed. All are priced very reasonably.

I was instantly drawn to the color and clarity of these photos. They're all very light and airy in appearance, which imparts a feeling of happiness for me. Of course, my love of flowers AND yarn didn't hurt either...Enjoy!

Maya Lee, your lovely photos and shop banner inspired me to do something a bit more creative with my own shop banner. A thousand thanks for sharing your talents with the world!

All photographic rights are held by MayaLee.

Getting to know Etsy Day...

2009-04-24T00:01:00.003-04:00

Today is Etsy Day! Woohoo!

For those of you that aren't familiar with Etsy - it is an online marketing community predominantly for those of us that manufacture BY HAND.

Hundreds around the world form this cottage industry. With this kind of selection you're sure to find something uniquely original for yourself or someone else.

There are sellers of handmade paper goods, leather goods, original acrylics and photos, prints, jewelry - costume to fine, custom clothiers, etc... If you can dream it, they probably have it!

Click the button to find the treasures..

Special thanks to schugirl for this fantastic idea. This image is copyrighted to be used only for Etsy Day.

My first piece of measured clothing...

2009-04-22T08:04:00.000-04:00

Ya'll know that I can't stand a pattern. Naturally, I rebel against definite measurements, too. That being said, both of these things make it very difficult to make clothing...

A few skeins ago, while working on a Wrapped in Love project, I came across a pattern for a precious baby jumper. It was a little thicker and heavier weight than what I would like, so I tinkered with the design a bit.

The original had a full bodice, front and back, ruffled shoulders, and seemed a bit bulkier overall. I used the rough cast on count of 202 (I used slightly large needles than called for, so I decreased by twenty) and went to work on the base of the skirt. A few rows in I realized that the size of the skirt base was larger than anything I'd ever seen for a one year old child. I decreased every fifth stitch for two rows, which gave me a ruffled edge. (This was fine. The stitch I was working was stockinette, so it would roll anyway!)

Using the base measurement of the pattern for the proper length, I proceeded to cast off all but 60 of the remaining stitches. Then worked these stitches in a basic knit stitch for four inches. Casting all of the stitches off, I decided to add some crocheted lengths to the edges for the purpose of fastening the jumper.

Results -

Front

Back

I like it. I'm still hung up on the size. It looks like it's a little large in the waist for a one year old, even with all of the adjustments. I'm going to search for a childs sizing chart online today. But, what I REALLY want to do is find a beautiful little girl to try it on!

Do ya'll do that? After you've created something, seek desperately for a model to wear it? I think this is the hardest part of creating things to sale - there is no instant gratification of seeing someone enjoy your work...

Mondays with Etsy

2009-04-20T07:51:00.004-04:00

I've decided to do a post weekly showcasing some wonderful Etsy finds. The themes will vary. Some will be Fiber Arts oriented - hey, this is a knitting blog - and others will be about things that tickled my fancy.

Be sure to join me on Monday's to see what I've found. Hehehe, wiggling my fingers and showing a devious smile, this will be like a weekly treasure hunt!

Here is this weekends find -

TwilightKnits has hand dyed yarn!

Isabella

Wicked

Dizzy Girl

Blues Springskein (cute name!)

Yummy colors!

These are all Merino Wool blends. The yarn comes in skeins of 450-462 yards and all are a fingerling weight. Perfect for those socks you want to work on or for that new baby that's on the way! There are many other color combinations available in the store, so be sure to visit TwilightKnits store.

Added bonus - there is currently a SALE going on!!!!!

JadieLady, I hope this post doesn't ruin your "yarn diet"...

All photographic rights are held by TwilightKnits.

I'm making jewelry!

2009-04-19T13:33:00.004-04:00

All that Shimmers Necklace

Lately, I've been making things to stock my Etsy shop. I've made several shawls, often ending up with remnant yarn. I can't stand to see remnants laying around and throwing things away, well, that's almost painful. They cry out to me to be used...Help! Help! I want to be loved, too!

These are a few of the creations that have come out of that need to use up every scrap -

Stormy Sky Choker / Necklace

All that Shimmers Bracelet / Arm Cuff

All that Shimmers Choker / Necklace

All are available for sell at my Etsy shop - La Vida Dulce. I've enjoyed figuring out new ways to use the scraps. Finding creative ways to provide a clasp or connection is the most fun! Talk about a great way to challenge you mind...

Give it a try! I'd love to see your creations!

By the way, what do you think of my pictures? Are they getting better?

Prayer Shawl Ministry update

2009-04-14T07:26:00.001-04:00

It's been so long since I posted about the group. We been making leaps and bounds into the direction we want to go.

Due to lack of storage space, growing yarn and project stash I moved all of the goodies to the church, once I found a spot. Our church, which is older and has a huge Sunday School extension, was considering sharing space with another smaller congregation for awhile and the extra rooms that we had available were on hold until those issues were ironed out. Three weeks ago we were assigned our official room (pictured below)!

The past two weeks have been spent clearing out the old tidbits and remnants from the previous usage. As I'm only at church on Sundays and Wednesdays and occupied for most of that time, this was a slower process than I'd hoped. Our most recent meeting was the last Sunday in March and we were unable to meet in our room because there were still lots of craft items to be relocated. However, I finished that up last week and we'll be able to use the room fully now! (Special thanks to Linda S. and Lauren T. for helping move all of our goodies from our old spot to the new room.)

Remaining stash

Bins laden with finished projects!

To date we have 20 people signed up in the ministry and most are very active. We have 18 shawls, 5 lap robes, 19 scarves, 4 children's hats, and 4 baby blankets turned in! Phenomenal, especially if you consider that 1/2 of the participants maintain a full-time position and a few are suffering from illnesses themselves.

Finished projects

As we won't be limiting ourselves to shawls, we've decided to take on a more descriptive name for the ministry. We're a Moravian (not Mormon - that's a little different) congregation and our motto is:

In essentials, unity;

In non-essentials, liberty;

and in all things, love.

Jesus said that the greatest of these is love and since we're attempting to share that love with others we decided to name the ministry "Wrapped in Love". It's very apt, don't you think?

Our first blessing is scheduled for Sunday, April 26th, at which time we will bless our work alongside the entire congregation during worship. The following week members will begin dispensing the projects to our sick, shut-ins, and anyone else that we find in need in the congregation.

Our goal is to eventually be able to branch out further into the community. Perhaps we can team up with some nursing facilities, Hospice, cancer treatment centers, and the like. We're looking into this now. If you have any ideas or links, please let me know. I'd also love to hear about the great things you're doing or wish to do in your work.

Pattern inspirations

2009-04-09T17:53:00.007-04:00

Where do you get your project inspirations from?

If you're like me, sometimes they appear from out of no where, like a bolt of lightening. Other times they creep in in the depth of night. Occasionally, in the shower or the car.

Do you find yourself intently gazing on strangers in line ahead of you - desperately attempting to figure out the pattern before their needs are met or striking up conversations just to find out if they created the item themselves?

"Sorry for staring but I LOVE that sweater. Did you make it yourself?"

Do you find yourself noticing every person around you that is wearing a knit and proceed to critique the color choices and designs in your mind?

"I would have chosen royal purple and blue. Perhaps made the design start a little higher here. Oh, maybe some fringe there...yes, I like that..."

What do you do when the inspiration is no longer there?

These are some things that I've found helpful:

I keep the yarn label from skein I use (if there is one). Most labels contain at least one project and many give website addresses for the company. A lot of companies provide free or economical projects through the web now.

When browsing at the craft store I always pick up new project flyers. Even if the design doesn't appeal to me, sometimes it will inspire me to try new stitches or stitch combinations.

I browse craft and book stores for new magazines and books each visit. My limited budget prevents me from purchasing all of the ones I like, so I make a list of the interesting ones for further research. Sometimes you can find them later at a thrift shop or online at a more reasonable price.

Your local library is a treasure in itself! I've found many interesting books there. My favorites are the older books. Even though the pictures may not be as colorful or detailed, you may find design ideas that other people have forgotten over the years.

Web searches for free patterns usually result in thousands of project ideas. Who can't find inspiration with that many options?

Don't rule out books you already have. If you haven't used the books recently you may have forgotten all that they contain. Take another look. You just might be surprised!

Try Ravelry. It's the best website, in my opinion, for these types of searches because you can search by yarn (that you may have on hand), by project style, by color, etc... This is a fantastic way to destash. The best part is that most of the projects will have comments by the maker. You'll know in advance to watch out for certain things or truly how difficult or simple a pattern.

Remember that if you're going to sell something it needs to be your own original pattern. It's okay to duplicate patterns for yourself or as a gift for someone, but once money becomes involved it needs to be your own personal creation.

******

That being said, I do create my own patterns, mostly due to my own inability to willingly follow a written pattern. However, I was thinking the other day, some of my personal pattern creations are fairly simplistic in nature. A given considering that I'm new to the fiber arts world.

What are the chances that no one has ever copyrighted a basic knit stitched poncho or a double crochet dishcloth???? Very slim. So what would give someone the right to copyright such a basic design? Do you think someone has? (Probably, since they've been using these methods for hundreds of years...) Or would it need to be an intricate design to be copyrighted? How long are copyrights enforceable?

These are little things I've been thinking about over the past few days, since viewing a post about this on Etsy. Honestly, it's something I hadn't considered. Do any of you know the ins and outs of these laws or have any input? I'd love to hear about it...

Help! I can't take a picture...

2009-04-07T08:08:00.002-04:00

Before

Sorry for being so remiss in my postings. I set up my Etsy shop several weeks ago and, although I haven't sold a darn thing, am spending what amounts to hours a day trying to tweek everything.

I've been surfing the forums and getting to know some of my fellow Etsians. By the way, I haven't experienced this sort of camaraderie EVER in my life. The people that I've been in contact with are absolutely precious! If you ask a question or have a concern someone hops right in to help. Heck, they even have patience when answering questions!

I've sold on e-Bay for over 8 years now and have never had this sort of experience there. On e-Bay, a few people are helpful and nice the rest are snippy and, at times, down right cruel. Etsians seem to have a more personal, caring attitudes. Perhaps it's the fact that they make most of their things by hand and have a deeper appreciation for what's going on around them due to that fact. Selling something made by someone else can be very impersonal. There's no passion involved unless you inject it.

One of the things that I've noticed is a very high standard in the shops. Pictures and listings are well thought out and, for the most part, highly artistic. When I listed my first few items I thought I'd done a fairly good job with the photos, until I compared them with other shops. Oh my goodness! I was almost embarrassed to see them side by side. Mine were so dark and fuzzy.

This past week I've been testing out all of the options on my camera - with flash, without, with Macros enabled, without, with scene settings, with special lighting, you name it... I've even been taking pictures in my dreams!

After uploading the photos, there is more "repair" work to be done - cropping, correcting any lighting or color issues, making sure what looked good on the camera still looks good.

Here's what I've learned -

I have a good camera with lots of bells and whistles. It's a Nikon CoolPix S210. Reasonably priced at around $100 when on sale.

