Moving on...

... at least temporarily.  I haven't been on the road for a while and it's starting to seem less and less likely that I will be.  I'd already started up another blog when I opened an Etsy shop, just for my "business" knitting.  So for now, I'm going to write about all my knits on that blog.  And perhaps if I ever get back on the road I'll come back here :-)

Hope to see you on the other side... www.denknits.blogspot.com

Reiana's tie

I had some lovely orange yarn that came in a grab bag and I wasn't sure what to do with it, then it struck me, a tie would be perfect!  My daughter loves orange and the yarn was a drapey bamboo.  I couldn't find any suitable patterns online so started figuring out my own.  It took a couple tries, but the end product looks like a tie and can be worn a couple different ways.  I still have plenty of the bamboo so I'm planning to knit up more to post on my Etsy shop soon!http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/fuSm60f6GnybrADGhMC_5YnWJjWkkQXruk82MMIHIIg?feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/yQ8AQ_N61Tz6qQyb4A4dy4nWJjWkkQXruk82MMIHIIg?feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/yWIEewZcZ6wzJMAieAiEHYnWJjWkkQXruk82MMIHIIg?feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/SNio6eA_HcXLDVHiYh0DUInWJjWkkQXruk82MMIHIIg?feat=directlink

Cozy hat

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Ia-TWz3cxeeIL9t5KADeSInWJjWkkQXruk82MMIHIIg?feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/JjLf0qAyXlkfmEcHb4V0B4nWJjWkkQXruk82MMIHIIg?feat=directlink

I Got some silky pinkish yarn in a grab bag I picked up and I wasn't sure what it would be but wanted to use for something.  After several test knits I decided to pair it with some thin but textured white yarn I'd gotten a while back.  I also got a size 15 9" circular needle in my grab bag so I cast on 100 stitches with that and decided to make a hat.  I knit around the whole time and decreased once it was seeming long enough.  I had a bit of a challenge casting off using just the 9" circs but managed to figure it out after discussing the issue with knitting buddy :-)

I tend to have issues with gauge so my hat was quite large around the "brim" part, so to fix that issue I knit up an I-cord out of just the pink yarn and then sewed that on while scrunching up the brim a bit.  It now fits perfectly!  I  had originally planned to add a flower on it as well, where the I-cord was joined, but I was too anxious to wear it and now it doesn't seem as necessary...

I'm no longer a one project gal...

Heck, I've even started quite a stash collection!

I started knitting one project at a time and purchasing yarn as I needed it for that project. I've been doing it that way for a couple of years, with a couple yarn splurges when I found yarn i loved or a great deal. Much like the chicken and the egg, I'm not sure if I started stashing first or multiple projects. All I know is I decided this weekend that weekends are great for casting on multiple projects to work on throughout the week. It's easier to think creatively in batches or something. Of course the couple of grab bags from DBNY certainly helped!!! Then again, the past couple of months have been good for yarn shopping now that I think about it. I've had the chance to visit my LYS a couple times, found yarn at the thrift store (great deals), and got a gift card to Joann's for my bday. And the couple of times I went out shopping for project yarn, I'd pick up any good looking skeins on sale.

So, here I am, a normal knitter, finally!

Knit Jewelry - REDO

Oooo.... Aaaahhhh! Isn't it pretty? I am really pleased with my first attempt at knitting jewelry!

I ordered my beads first and then strung them onto the wire. I picked up some smaller sized needles and started knitting. I picked up a bead here and there and finished it off with a toggle clasp. It was a fairly quick knit but it is a little tough on the hands to use wire. I will definately be making more of these! I think some earrings might be nice too, just have to get the hooks for those.

***Ok, so my pics just won't show up directly in this post :-(  I'm linking to them instead, hope that works!***

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/3AxqPD7cfaZUUgrK1z-94n4CyFaFLY4KdNffHlMoXH4?feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/T918Y7ZN0ZZzytoYGqO1TH4CyFaFLY4KdNffHlMoXH4?feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_PpqxlNK407tEZDDI805cn4CyFaFLY4KdNffHlMoXH4?feat=directlink

Tweed

  

I had this lovely tweed yarn and I wasn't sure what to knit it into. I decided to go with a cowl but I'm still not sure it's the right match. I did a basic 2x1 rib for a little stretch but