There are WAY too many settings to check for each and every picture.

I don't understand why the picture looks great with the flash on and terrible with the flash off. With the flash on, the definition is fantastic but, it's too dark. With it off, on the same settings, the photo looks grainy.

You can change the focus outcome by changing the focus of that little box that shows up before you click to take the picture. Who knew???

You need to take about 5-10 photos of each item in each pose to get one that looks halfway like you want it.

I have 5 different photo assistance programs on my computer - each one does a slightly different job and none are exactly what I need to fix a photo 100% for posting.

I downloaded Picasa by Goggle and it works better than any of the programs on my computer but, I still have to resize the photos in another program! Somebody please fix this!

Picnik works really well but, you have to spend a lot of time waiting for upload and download. You can "buy up" in service but it's too expensive if you're not selling anything. It would be much better if you could install it on your computer, like Picasa, and work offline.

By the time I finish making, photographing, editing, uploading photos, listing, and packaging items I would need to charge over $100 for each item to bring in minimum wage for all of the hours spent on the item BEFORE a sell is made.

If anyone else is having the same concerns here are a few links that may help with the photography issues -

Little Birds flash photography tips from her blog.

My Handmade Registry offers tips on cropping.

LiciaPots blog post on her photography contains lots of comparison photos and tips in laymans terms.

Flickr shows some shop makeovers although, many of the photos don't offer a comparison. It will give you some perspective ideas.

Why do you need this if you don't have an Etsy shop?

These tips would come in handy on a blog, too. How many times have you been drawn in to a blog because of an interesting avatar photo, or blog logo? When you get there, don't you expect to find more great photos? I do, but my blog has probably been severely lacking in interesting photos to this point.

What to do now?

I'm still working on my photography. I suppose it's one of those things that you constantly strive to improve at. Ideally, once I get more comfortable with my camera and lighting I'll be able to produce show stopping photos! (And, hopefully, stop taking hours to edit them!)

After

P.S. Many of the links in this post came in a recent Etsy e-mail, which I found immensly helpful. I told you they were great folks!

My latest contribution to the Prayer Shawl ministry

2009-04-04T19:52:00.005-04:00

We've been blessed with tons of donated yarn! Unfortunately, some of the yarn is older and you're unable to find comparable yarn to match with it. This was the case with this lovely, Lavender, virgin wool. We had one large skein, and no other wool or comparable color to go with it.

Since it was a larger skein and somewhat bulky yarn I thought I'd given it a go with some large sticks and an open design. Although, I ended up crocheting this one to try out a new-to-me stitch, the bobble.

It's done on an "N", I think, which is about twice the width of one of those Kindergarten pencils. Do you remember them? My family laughed at me when I pulled out the hook, as it's very fat and glaringly white. Whatever. It got the job done!

The tad bit of leftover yarn I had went to making tassels for each corner. I still can't decide whether or not I want to felt the blanket to make it a little more substantial looking. Right now it makes a great lightweight, summery blanket.

(Yes, I know the photo is blurry. I'm trying new tricks on my camera and the project has already been turned in...sorry!)

What do you think? To felt or not to felt, that is the question... :-)

If you're unfamiliar with the term - to felt wool means to fluff or bulk it up a little by washing it or rinsing it in warm/hot water and then cool. This causes a little pilling and tightening of the wool, giving a fuzzy appearance and feel.

Announcing a Giveaway!

2009-03-31T07:47:00.003-04:00

Be sure to head over to my other blog and sign up to win a set of 4 all cotton cloths. They're in lovely spring colors...

I only wish I could include a dishwasher or maid in the deal. So sorry!

Are you bi-stitchual???

2009-03-30T07:58:00.001-04:00

Hmmm...that sounds very risque doesn't it????

Are you thinking that I've lost my mind? Nope. I'm fine. This post really is about knitting. Honest!

Take another look. That's B-I-S-T-I-T-C-H-U-A-L.

.....

Bi - meaning "two"

Stitch - referencing stitches we make when when knitting or crocheting

ual - referring to U ALL...hehehe...just kidding!

.....

So, are you? Can you crochet AND knit (or knit and crochet - I certainly don't want to offend)?

It's said that Jen, a lady from Ravelry, coined this phrase. I'm not sure, but it is an attention getter. I also believe that it's applicable to many of us.

Ok, guys. This is your new word for the day!

Say it loud and say it proud -

I'M BI-STITCHUAL!

Knitting vs. Crochet

2009-03-28T18:57:00.004-04:00

Photo from Flickr

Since I've recently learned to crochet I've had quite a few people ask me which one I like better. Here's what I've decided.

Knitting :

PROS - It's fairly easy to learn. You can make pretty much anything with those two sticks, if you set your mind to it! I definitely like circular needles. They allow you to easily connect your project sides, without any additional stitching.

Stockinette stitch is one of my favorites. The chevron pattern that appears can be spectacular with certain yarns! The multitude of patterns that you can make are mind boggling. I believe you could knit a different pattern every day for a year and not even put a dent in the spectrum of patterns.

I prefer the tightness that can be achieved with knitted fabrics. This is particularly helpful in sweaters, glove, hats, and the like.

CONS - Some of the designs are fairly complicated to achieve. The "wrong" side of some of the patterns is not very pretty and could potentially cause problems when putting on or taking off the item.

When you make a (noticeable) mistake it can be difficult to back down to the error for correction. The last time I backed down, somehow I ended up on the bias and was then forced to unravel twice as much yarn as I originally needed to.

Carrying the entire weight of some projects can be tiring to your arms and hands.

Crochet -

PROS - Even easier to learn. The patterns are fairly simple and quick to grasp. Having one needle has it's benefits. This may actually make it easier to participate in other things while continuing your project. Additionally, you carry less weight on your arms by releasing the project as you go, which may allow you to work longer.

Triple and Quadruple crochet sets make light and airy projects a breeze. These are wonderful for spring, summer, and fall accessories. I love the ease of creating circular and connecting rows for more stitchless projects!

The best thing about crochet to me is the ease of correcting errors. You know they're going to happen and the ability to take out one individual set at a time makes it much less frustrating to correct the problem.

CONS - Crochet projects are touted to use more yarn than knit items. Counting is pretty much a given for any project due to half double, double, triple, etc... If you miss count then you mess up the stitch.

The hand that I hold my project with tends to cramp from holding the project in a similar position for extended periods of time. Even though the hand position is similar to the one you use in traditional knitting, this position bothers me more than the knitting position. It may have something to do with the tension...

Things I love about both -

Available yarn selections are phenomenal! Whether you want basic acrylic, wool or silk you can find what you need in hundreds of color varieties. The possibilities of creating the exact same project as some one else has to be close to a million to one.

Portability is a huge plus for me. I LOVE the fact that I can take my craft anywhere and work. Waiting for appointments has never been so pleasurable!

**********

Do you have a preference? Which one do you like better and why? Or do you appreciate them both?

Admirable efforts

2009-03-25T11:13:00.004-04:00

While working on my new Etsy shop configuration, I've also been doing research on what sales on their site. I'm thinking that rather than being inspirational or assisting me in pricing comparisons, this may end up being detrimental to my slim, trim pocketbook...

These beautiful creations are all sold in one shop on Etsy - Gsakowski Designs . The photos are a sampling of their collection. My first visit to their shop left me drooling. A few are reminiscent of the 1900's and all are graceful, colorful, and so artistic. Of course, my deep love of flowers certainly taints my opinion...

The saving grace - I have no where to wear this gorgeous creations to (otherwise, I may buy out the store!)

Another Knitting Machine masterpiece...

2009-03-21T08:47:00.000-04:00

Truly, it's not really a masterpiece but, that sounded good didn't it? Oh, to be the Michelangelo of the knitting world! I suppose that will have to wait. Guess I better get back to the reality of it all...

This shawl began last week as a creative attempt in crochet. I found a beautiful pattern for a triangular shawl. Honestly, I tried to stick to the pattern. Promise. However, when I got to the 4th step I was lost. It looked and sounded complicated. There was no way that I could wrap my mind around that concept. Rather than give up on the start I had, I messed around a bit with the original stitches, to no avail.

Unraveling that bit led me to another attempt at a triangular shawl. This one was shear imagination on my part. It started well, but I landed in the place of "I should've increased more" once again. My mother, who was sitting nearby crocheting her heart out, told me to give up and unravel it. Not being a quitter by nature, I staunchly refused and kept going.

Two days later I was racking my brain for ideas on how to salvage what would've been a fantastic shawl, had I only changed the increase rate. I began to improvise with rotation and addition along the sides, which looked good (for a while). Somehow I ended up with what appeared to be a VERY large thong - definitely NOT what I was looking for. Resigning to failure, I begrudgingly unraveled the "thong" and quickly resolved to complete a shawl on my new knitting machine.

After letting the yarn relax overnight, I began the process loading the machine. Four hours later I had a complete shawl base. Please note that the four hour time frame includes a forty-five minute learning allowance for me. I wanted to attempt a cabled edge at either side of the shawl. It worked fairly well, although there was a step that I neglected to follow through with. That step would've made the cable a bit more pronounced. (The recommendation was to remove the stitches on either side of the cable. By then I was afraid to ruin this project again, so I skipped that part.)

The effect is nice, even though the cable is not as raised as one would expect it to be. The yarn used is a basic white cotton by Lily. Normally, it would be used for washcloths or rugs, but someone donated it to the prayer shawl ministry. Ideally, it will become a super soft, durable shawl for someone!

The following morning the fringe was added. I felt that the width of the shawl was a bit shorter than I'd hoped. It was a little hard to properly gauge the length while knitting the shawl as you have to roll the fabric in on itself to keep the weight properly balanced. The fringe helped with this matter.

Help! They're taking over!

2009-03-19T15:28:00.007-04:00

Do you ever get to that point?

Have you ever completed so many projects in such a short time that you dream of the pattern?

Do you knit or crochet in your sleep?

Do you jump up in the middle of the night to hurriedly scribble on a note pad, because you know that if you wait for the morning you'll forget the pattern idea?

I'm there! (But, I'm not sure if that good or not...) I've been here before - when learning to tinker with new recipes, when learning a new language, when starting a new relationship as a teen. I suppose we all go through this when learning anything new. Some days it's fun because I never quite lose motivation. Others is wish I could sit down without grabbing needles.

There are so many completed projects sitting around my house that I think they're starting to take over! It's like those bad 80's horror movies. You know the ones...where something oozes around the corner chasing you or the black entity that is always lurking close by.

Here they are - don't let them follow you home...

Of course all are for sale in my Etsy shop - VidaDulce...it's ok if you do want them to follow you home...but only if you promise to provide a good, loving home for them!

Dolls of Hope

2009-03-17T08:59:00.001-04:00

Our church publishes a worldwide, monthly publication that contains information on things going on all over the US and other countries involving our congregations. It's called "The Moravian". The most recent copy contained something near and dear to my heart - KNITTING!

As a church, we have a decent presence there and during visits with the local congregations the Director of Likewise/AIDS Ministries of the Board of World Mission, Kim Bartholomew, learned of a need to bring comfort to hurting children. The idea is to bring them comfort through dolls and other stuffed animals. They have started a Duduza Doll Ministry through the Board of World Mission.

"My heart both broke and rejoiced as I thought about the great possibilities for this ministry. It grieved me to be reminded that there are children without anything to hold as they live lives filled with trauma and pain. Yet, excitement bubbled up within as I searched for possible patterns and watched my first doll take shape,"

says article author Pastor Kelly Moore.

They have issued an invitation to be creative and create knitted, crocheted, or sewn dolls to share with these children a world away. If you are interested in more information please visit the Moravian Board of World Mission website. The site has links to online patterns.

If you are so inclined, start a ministry in your church or neighborhood. You needn't feel compelled to participate in ours, but participate somewhere!

Busy, busy bee...

2009-03-16T09:33:00.003-04:00

My hands have been busy this past week creating many, many crocheted dish cloths and some knitted reusable "swiffer" cleaning pads. They've turned out well and I've had fun making photos to post to Etsy, my blog and Ravelry. Sometimes it's challenge to get the lighting just right and the photos cropped to suit you, but it's always worth it for a good photo.

Although, I have seen some really top notch photos on other blogs. Perhaps I should invest in a better digital camera????? (Here I go again. Always dreaming up more ways to spend money!)

The large scale knitting dream...

2009-03-14T16:56:00.002-04:00

If you're in your 30's, as I am, you may remember an infomercial from the mid 90's about a knitting machine. Many sleepless nights were spent in bleary-eyed envy watching those actors knit at alarming speeds to produce custom sweaters, handbags, and various other projects. Some nights I even stayed up channel surfing, hoping to catch a glimpse of the machine in action! (Sad isn't it?)

Fast forward to last November. I was fortunate to bunk with my pastors wife at a retreat. She's chock full of stories and information on things that most people never ever think about. I always enjoy picking her brain and gobbling up the morsels of information. Somehow knitting came into the chat and she mentioned the recent purchase of a knitting machine -

STOP, hold your horses, did you say knitting machine?

Yes, I thought that once we finished remodeling our kitchen I'd give it a try. It looks easy enough!

Intermingled with drool came my hundreds of questions, the most important of which being "When do you think you'll try it?" The look on my face would've been enough to stop most people in their tracks, tuck tail, and run. Not Debbie. She patiently answered all of my questions, never minding the drool!

This brings us to the receipt of my tax refund. Two weeks ago, coincidentally the same day I received my tax refund, I found a "50% off any item" coupon for one of my favorite craft stores, AC Moore. Shortly after Debbie informed me of her knitting machine purchase I began pricing them at local stores and I knew that AC Moore had the best price without a coupon. Being extremely frugal (i.e. cheap) there was no way on earth I could justify spending over $100 on this. The coupon was the perfect excuse. Hooray for coupons!

The next day was spent assembling the kit and attempting to knit a few rows. The recommendations were for the machine to be mounted to a stable, sturdy table and the only one that I have that's large enough to hold it is cluttered with our homeschool books and papers. Therefore, the initial project was started on the floor. I quickly realized that the table was going to be a necessity. Fortunately, I had another project waiting in the wings to bring this to fruition!

This past week the table was ready and off I went. My first project was a baby hat, which was made partly according to the instructional video and with the yarn that came with the machine, Caron Simply Soft in yellow. It took about 3 hours to complete which includes the time to watch and re-watch the instructional DVD, read the instruction manual for further information, cast on and cast off. Not too bad. I will say that I think the machine works better with some knitting know-how, otherwise casting off would be a true chore to figure out. Otherwise, I love the machine!

I can't wait to conquer all of the projects included in the instruction booklet. They walk you through various projects to enable mastering of machine, which is fantastic in my book!

I thought this would be perfect for those of us who would like to knit on a large scale. Don't misunderstand. I LOVE to knit by hand, but knitting by hand and selling your wears for near the cost of yarn is not viable in my humble opinion. Is this wrong? Does it ruin the effect of thoughtfully made items?

**By the way, the machine I purchased is called The Ultimate Sweater Machine by Bond America. Their website claims that you can produce 20" of knitting in about 5 minutes. I'll assume this is without any ornamentation and once you're completely comfortable using the machine. **

Tartar sauce...

2009-03-13T16:43:00.003-04:00

No, I'm not eating fish. I'm pouting.

"Tartar sauce" is the saying that my dear son used when younger to show his frustration. I thought I'd borrow it today...

Last night I drove to the other side of town for the first CraftDen meeting and found out that the leader had a family emergency. While hoping it was nothing too serious and easily remedied, I found myself pouting about the cancellation. I've so looked forward to the get together. But, life happens. Hopefully everything is ok and we'll get together soon.

I had another "tartar sauce" moment this week when the crocheted, triangular shawl I was working on was deemed "granny panties" by half of the ladies in my prayer shawl ministry group. I don't know about their grandmothers, but mine NEVER wore a thong! ;-)

Needless to say that project was scrapped. Oh well! I think I'll try cabling something on my new knitting machine this weekend.

Hmmm....that idea made everything brighter!

My new knitting group...

2009-03-12T15:59:00.003-04:00

Tonight is the first meeting of a new knitting group that I found on this neat meeting group website, Meet Up.com. I found this site purely by accident. After completing a search for local knitting groups through GoodSearch, I followed a link that led me to another link, which led me to this link. How lucky can you get?

I've been searching for a group since the early fall and finally happened upon this one that started in January. What does the bible say? "Ask and you shall receive, knock and the door will be opened..."

It's called CraftDen and it's for anyone that has a portable handcraft - knitting, crochet, smaller quilting, etc... A nice lady that moved to the area from another state thought this one up for us. When I joined in early February there were about 10 other members. Now there are over 30! From the looks of it most are knitters. Wow! Apparently there were alot of us waiting on someone else to take the initiative...

We'll be meeting tonight at a local Starbucks. I'll let you know how it turns out!

In the mean time, get yourselves on over to MeetUp.com and find some local groups in your area. They have everything from crafts, weekend getaway clubs, and paranormal societies to chess and motorcycle clubs. I'm sure you'll find something to get involved with!

My new Etsy shop...

2009-03-08T09:26:00.001-04:00

You may have noticed that I was absent from my blogs for a few days. (If not, I still love you anyway!) I took a break last week to get my Etsy store up and going. It's called La Vida Dulce and there is a box on the right hand side of the screen where you can preview my current offerings.

I discovered Etsy completely by accident. I've had an e-Bay Store for years and was searching for another selling venue, when I happened upon Etsy. They're very similar as to how listings are posted, although their fees are substantially different and Etsy is oriented almost entirely toward handmade items and support for those crafty people.

Etsy is also a "Buy-It-Now" community. There is no auction and waiting period. If you want it, you buy it. There is the familiar feedback and store set up, but the listings all look very similar. There apparently is no use of HTML, which keeps the listings from being overly gaudy or sensational.

Of course, I'll still have my e-Bay store, as I sell books there. Did I tell you that I'm a book worm from way back? It's true. And I love to learn! When I was piecing together my sons' curriculum for homeschool this year I went so far overboard I almost touched the bottom of the ocean! Embarrassing but true. Hence the textbook selection. I would never need all of those books on hand and I'm not planning on starting a library anytime soon, so off to e-Bay we went!

I will be selling a variety of items on Etsy, made in between projects for the Prayer Shawl Ministry. The first of which is listed now - a Pink and Black boucle shrug. Perfect for spring!

Thanks to my lovely friend, Lauren, for being my model!

My Hubby's Christmas scarf

2009-03-07T11:12:00.004-05:00

So, after several complaints from me on how badly the stockinette rolls and 3 attempts at a proper scarf for my husband, this is what we arrived at...

I decided to go with the roll effect and utilize it. I ribbed the scarf by alternating knit and purl from side to side. You knit the purls and purl the knits on each rotation. I love the effect and it gives him some extra warmth due to the propensity of the ribs to remain closed.

I wish that it was wider than this, but I had no more of the blue yarn and can't remember the manufacturer information since it's been so long since I made the first scarf. Hubby seems ok with it, but wasn't so excited as the first scarf. He has yet to wear it and I finished it 2 weeks ago.
Oh well, I tried!

My 2nd crochet project

2009-03-06T15:46:00.000-05:00

Ok, so technically this is the first total crochet project, but the second project that I have crocheted some part of. Does that make sense? (Does it matter???? *laughing at myself*...)

I was in desperate need to make another prayer shawl since I recently made several personal projects and some hats and lap robes for the ministry. Wanting to continue with my new found crochet skills was a given. If you follow this blog, you know that I rebel against patterns, so of course, I made this one up. It satisfies my desire to test out the difference between double and triple crochet. This also allowed me plenty of time to play with the tension and develop my hooking skills!

What a joy it is to learn a new skill. This long, lean, lacy shawl will wrap someone in love and, hopefully, they will feel the joy that went into making it!

Did I tell you that...

2009-03-04T15:31:00.006-05:00

Did I tell you guys that learning how to crochet was also on my to-do list? Well, it was. Did you hear the sound of me checking it off?

I started by putting an edge on this baby blanket/lap robe that I knitted in stockinette. Yes, stockinette. As much as I complain about the rolling issue, I love the way it looks and feels, especially with a yarn that patterns. Speaking of self-patterning yarn - I pulled this cute wool yarn out of the Prayer Shawl Ministry stash. There was only one skein and this particular yarn is no longer being manufactured. I paired it up with this super soft acrylic, also from the stash and discontinued.

The self-patterning yarn was navy blue with random color changes from teal to yellow to peach, but very subtle and understated colors. This may have made up some great socks! The problem came with the pairing. The acrylic was a similar shade of blue and initially the two looked great together. However, after several rows I noticed that the pattern was lost in the mix. Darn it. When you stand back it almost makes the blanket look worn or dirty. Oh, well! It's still super soft and cozy warm. I can just picture some little baby snuggled up for bedtime in it!

Once the crochet edging had been completed it did look better, but still not quite how I had pictured. AND, of course, the blanket still rolls, although not as badly. Perhaps once it's washed it will stop the incessant rolling.

Oh, and no, that's not a pocket in the middle. I got tired of the same stitch about halfway through and decided to add a square in the center. This enabled me to switch up the stitch by changing from purl to knit and vice versa periodically, while leaving an interesting design on both sides. This is another design trick I can check off my list!

Old hat, new hat, red hat, blue hat...

2009-02-25T22:12:00.005-05:00

Don't you just love Dr. Suess? That was one of my favorites books growing up! Who would believe that I now make hats?

Presenting hat two:

And hat three:

Hat two was a sizing error but some lucky little girl will be the recipient of this gem through our prayer shawl ministry! It's made out of donated remnants and I was hoping to make this an adult size. This is what happens when you guess...

Hat three is my Angel babies birthday present. She wanted a beanie hat to match a hemp necklace that she has. It has teal, royal purple and a lovely yellow color. It's about 1/2" too big but she likes it. Unfortunately, this is the one time that the yarn claims to be shrink-proof! Oh well.

True knitting dedication...

2009-02-22T13:19:00.000-05:00

I've met some nice people through Ravelry. For those of you that don't know - Ravelry is this wonderful knitting, crocheting, and notions type of community. It's fairly new and I LOVE it. I can keep track of all of my yarn stash, needles on hand, projects and much more. Plus, you can socialize and compare notes with hundreds of other like minded people.

One of those people is moonfire . I finally found her blog today and viewed one of her recent blog posts. Folks, this lady is dedicated to her knitting. Seeing is believing so be sure to visit this link.

Oh, and check out her more recent post about her knitting projects. I especially like the pumpkins!

My 1st Double Point Knitting Project!

2009-02-19T07:28:00.000-05:00

Drum roll, please! The moment you've all been waiting for...the revealing of the now famous first double point needle project...Ta-da! Amazing! Astounding! How did she do it folks? (Hehehe...wouldn't it be funny if there truly was an announcer following us around all the time?)

Well, after three days of fussing and fidgeting with these needles, followed by 3 days of furious knitting in the round, I produced a teeny, tiny baby cap suitable for 0-3 months (I think). My finger tips are throbbing and sore from knitting so tightly and then performing "k2tog" (knit two stitches together) for 3 rounds on these super tight stitches.

I love the combination of the pink and variegated yarn. They're both a lightweight cotton and knitted so well together. The variegated yarn left a nice blue star on the crown of the cap!

For those mothers out there, I liken this to child birth. Immediately after birth you say, rather convincingly, that you'll never do that again. A few weeks later, once recuperated, you're thinking about how precious you're little one is and know that you'd do it again in a heartbeat. This is exactly where I'm at now. As a matter of fact, I've already been browsing new yarn selections for the next project.

Maybe I just like punishment!

Ode to Angel...

2009-02-18T21:06:00.000-05:00

This post is for my daughter, Angel, who thinks that the world is a better place because of Ramen noodles. Who am I to dispute that? Heck, you can even knit with them!

Bumblebee Knitting

2009-02-16T15:51:00.000-05:00

This is hysterical! For any of you out there that feel "under pressure" to complete that project, this is truly a cute representation...

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Feel that pressure...work those needles...faster...faster...work that yarn until those fingers burn...

Ok, now it's time for some chamomile tea or a sledge hammer - not sure which!

Knitting Needle Pouch

2009-02-15T07:45:00.001-05:00

Along with all of this great yarn that has been donated to the Prayer Shawl Ministry we received 6 gauges and a partially completed sweater (cabled and beautiful!) Most of the gauges were very small, 3"x3", but there weren't enough of them to make anything with, raveled or unraveled. One was larger, but made of a very scratchy wool and kind of an odd color.

On the verge of throwing out this handful of scrap, it occurred to me that I could make something out of the larger piece but I wasn't sure what. It was such a shame that we couldn't use all of them.

Later that day, I decided to make a needle pouch with this lone gauge. Originally, it was intended to hold the needles that were being donated for the ministry. By the next day it had been outgrown! It became mine by default - I traded some of my scraps for it...

The gauge was fairly square. I folded it in half, stitched up two sides leaving an opening at the top, and filled it with my meager needle stash. I have to admit that it is significantly better than the gallon sized plastic bag I was using!

Continental versus Traditional

2009-02-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

Do you ever wonder what the difference is between Continental knitting and traditional? or English, American and German? How about standard and throwing or right-handed versus left-handed? Did you even know there was a difference? More importantly, did you just get a headache?

These are examples of knitting styles others may refer to:

German, European, Left-handed, Continental, Looking-glass, Standard, Picking

and

English, American, Western, Traditional, Right-handed, Throwing

What's the difference?

Other than obvious name confusion there's not alot of difference. You may have presumed from the name game that the main difference is right and left handed. It really is that simple.

Do you work your incoming yarn from the left hand or the right?

Lefties are called by the top names and righties by the lower names.

You may have seen people working on their knitting who take many more steps than you or someone who you thought was knitting improperly but could really fly on those sticks. Perhaps this is why. This video gives a great example of both versions and a terrific explanation as to which is faster. If you're a crocheter trying your hand at knitting you can benefit from this video, too!

I taught myself how to knit Continental and often have people tell me that I'm knitting incorrectly. That's okay with me. I get the same results in half the time and save my precious right arm alot of trouble!

By the way, there are other ways to knit, but one headache a day is enough. ;-)

Thanks JadieLady! She sent me this link in a comment and gave me the idea.

Double Point Needle Knitting

2009-02-13T09:23:00.001-05:00

Yes, I'm back on the double pointed needles. I will conquer!

What do you need them for?

Knitting in the round or circular knitting is needed for knitting socks, hats, or tubes of any sort. My sweet, little (not really - she'll be 18 in March) Angelly-pooh has requested a hat. This will be her birthday present and I'm trying so hard to figure this out in time to make her hat properly.

I ordered some circular needles (these have connection tubes) off of e-Bay from China about 3 weeks ago. Don't shoot me, but I got 16 sets of various sized needles for $18 including shipping. I couldn't pass that up, even with the environmental footprint concern. Needless to say I haven't received them yet. I'm not sure how long it takes to get things from China, but hopefully they'll arrive soon.

Since I'm sooooooo incredibly cheap and can't find reasonably priced circular needles around town, I splurged and bought some double pointed needles (those have points on both ends) for $1.25.

Either can be used for circular knitting, but I'm having serious issues with the double pointed needles. Granted this is my 1st attempt and I'm sure it will become easier, otherwise they would've stopped selling those things many moons ago.

As I said in an earlier post, these double point needles are getting the best of me. Since YouTube has had some great videos for knitting I thought I'd try there. This is the first one I found and pretty much details what happened to me except for the fact that she loses no stitches and I thought the needles were connected by yarn somehow. I'm not sure this is better...

Sniffle...sniffle...my wittle head hurtz....maybe I'll conquer this tomorrow...

Completed Baby Blanket

2009-02-11T22:04:00.000-05:00

This is my first baby blanket! It's made for our prayer shawl ministry and from donated yarns. I think it turned out ok. It's not as soft as I had hoped for and maybe that's due to the combining of the yarn. The yellow was super soft on the skein, but it's a little rougher now that it's knitted.

I did run out of yarn a little sooner than I'd hoped. I guess some lucky premie will be the recipient of this blanket, otherwise it may be too small...

The green monster rears it's ugly little head...

2009-02-10T08:13:00.000-05:00

Oh...I have a terrible case of yarn and knitting envy. I found this blog, Jadielady, through a lovely lady on Ravelry. It's her daughters' blog and I did enjoy it, but I now have the worst case of yarn and knitting envy ever!

Last night, I tried my hand at knitting in the round with double pointed needles. I fought with the yarn near the corners, missed a few loops - perhaps due to the fuzzy yarn I was using, and struggled to keep all of my loops from falling off the end. Surely, I must have done something wrong. It can't possibly be that difficult and people still choose to do it! Well, I frogged that project after almost cussing (several times.)

Then, darn it, today I see this lady's version of a prayer shawl started on double point needles. AND I love the yarn she's using, not to mention all of the other yarn she has pictured...sniffle, sniffle...I think I'll crawl away and lick my wounds...

Completed Lap Robe

2009-02-09T15:17:00.000-05:00

Last week led me to explore the possibility of making a lap robe for the Prayer Shawl Ministry. I started it on Wednesday and two days later received a phone call about a man that was in a terrible situation health wise. The caller stated that she thought he might benefit from something from our ministry. God works in mysterious ways doesn't He?

This one began as a single piece in a basket weave design. Somehow in the first seven rows I ended up off one stitch, which would've messed up the basket weave. I frogged the original project due to my inability to let mistakes go without a fight. Besides, I was only seven rows in.

The next thing that came to mind was to piece together something from individual squares. I think it ended up more rectangular than square, but the overall effect I like and it seems to be the perfect size. This is constructed from mill ends of a fairly soft yarn in two different greens: mint and army. Great for a man, don't you think?

Prayer Shawl Ministry Update

2009-02-08T06:00:00.001-05:00

Take a look at the amount of items already made for the Prayer Shawl Ministry! AMAZING! These two bags are full of scarves and shawls. Even more amazing...there are more in the making as we speak.

And can you believe that all of this has already been donated to make more? I'm happy to say that I'm rapidly running out of space and storage ideas for all of these goodies. What a wonderful problem to have.

When I look around at these lovely colors and lovingly, hand crafted items I'm almost rendered speechless. To think of the time, effort, care, love, and concern that went into each tiny stitch and to know that God's love emanates from each and every piece...now that's amazing!

By the way - these nice storage bags are recycled. For other great ideas for reusing zippered, plastic storage bags visit my other blog - The Simple Life.

Currently on the sticks

2009-02-07T09:11:00.000-05:00

Currently I'm working on a baby blanket for the Prayer Shawl Ministry. The idea came from a nice lady I met last week at a local church. She was knitting a baby blanket with a combination of three different yarns, all in pastel colors. The result was gorgeous, and she made knitting with multiple yarns look so very simple. I had to give it a whirl.

I'm guilty of trying to make things more complicated than they truly are, in knitting and in life in general. Therefore, the thought of multiple yarns almost gave me a headache. I just knew I needed one of those finger thingys (the fingertip cap that separates multiple yarns for you.) Now I don't know what the finger tip is for; it certainly wasn't needed to join two yarns nor did the lady need one to join three. Does anyone out there know what these finger tip things are for????

This is the beginning of a beautiful relationship...

all courtesy of lovely, donated yarn. The edge is a fuzzy yarn of some sort. It appears similar to Fun Fur, but it's a softer, finer texture. There is only a small skein of it, perfect for edging. We had a full skein of the lemon yellow which is a Caron Simply Soft and two of the smaller skeins of a rainbow pastel, unlabeled.

As I sifted through the bags of donations this combination appeared, each from a different bag. What a blessing to be able to put them together and find them a new home! I just hope there is enough yarn for a decent sized blanket.

Yarn crazy and frogging (ribet, ribet)

2009-02-06T10:25:00.001-05:00

It's official - I have gone yarn crazy! Recently I have found some fantastic deals on yarn. Some were found at the local dollar stores and discount retailers. You can't beat yarn for a dollar, especially when it normally sells for $5 and up.

Here are the latest pictures of my stash.

The past two nights have been spent searching for ideas on how to use it all. I'm thinking I'll try my hand at a hat or two, some granny squares (I know - that's crochet), and perhaps a lap robe or two. That should keep me busy for the next few weeks.

My hubby's Christmas scarf was frogged (this means unraveled) last night and I'm waiting on the yarn to relax sufficiently to restart it. I'm still up in the air about how to knit it this time. Any ideas?????

Thought for the day

2009-02-05T08:33:00.003-05:00

We had Chinese last night, which is highly unusual for us these days, given the economy. But, we do splurge occasionally and boy was it worth it!

This was in one of the fortune cookies -

It's kind of fun to do the impossible.

Amen! I feel a challenge - take on something you thought was impossible...when you conquer it you'll feel like you can do anything.

Don't you just love fortune cookies????

Posy Pink Poncho

2009-01-29T13:57:00.000-05:00

Hi, ya'll! Here's the finished Posy Pink Poncho that I started last week. The hardest thing about doing this one was finding some thread to stitch the seams that matched this "Pepto-Bismol" pink color.

This poncho is made into the same pattern as my original purple poncho. Using Joann Fabric Stores Angel Hair yarn, you cast on 70 stitches to a size 10US needle. You probably need 14" long needles or circular to hold this amount comfortably. For a plus size gal I knit 3 complete skeins, bind off and repeat for the second side. 2 1/2 skeins would probably suffice for someone size 8-14.

Once bound off, I rotate the sides so that one width side matches a length side. This gives the poncho an interesting pattern change, with no effort. Be sure to match finished side to finished side, otherwise you'll have tie on, frayed edges showing on your finished project.

Once the sides are matched, I pin the edges of two sides in an "V" formation, leaving about 5-6 inches open at the meeting point for your neck opening. Stitch the edges with a similarly colored thread, double stitching the corners at the base and neck opening for added strength at these stress points. When you finish stitching remove all of the pins and flip it inside out.

The finished product has an "A-line" cowl neck effect and will come about 3/4 of the way down each arm and to the base of the crotch front and back. Another option is to wear it sideways which will completely cover the arms and have a midriff length front and back.

One of the best thing about this yarn is that it's so incredibly soft. It's a wool, acrylic blend but it's heavenly. I made this design up, so if you like it let me know!

Do-it-yourself knitting needles

2009-01-27T12:46:00.004-05:00

While browsing the yarn section at the store the other day I started a discussion with another knitter. She was searching for some double pointed needles and this particular store didn't have a large selection. I made a recommendation of a store down the street and she proceeded to tell me that she'd make her on - no problem...

"What? You make your own knitting needles??? Really?"

"Yes, it's simple," she replies.

My mind is reeling. Simple to make your own needles, she says. I can't wrap my mind around it. I have to know more.

"Well, how do you do it?"

"I buy some wood dowels and cut them to the size I need. You know you can buy dowels in all different widths. Then you cut them to the length you want and sharpen the ends with a pencil sharpener...easy," she ends with a nonchalant shrug.

I must have been standing there gaping like an idiot. Why on earth had I never thought of that?

"Doesn't the wood pick your yarn?"

I'm baffled. There's no way it could be that easy.

She smiles, "No. You sand them lightly and polish them up with some wax paper."

Wax paper and wood dowels. That's it. I have run myself ragged trying to find new needles in just the right size and this lovely lady has remedied all of my troubles with cheap, common household items. Wouldn't you know it?

Putting some more thought behind this I realized that some dowels would be rather large to fit into a pencil sharpener, although the cosmetic section in stores occasionally offers some sharpeners with large openings. Perhaps you could shave the tips off of sizable dowels with a sharp pocket knife?

Also, I like to use needles with some device that traps my stitches on the opposite end. Maybe a large push pin or thumb tack could suffice.

I think I'll give this a try and let you know how it works.

The 1st Prayer Shawl Ministry meeting...

2009-01-25T20:48:00.002-05:00

Today was the day! We had about 14 people there today and 4 that couldn't come but wanted to sign up. 3 of those have never knitted or crocheted before and are willing to learn! I thought that was wonderful. I was like a kid at Christmas this week - so excited and couldn't wait for today!

I had our first prayer shawl blessed by the pastor Wednesday because I wanted to give one away today at the meeting. One of the first people to sign up as a participant is actually the person that inspired me to knit and, unfortunately, she was diagnosed with cancer almost 3 years ago. She has been very sick lately and had her last chemo cancelled due to an extremely low white blood cell count. Since she's the reason that I knit and truly in need of some extra love right now I thought it befitting that we open the ministry by a gift back to her.

We set a rough plan in place to service our church this first quarter and potentially expand the ministry to other agencies outside of the church in the next quarter. We've decided to do shawls, lap robes (thought this was good for men), and scarves for our group of high school graduates this year.

We're going to "package" the projects with a notecard about the ministry, a prayer and care instructions. The packaging will be a simple ribbon and bow. Our church has a visitation pastor and he normally visits people in the hospital and soon after their return home. They decided to allow him to take some items with him and the rest will be delivered by ministry volunteers. They thought privately dispensing them would be the best, due to some people not wanting everyone to know when they're not well.

We want to hold a blessing ceremony during the regular Sunday service once every quarter so the whole congregation can participate. We also considered presenting the graduates with their scarves during our normal graduation service in the summer.

I did forget one thing a the meeting. I forgot to ask what we wanted to name the ministry. I thought that Prayer SHAWL Ministry was kind of limiting since we want to provide the scarves and lap robes, too. Anyway, I guess I can bring that up at our next meeting.

We decided to meet once a month, the last Sunday of the month right after church, as many of the participants are heavily involved in other ministries and work full-time. We also have a few people gathering Wednesday nights during the school year already.

I know we've probably left alot out, but it's a start. What do you think? Oh, I found out this week that one of our sister churches has a Prayer Shawl Ministry that meets Wednesday's at 3pm. I think I'll try to visit them this week and observe.

What a truly wonderful way to start the New Year...

Newest Prayer Shawl

2009-01-22T09:48:00.000-05:00

Here's Johnny...

Well, not Johnny, but another prayer shawl. This is number five. It's very similar to the "Bat Wing Shawl" but I think it's significantly better, in my opinion. I used the same Sensations Boucle yarn by JoAnn's. It's a combination of pink, gray and black and this yarn is self-patterning.

The main difference between this shawl and the other is that I tried a different stitch combination. The Bat Wing Shawl was very haphazard and not well thought out on my part. Although, it is an interesting design.

For this shawl I started with 3 stitches cast on and increased each row by three - a yarn over at the beginning and end and one near the center of the shawl. I cast off at 175 stitches. It's knitted on size US 17 needles and utilizes the standard knit stitch. (The stockinette stitch wouldn't show up well with this yarn stitched on so large a needle.) This particular yarn comes on a massive roll and I used about 1/3 of a skein for this project.

The interesting thing about this design is the fact that the shawl was knitted as a triangle and once off the needles rounded itself out. If you look at this picture closely you'll notice the circular pattern radiates from the top center of the back. This was a completely unexpected effect that I do enjoy. (The yellow dots are on the models shirt and not part of the design.)

Fleece Prayer Shawl

2009-01-21T21:29:00.008-05:00

Here it is! Boy, for a piece of scrap fabric from the craft store it turned out well...even if I say so myself. It's toasty warm and soft. The fleece is a navy blue color and approximately 3/4 of a yard. I fringed both ends (with no knot - most people knot each strand, but I didn't like that look so I left them loose.)

The embroidered cross turned out okay. It was my first attempt at free hand embroidery and is only slightly askew. I wish the photo had turned out a little better so you could see the detail, but basically it's a small pointed cross.

This is a fantastic no-sew project for those of you that don't have a ton of spare time or don't feel inclined to produce fabric arts. You just clean up the edges with some basic scissors. Heck, if you want to get fancy I suppose you could use pinking shears. You can leave the piece solid or fringe the edge.

Wouldn't this be cute with some felted or crocheted flowers? Perhaps you could add some ribbons to the fringe by knotting them together. The possibilities are endless and fleece can be found in large remnant quantities right now.

On the sticks...

2009-01-19T22:52:00.007-05:00

I thought to share some of the things that I'm working on right now.

I've had a request for a poncho similar to the one I made for myself, but in a different color. This one is a bubble gum pink and will have the same lines as my purple poncho. It's an inverse "A" line with a drop neckline that is slightly offset. This is done entirely in the standard knit stitch. Hopefully the pictures for this one will turn out a little better than the purple. It's so hard to see the definition lines.

This week will also include unraveling my hubby's Christmas scarf and reworking the stockinette stitching. I think I'll add a border to it this time to keep it from rolling. Can't wait to see how it turns out! If I don't get cracking on it winter will be over before he gets to use it...

I'll leave you with one of the first bible scriptures that I ever learned. I hope you find a small bit of inspiration here:

Psalm 139; 11-14

If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Hope you all are well and having a fantastic New Year!

How did my project get this big????

2009-01-17T07:59:00.004-05:00

A similar question was recently asked by my newest knitting buddy, Mrs. U. (She asks a lot of great questions!)

Have you ever started a project with the correct number of stitches cast on and several rows later had a widening garment, unintentionally? Have you ever tried to figure out how it happened and felt lost? Boy, I have.

Let's talk holes. If you look back and find holes where there aren't supposed to be any you have yarned over. A yarn over (yo) is a stitch used to increase. If you yarn over the first or last stitch on a row you will increase without a hole. However, a yarn over in the middle of a row will leave you with a neat little hole. This "mid row yarn over" is often used to create lace-style holes for decoration or as a small part of a series of stitches for a specific design.

The yarn over stitch is very simple. You simply loop your working yarn around your working needle and continue knitting stitches as before. This is what caused your unintentional hole. You probably thought you had your needle properly inserted into the stitch you were trying to work and, for whatever reason, it wasn't inserted correctly. Then you looped the working yarn around the working needle and pulled it through as usual you created a yarn over instead of a completed knit stitch. You may have even pushed the unworked stitch off as worked creating a dropped stitch, which made an even larger hole.

To correct this error go back and pick up the correct stitches. Yes, this means you have to unravel to the error and work this section all over again. This is a great reason to always check your progress every row or every few rows. (Sometimes you can't see the error until a few rows later.)

If you find no holes you have neglected to drop your worked stitches. Once you work a stitch you normally drop it off the end of the needle and continue on to your next stitch. You may have thought that you dropped you stitch and somehow didn't. Occasionally, especially with fluffier yarn, the yarn will catch between the worked and new stitch and the worked stitch will carryover to the working needle. Sometimes you're working so fast you just don't notice this!

If this is your problem you can easily spot these undropped stitches before reworking them on the next go round. Watch for crossed stitches that making an "x" on your needle. When you come to an "x" work the first stitch as normal and drop the second stitch off the end of the needle without working into it. This drops the original offender stitch back into its proper place and allows you to continue on as if you never had a problem.

Are you a knitter that multi-tasks while knitting? Generally, you can find these errors by feel. When attempting to knit into a crossed stitch you'll notice that the first stitch will feel tighter than the others around it. When you feel this tension make it a habit to look for a crossed stitch.

The only way to correct the increase errors several rows down is to back down to the problem spot and rework all of your stitches. Should you only be a row or two ahead you can try a knit two together (k2tog) decrease to get you back to the correct number of stitches. To knit two together simply push the working needle through two stitches rather than one and push both worked stitches off the end. (If you find yourself more than 4 stitches ahead, you may want to back down to rework all of the stitches anyway, as decreasing too much will leave you with a wavy end product.)

Hope these tips help you!

First Prayer Shawl meeting scheduled!

2009-01-15T08:04:00.005-05:00

Yay! I finally scheduled our first Prayer Shawl meeting at church. I compiled a lot of information over Christmas vacation with free pattern links for knitting and crochet. Some of these have already been shared with you, but I did find 2 more that I really like - Crochet Pattern Central which also includes a tips and tricks section and Knitty Chick offering everything from patterns to recipes and a blog!

Our first meeting will be on Sunday, January 25th, immediately after church. It's an organizational meeting, so we won't actually work on our projects that day. We'll be deciding on a name for the group and picking our future meeting dates. We will also decide how we will choose recipients and how we will package the shawls.

I can't wait to get started! Keep us in your prayers, please, as we need all the help we can get to be sure and head in the right direction with this ministry.

Stay tuned for more photos of completed projects. I have a fleece prayer shawl that I've put together for those not inclined to knit or crochet. With fleece you can do everything you need with a pair of scissors. You can even do this if you have arthritis courtesy of a pair of electric scissors! I'm adding an embroidered cross to one end, just to jazz it up a little bit. As soon as the embroidery is finished I'll post a picture for you.

Well, mom says it's okay...

2009-01-12T23:18:00.010-05:00

Here's one of the latest in prayer shawls. It is the first I've tried from the triangular angle (haha!) I have this bad habit that I developed with recipes several years ago. Sometimes I read cookbooks for inspiration, never truly trying a specific recipe, just making things up from combinations of other recipes. Or I read over the recipe and then rethink it as I throw it together.

Now I find that I've been doing that with my knitting. At least I don't have to worry about whether or not it'll rise!

So, this little number came from a legitimate pattern and I butchered it. This is the result - I call it my Bat Wing Shawl.

Here's the story. I cast on three knit stitches and yarned over one stitch at the beginning of each row thereafter. Several rows in I realized that if I continued at that rate I would have a shawl taller than most people and it would be more of a bathrobe than a shawl.

Thus began my bright idea of going up 3 stitches every row. 10 rows later I went to increasing 5 stitches every row. I'm still not sure if I was just impatient or hadn't thought it through completely.

I happened to be at my mother's when I determined it was completed and cast off. I was dismayed but good ole mom, she said "I think it's cute. It kind of reminders me of something my grandmother used to wear. You know, just a different color..."

Since mom gave her blessing I refuse to unravel it. I just pray that the person that gets it enjoys it!

Another completed shawl!

2009-01-10T22:12:00.004-05:00

Here's another completed shawl. This one is knitted in Mega-Brushed by Premier in Blue Berry. It is stockinette stitch and has a beautiful chevron style design from the yarn variations. I knitted this on size 12mm/US 17 needles, which gave the shawl a lacy, open style.

Prayer Shawl Ministry

2009-01-07T19:25:00.006-05:00

Exploring the craft stores can lead you to many things. Sometimes it leads you to spending more money, sometimes to new crafts, and occasionally to your next great idea. Recently, I found my next great idea.

Browsing the knitting and crochet "how to" books lead me to a wonderful discovery. Two Prayer Shawl Ministry books caught my eye. Published by Leisure Books and sponsored by Lion Brand yarn, these books are marvelous. They each contain prayers, thoughts and ideas along with knitting and crochet patterns for several shawls.

Prayer Shawls are often offered up as a confirmation of God's love for each of us. Each shawl is handmade, with love, by a member of the ministry group. As the shawl is made it is regularly prayed over and upon completion receives one final blessing before being gifted to a chosen recipient. Most recipients are home bound or have an illness, but these can be given for any number of things. As I flipped through the books I longed to purchase them, but I often put things up to go home and pray about how best to spend my funds.

Several days later these books were still on my mind and my heart. I went back to see them again. Again, I left without them. The next day I overhead a conversation at another store that mentioned these shawls as a good idea. I knew that was my final nudge. When I returned the following week, both books were on sale...God's final confirmation that this was for me...He knows I can't pass up a sale!

Once I had the books and did a little more research on the computer I knew this would be a fabulous ministry for my church. Approval by the pastor and board immediately followed in December. We will start 2009 with this new ministry!

This is the first shawl offered into service...

The shawl is stockinette stitch. It's composed of Lion's Brand Homespun in Windsor Blue. The combination of color and stitching lends itself to the appearance of flowing water. Gorgeous!

There's nothing better than sharing your God given talents!

Free Knitting Patterns!

2009-01-06T09:36:00.004-05:00

I may have mentioned before that I LOVE free things! I don't care if you call me cheap. It's true and I don't try to fluff it up with big words like frugal or conservative. Cheap is fine. It works for me!

I wanted to share some free knitting patterns that I've run across recently as I know patterns can get expensive. Then again, sometimes we get into ruts and just need some inspiration. I hope you find something in here that tickles your "I've got to try this" bone!

How Stuff Works has some cute and simple designs picked for beginners.

About.com gives tons of basic examples from beginner to expert.

Yarn Market offers several unusual designs including a bolero jacket and those flip flops with fur.

Knitting Warehouse.com has links to some major manufacturer's of yarn and crochet materials.

Knitting Daily provides multiple pages of patterns, blogs, forums and how-to information.

If you're interested in finding knitters in your area or connecting on-line try Ravelry. I recently joined and love it. They have personalized pages for you to maintain your needle and yarn inventory, photos and notes on your projects, books in your library, and much more. It's also a fantastic resource for hints and ideas. Currently, Ravelry has a small waiting list but they can usually get you up and running within a few days!

If you join Ravelry be sure and look for me there under Thumperdd.

Some other finished projects...

2009-01-04T13:23:00.004-05:00

This is a scarf I knitted for my husband for Christmas. It's Dallas Cowboy colored. Uhhhh...he doesn't really like the Cowboys, it was extra yarn from the Panthers scarves and my sons scarf. (Parents normally get the leftovers....he'll be okay.)

It's the second scarf I've knitted with the Stockinette pattern. It's a sport weight yarn (or 3) and as I was knitting the darn thing curled as I knitted. I'm not sure what happened here but it has issues.

This photo is of the same scarf after ironing on low heat, as the fabric calls for. Shortly after this photo it re-curled. HELP! If anyone out there knows how to remedy this...I'm begging, PLEASE HELP!

The next project is something I made for myself. It was my 6th project. My hubby bought me this yarn for my birthday. I couldn't decide what to do with it. It's purple and lusciously soft. It's the best yarn I've ever run my hands over.

The yarn is called Angel Hair and is part of the Sensations line at Joann Fabric Stores (and it's exclusive!) It's an acrylic, wool blend but you wouldn't know it to touch it. It has the nicest, silky texture. It's heavenly!

I'm notoriously cold (low iron) and I thought at first to turn it into a throw for home use, but after several other projects I finally decided that I would make a poncho. That way I could wear it and enjoy it even more, plus I could still use it at home if I'm chilled!

Anyway, I worked it in garter stitch. It's two rectangular pieces. Each piece is 3 skeins of yarn and I knitted it on my US 10 needles. After completing both sections, I stitched them together on the bias leaving the top corner unsewn. This gives it a chic, modern look as the unsewn portion flaps down over the body at an angle. (I couldn't get the flap to show up well in the photo.)

For a closer look at this yarn you can take a gander at the purple ball in my blog heading - that'd be it! (Along with the remnants of the Panther Blue, Moss Green for my babies scarf, etc...)

Keeping me in stitches or Knitting Terminology 102

2009-01-03T21:54:00.001-05:00

Let's talk stitches - YAY! HOORAY! I know. They're exciting. They're also intimidating, hard to interpret if you over think or over simplify them, and sometimes cause headaches. BUT, that's okay because once you conquer a stitch no one can take it away from you...hmmm...that sounds like we're going to war...maybe I should rephrase that.

Back to they're exciting - your basic stitches are knit and purl. If you knit every stitch or purl every stitch the pattern will look the same - all bumps. Did you know that? I always though purl would be something hard, but it's just the same stitch worked from the front of the set rather than the back. Also, if you knit OR purl an entire project it is garter stitch.

This link has good photos and instructions for these two stitches. The instructions could be a tad bit better...

One thing that everyone seems to leave out of the instructions is that once you loop your new stitch it transfers to the opposite or empty needle. The stitch you just worked into needs to be pushed off the end of the original needle or dropped. (She tells you about the drop but not about what to do with the new stitch. I guess you'd figure that out eventually, but if someone tells where to put the new stitch it gives you confidence. We don't need panic attacks while learning to knit!)

This is a picture of the garter stitch pattern that you get from all knit or all purl stitches.

This is a photo of the right side or front of a stockinette stitch. Stockinette is 1 row of knit followed by 1 row of purl for the entire pattern. The combination of the knit and purl rotation gives the "chevron" style appearance. Many retail sweaters will use this stitch. (Go check your closet. It's alright!) The opposite or wrong side of the project will look the same as the photo above. Therefore, it will appear stockinette on one side and garter on the other.

Now, for the moment we've all been waiting for - the revealing of a secret...hold on to your seats!

Once you learn these two stitches you have the base for all other knitting designs! Yep! Now you can take over the knitting world with your own creations!

To help you own your way, this link gives you a small library of stitches and patterns derived from them. It has photos and a short pattern note at the bottom of the page. (K = knit and P = purl.) What are you waiting for? Get started!

Just one request - please share your project photos with us. We can't wait to see what you've created!

Knitting Terminology 101 - The Slip Knot and Casting On

2009-01-02T11:50:00.000-05:00

The slip knot is the first step to knitting. (That is, once you've acquired your tools of the trade.) Without this knot you can have no project, so you MUST master this! Everyone has a different way of making this knot. If you were taught knot-making at some point in your life you may still remember how, if not it's easy - don't worry!

I begin by measuring out a length of yarn. The length will vary depending on the project. Basically, I estimate I'll need about an inch per set that I will cast-on to the needle plus some extra for the tail, usually about 3-5 inches. For instance, for 20 sets I'll need about 25 inches of yarn. I recommend measuring this off until you're more comfortable with your lengths and knitting.

After measuring your tail length, go up about an inch and pinch the yarn at that point. Take the yarn coming off the skein and wrap it around the back of your first two fingers, still pinching the yarn tail, palm facing you. Unpinch your fingers and let the tail end fall between your thumb and palm and repinch it there. Continue wrapping the yarn from the skein around your pointer finger, gently separate your pointer and middle finger and stick the yarn from the skein through the loop you have created. Pinch the piece of yarn you put through the loop and and pull your loop tight. Then place the loop you made on to your needle. Make sure that your knot will slide on the needle otherwise it's too tight. You have created your slip knot! HOORAY!

** Note ** If you don't like the long tail cast-on method simply leave a 3-5 inch tail and follow the same steps as noted above. I like the long-tail because I think it's sturdier as you cast-on the entire tail and tie back on to your skein end when ready to start knitting. This way you'll never lose the cast-on unless you choose to and if the tail gets caught and starts to pull out stitches it won't ruin the entire project! I also make my cable & knit cast-ons long-tail.

Now that you have your knot you need to determine how you'd like to cast-on the remaining sets. You'll need to consider whether or not this will be a permanent edge, if it needs to be an elastic edge or tight, etc...

The most common types are:

Backward loop or E Cast-On - for shaping, unstable edge

Long-Tail Cast-On - (noted above - also called the Continental Cast-On) firm, but elastic edge that appears to be knit on one side and purl on the other

Cable Cast-On - very firm, twisted appear, good for scarves, afghans and sweaters for a nice edge detail

Knitted Cast-On - soft, elastic edge, good for stitches that will be sown later

Crochet Chain Provisional Cast-On - temporary cast-on, usually in a contrasting color

Invisible or Open Cast-On - temporary cast-on, not very sturdy

The instructions for each are way too long for me to list here, but have no fear...there are hundreds of books, booklets and websites to help you with that!

Here are some links you might like to try for the cast-on or slip knot:

For the long-tail (I think her other ones miss a few important steps.)

This one shows how to cast-on slipping stitches from needle to needle (looks complicated, but you may like it.)

This one reads like it is another long-tail cast-on .

Here is a slip knot and cast-on instruction from YouTube that I really like. She shows you the Long-Tail Cast-On noted above. -

Good luck and happy stitching!

You HAVE to see this...

2009-01-01T11:08:00.009-05:00

Surfing the web I ran across this video. I know. This is a blog about knitting, but you'll NEVER believe this...this group has a video where each scene is made from individual intarsia knits! 717 to be exact...watch the bottom of the last few frames. Unbelievable!

Les peaux des lievres - Tricot Machine

(click the arrow in the middle to play)

Can you imagine how much work went into making this video? We're talking months of non-stop knitting. Look at the expressions on the faces. Oh my gosh! If I could one day be so talented!

I gather that tricot means knitting in French. If that's so then to call themselves "Knitting Machine" couldn't possibly be more accurate! Can you imagine how many people have been inspired by their music and stitching talent...WOW!

You'll find the groups My Space link - although it won't be of much use unless you speak French or simply look at the pictures...my 2 years of middle school French doesn't get me far...I don't see anything about how Jacqueline is doing on here...

Enjoy and be inspired!

My Remade Scarf...

2009-01-01T09:21:00.007-05:00

So, in my first post, I told you about the shawl that was too holey, too tight, too not quite right. (Hey, now I sound like Dr.Suess!) Well, I unwound it and let the yarn rest. (Another technical term for you - after using a yarn, rewind it and let it rest before reusing it. If you don't, it could be difficult to reuse due to the lumps and bumps from the previous project being set in the yarn.)

While that yarn was resting, I worked up 2 scarves for a couple at church. They LOVE Carolina Panthers and attend some of the games. Since football season is usually quite chilly, the husband requested a scarf. I thought that while I was making his I'd make his wife one, too. That way they'd match! (No, I'm not a person that normally tries to match my husband, but I do think it's precious to see other couples do it.)

I'll try to get some photos for you. That was before I decided to blog about my knitting experiences so I didn't think about taking a picture before letting go of them.

They're basic scarf design - straight & rectangular, but I didn't use a pattern. I just thought of other scarves I've seen in stores. The body was made up of a Carolina Panther blue color from the baby yarn section - Bernat Softee Baby in Bongo Blue, weight 3. Then added a block of silver surrounded by black blocks. The 1st black block was wider - 8 sets, followed by a slimmer silver block - 6 sets, and finally a smaller section of black - 4 sets. Each end finished with another block of the Panther blue - 10 sets.

The finished edge was, for him, fringe, upon his request. When I started hers I decided to try something new and made a ruffled edge on each end. It's cute and she's a girly girl, so really seemed to like it. (Plus, they'll never be confused about which one is theirs!)

I made the ruffle by casting on twice as many sets as I wanted for the finished scarf width, knitting 6 complete rows and then decreasing the stitches by half. This made a nice pinch to make the yarn pucker!

Then on to my 4th project -

This is the remade scarf! I decided to knit it for my sister for Christmas. She loves blue and the yarn was soft. I thought it would be perfect to snuggle around your neck on those cold winter days. She loves fringe so that was a given for her, but I did make it a little longer than normal since she really likes it!

The yarn used was Mega Brushed by Premier Yarns ( I can't remember the color name, but it's a denim blue mixture and their website shows it as color # 51-213). It's a brushed acrylic that's machine washable. The brushed texture is what makes it soft and gives it a fluffed appearance and feel, but it's not so fluffy that your nose itches every time you wrap it around.

As you can see, it's self-patterning. That means that as you knit the yarn makes it's own pattern due to the color variations in the yarn dye process. To me that also translates into - same work, less hassle. I have to add here that some self-patterning yarn can be way over the top. Remember the 70's when every afghan was 50 neon-bright colors??? Well, you can still find some of those yarns on shelves. So, when you pick out a self-patterning yarn be sure to consider the pattern you may end up with. It may end up looking like someone had a confetti party...

I garter stitched all of these projects as I was too chicken to try another stitch! (For review, garter usually means the basic knit stitch.)

Stay tuned for more project updates!

Knitting Terminology 100 - Needles & Yarn

2008-12-31T21:40:00.018-05:00

When reading this post please bear in mind that I am in no way an expert on these things. I'm a "newbie" who has read up a lot in the past 2 months. This knowledge comes from several of the books I mentioned in a recent post. I just thought to compile them together for you and perhaps you could copy and paste onto a sheet to print for yourself.

Here we go!

Needles:

I've run across plastic, metal and wood, thus far. Here's what I've arrived at -

Plastic

Pros - easy to manage, not too slippery
Cons - if you buy the shiny, clear ones be careful with the tips. The tips are easy to scratch and once scratched will pull your yarn. Weight can warp the thinner ones.

Metal

Pros - slippery for maximum speed
Cons - ditto. I always feel like I'm going to lose stitches when first casting on. However, once I get some weight going they're not too bad.

Wood

(Please note that I haven't used wood as of yet, but I have heard this from other knitters.)

Pros - easy to manage, not too slippery
Cons - can splinter after much use and easy to break in your knitting bag. Weight can warp the thinner ones.

Needle styles:

You can find basic (standard) needles with a definite end (a knob or tip of some sort), double point (a point at both ends), or circular needles (needles connected by tubing of some sort).

I prefer the definite end style so that I don't have to worry about dropping stitches from the wrong end. The double point are generally for knitting "in the round" for socks and such, but I have seen people "flat" (knitting a flat piece such as a scarf or blanket) knit with them.

The circular needles can be used for "flat" or "in the round" knitting. You simply have to choose to connect the garment ends or flip the needles as you would if you were knitting with basic needles. This seems confusing to start off with. There are too many other things going on to remember when to flip. These are great for knitting larger blankets or afghans as you have plenty of room to move around.

Needle sizing:

Sizing runs from zero to 15 (US sizes, UK is different). The needles I've seen have a US size and a Metric size. The Metric sizes are noted in millimeters.

Some needles have both sizes noted on one side, some have sizes on opposite sides. Below is an example of sizing on my favorite needles.

Why does this matter, you ask? Well, the size of the needle will make a difference in the amount of yarn you need for a project and how tight a knit you end up with. In general, the larger the needle the less yarn you'll need and the smaller the needles the more yarn you'll use.

You'll need to consider this yourself when trying to interchange a different yarn into an established pattern. Which brings us to...

Yarn types:

If you're like me, you're probably overwhelmed at the yarn choices at your local craft store(s). Trust me, there's more! You can order specialty yarns on-line and sometimes find hand spun yarns available at Farmer's Markets or through your local Arts Guild.

Here's the basic rundown from the craft store:

Fibers

Natural - wool, silk, cotton, hemp, or blends of these, etc...

Synthetic - acrylic, nylon, microfiber, recycled plastic, etc...

When you're considering the fiber be sure to consider whether or not the item will be washable. You don't want a baby blanket or socks that are "dry-clean only"!

You will also find many "yarn snobs", people who don't want to use any yarn that was "store bought". When faced with bin upon bin of yarn at the craft store I can't help but believe that someone is buying all of that yarn, otherwise they wouldn't have that kind of selection. Don't feel badly when you're buying off the shelf. Just because there are large quantities of those yarns available doesn't mean that your project will end up the same as another persons. Think of all those patterns! What are the chances you will pick the same one, in the same color, knitted on the same needles???

Structure

First consider the twist direction. A "Z" runs upward and to the right and an "S" runs up and to the left. This shows how the yarn was spun together.

Textures -

Spiral - thin yarn spun around a thick yarn
Slub - a single strand that varies from thick to thin and is spun with a smooth or another slubbed yarn strand
Chenille - two thin threads spun around a short, velvety texture yarn
Nub - two yarn strands spun to create periodic bumps
Eyelash - threads that hang out of the spun thread at regular increments along the length of the yarn (like eyelashes flutter from your eyes)
Boucle - two yarn strands that are spun with different tension to create a puffy strand with a tight strand (these look like loops)

By the way, always feel your yarn when selecting it. If you don't like the way it feels on the roll, it won't feel any better against your skin after completing the project. There is a large variety of soft yarn out there. Sometimes, you just have to look for it.

Sizes -

1 - Super Fine (also called sock, baby or Fingerling weight) - for socks, baby items, or close-fitting items - nice for US size 0-3 needles
2 - Fine (Sportweight) - for heavier socks, lightweight clothing - US size 3-5 needles
3 - Light (DK or double knitting or light worsted-weight) - for sport or worsted items - US size 5-7 needles
4 - Medium (worsted-weight) - any project - US size 7-9
5 - Bulky (chunky, craft or rug yarn) - outdoor sweaters/ jackets, accessories, rugs, afghans - US size 9-11 needles
6 - Super Bulky (bulky or roving) - heavy sweaters, coats, afghans - US size 11 and larger needles

These are basic recommendations. Use your imagination when selecting yarn and needle sizes. Super Fine knitted with size 11 needles will give you an lace-style shawl. Super Bulky will not fit on size 1 needles due to the bulk.

Reading Labels:

Labels contain so much information that sometimes they can be confusing, especially when they only use symbols.

You'll normally see a set of crossed knitting needles or a crochet hook that give you the recommended needle or hook size along with how many sets(sts) you could have within a specified area of measurement. (Sets are stitches.) This will be helpful if you're gauging for your own design or using a different yarn than the one used in your pattern of choice.

There will be a break down of how many ounces (or pounds) are in the ball along with grams, yards and meters. Again, this can be used for gauging your pattern.

# of balls of yarn X # of yards in a skein = total yardage

The fabric content will be listed along with any special care for the yarn (ie., hand wash, no ironing, no bleach, etc...) You will find country of origin information alongside manufacturer information.

Usually appearing near the bar code will be the color number and lot number, if there is one. The lot number can be the single most important factor in your knitting project. If you don't purchase enough of the same dye lot to complete your project you run the risk of having a multicolored finished project. This occurs naturally in the dyeing process. If you've ever dyed clothes you know what I mean. Be slightly off in the soak time or in the dye mixture and you could end up several colors off.

Fortunately, some yarns have no dye lot. If this is the case, it will be noted on the label, sometimes in big letters as an advertising ploy.

Reading Patterns:

When attempting your first project you'll inevitably start with a pattern. When choosing your first pattern most people choose something very simple using only the garter, or knit stitch. This is normally the first stitch that you learn.

Here's an example of a pattern - (sorry if it's blurry)

This pattern came from a yarn label. Many labels come with free patterns ranging from easy to advanced.

Normally, a pattern will include a level guide - this one says "Easy".

Finished measurements of the pattern (based on the same material and needle usage).

How much material you'll need to complete the project. (Make sure you buy enough yarn from the same dye lot to complete the project - see the Reading Labels section for more information on this topic.)

If you use a gauge, the pattern should tell you how large it would be with a certain number of sets. I always recommend using a gauge. (A gauge is simply a ruler, but you can purchase a knitters gauge if you want.) At first I thought it a waste of time, but this helps you remain consistent on your yarn tension while knitting and should keep you from making a lopsided garment. (See my Second Knitting Project post for further information on this!)

The pattern should also include a list of the stitches to be used. If there are terms or abbreviations that you don't know or understand grab a book or check on-line for a guide. Don't let new stitches stop you once you're comfortable with the garter stitch!

Stay tuned for more knitting basics!

Chatting with a new blogging buddy tonight gave me this idea. Thanks Mrs. U!

What's in the bag...

2008-12-30T15:14:00.004-05:00

That's the question on my mind every time I see another knitter's bag. I just know there are all kinds of goodies and treasure lurking inside. The problem is that they're always busy knitting and I don't want to interrupt their project so I never ask.

Just in case you were wondering what is in my "newbie" bag, I thought I'd share!

First, I found a tote bag with a shoulder strap AND handles. That enables me to choose how I carry the bag and helps when I have my hands full. (My knitting inspiration has a new, neat bag with her name embroidered on it. It's beautiful, but I don't have the funds or the need for a new bag. Like most people I seem to accumulate tote bags from various business functions.) This one has a separate zippered pocket on the front that is perfect to carry my trusty scissors and crochet hooks in.

Here's a complete list of my treasures found inside:

The Knitter's Companion - expanded and updated by Vicki Square. This is my companion when all else fails. Read more about this book in my Book Reviews post.
An assortment of needles - US 6/4mm (slippery little metal suckers found at Kmart on clearance for $1.00), US 10/6mm (my first - plastic and extra long), US 13/9mm and US 17/12mm (these are the plastic swirl ones, found at AC Moore on clearance for $2.00 per set)
Crochet hooks - D3/3.25mm, E4/3.50mm, F5/3.75mm, G6/4.25mm, H8/5.00mm, I9/5.50mm, J10/6.00mm, K10 1/2/6.50mm (these came in a pre-packaged set and are good basics to have around for edges)
2 large and 2 medium holding hooks - these are wonderful when you've dropped a stitch and choose to go back and pick it up.
A finger yarn separator - for when I finally get up the nerve to use multiple yarns
Plastic place markers - again, if I have enough nerve to try a difficult pattern...
Various patterns collected from displays and yarn labels
A small pair of sharp scissors
Some scrap cardboard - for rolling balls of yarn
An ink pen - I may need it for those more difficult patterns
An empty, plastic shopping bag - if I carry a lot of yarn I separate it so I can pull it out easily to find what I need. It's also good to put finished works in until I get home.
Lastly, a crochet booklet - Don't shoot me, but it's on my list to learn. Besides, I have all of those neat hooks just hanging around waiting to be used!

Here's a close-up:

Going over my bag I realize that there are a few things that I'd like to add: a nail file (it's recommended in the book, but I've never needed one until last night), a small note pad (for counting stitches) and maybe some graphing paper (it's be nice, in case I have trouble following a complicated pattern).

If you're just starting a bag I'd recommend searching for the clearance sections of each craft store, thrift shops or yard sales. You can spend over $15 for a new set of needles and many times you can find them for a few dollars there. Also, look for gadgets and gizmos while you're there. As in my case, I don't need them now, but hopefully I'll need them in the coming year. Including my books I may have $20 in my bag and that's a price you can't beat!

Knitting book reviews...

2008-12-29T12:15:00.012-05:00

Since I mentioned the book that brought this all about in my first post, I thought I'd tell you a little about it and some other books that I've found.

The Knitter's Companion is the one that started my journey. It's a handy little book that is compact enough to fit into your yarn bag. It contains pretty much everything you'd ever need to know to begin knitting. From basic supplies to button holes, it's all here. It may also be of use to those of us that periodically forget how to make a certain stitch or need help interpreting patterns.

This book is well written and contains great photos that help explain the verbiage. If you are a sight learner this is especially helpful!

Not Your Mama's Knitting is another book that I found helpful. I checked it out at the local library (something I definitely recommend when searching for new pattern ideas!), along with a few others.

What a cute book! It contains many tips, hints and ideas as well as some patterns to get you started. This was especially helpful to me when the verbiage in the first book confused me and things didn't click (which is apt to happen because I'm dyslexic and often need to look at things from other perspectives when trying to learn them.)

**I'll also note here that the photo says "Click to Look Inside" because I copied it from the Amazon website. You can click the link above to view it at their website.**

There are many other wonderful books out there. I recommend searching at the library or in a retail shop for the ones like you like the best. Then you can search online at Amazon or on e-Bay for a better price. I've purchased many, brand new, from e-Bay for less than $5 and most retail for $19.95 and up.

A few of my e-Bay finds include these:

"The Knitter's Bible" contains tons of information on more difficult attempts - cables, lace, knitting in the round, etc... It also has some unusual knitting ideas, such as greeting card accessories.

"Super Stitches Knitting" has over 300 stitching patterns with examples laid out neatly for each. What a better way to judge if your stitching is turning out like it should!

"The Knitter's Bible - Knitted Accessories" has over 30 templates with photos. It contains "hip" new looks that include hats and mittens. The patterns also suggest some interesting yarn choices.

I thought these book could get me started on my way to becoming an expert knitter!

My second project...

2008-12-27T08:28:00.013-05:00

After completing my original shawl (but before the decision to unravel that mess) I attempted something smaller. I decided that my goal would be to try something new with every new project. I continued with the same stitch, garter, as I still wasn't 100% comfortable with how I was holding the needles, the tension, etc...

My son had been watching me avidly with my first project and had inquired about something for himself. Hence, I decided on something useful and manly. This is what I arrived at...

The colors don't come through well on the photo, so I'll describe it for you. I picked Leaf Green (Moss) from Premiers' Dream line for the main body because green is my son's favorite color. The dark color is Dark Country Blue and the other accent color is Off White (cream) both from Carons' Simply Soft line. My thoughts were on some of the sweaters I've seen recently when picking these out. Additionally, green, navy and cream go with everything.

The design was my own. I couldn't find a pattern that I liked so I made one up as I went along. I simply alternated colors, always surrounding the blue with cream, as if to offset it or highlight the change. I liked the thought of a random pattern so I chose to offset the large color change and finish with a more traditional look.

I learned three valuable lessons with this scarf -

When you attempt a color change, always bind-on on the same side or right side. (Binding-on is tying on a new color at the edge.) If you don't you'll end up with a noticeable separation in your change. That ended up being fine with this scarf, as I was deliberately alternating colors in a mismatched way. My error turned out to work in the scheme!

Gauging is a good idea! I can't stand rigidity. I rebuked the idea that I should waste time making a sample and gauging my work. Even though I was working with the same weight of yarn (4) in each color, I ended up with a noticeable wave when changing colors and from start to finish on the scarf there is a difference of about 2 inches width wise. I believe that part of the problem was my tension and the other part is that there truly is a small difference in the color. (The blue was slightly thicker, because I tightened my blue stitches until I could hardly work the needles and it was still a fatter stitch than the green woven loosely.)

The wave that you see here in the center is really part of my error, not the way the scarf is laying. I think you can also see the width difference - the start is on the left and the end on the right.

Finally, don't waste time pulling your tail ends through with a knitting needle. (Pulling tail ends is when you weave the tail from your cast or bind-on into the finished project.) You CAN do it with needles, but you save half the time by purchasing a set of crochet hooks and hook the tail. Trust me. I'm cheap and didn't buy any. After this project I couldn't get to the craft store fast enough to pick them up!

Anyway, the great thing is that my son doesn't mind at all. He says "Mom, it's fine. No one can tell when it's wrapped around my neck. Anyway, you made it." Tear, tear, sniffle...sometimes kids are great!

Life of a knitting "newbie"...

2008-12-22T13:34:00.001-05:00

Part 1 - We've recently made a lot of changes around our household. The biggest of which involved homeschooling my son. He's a younger teen and pretty much self-sufficient. I've found that in certain subjects all I can do is review whatever is in the book and wait on him to complete the assignment. While waiting, I've found that I have a fair amount of time sequestered close by.

Part 2 - I'm an avid thrift store shopper and I ran across this small knitting "How to" book. It was $1.50 and seemed to be very informative. How could I pass that up? Besides, I need something to keep me occupied while waiting on my son. What a wonderful way to be productive and stay busy!

Part 3 - The craft store is the enemy of anyone starting a new craft on a budget! So I come home, after 3 hours of selecting and re-selecting yarn, with a small bag full of goodies. I picked up 3 skeins of yarn (yes, that took 3 hours - there are way too many to choose from!), a set of knitting needles that were on sale and a free project sheet with a neat looking shawl on it. Mind you, the project sheet said "Beginner" in the level section.

Part 4 - Three days later, I'm still trying to cast on! I think I know why someone got rid of this book...

Part 5 - Eureka! I cast on and made progress on the first row, after dropping my stitches off the needles about 4 times. (Muttering under my breath, "I can't believe people think this is stress-reducing.") In the mean time, I've decided that perhaps this nifty book is missing a few steps and I had better stick with the one stitch I have down - garter.

Part 6 - A week later and halfway through my shawl project (that I had to dumb down, because I am a beginner and can't make that pattern), I realize that I don't have enough yarn, I've dropped or slipped so many stitches that the shawl looks lacy in places and too tight in others. Again, I mentally question the therapy side of this craft.

Part 7 - Another week down. My headache from last week has finally subsided. I unravel my shawl and start a scarf!

Welcome to my knitting world...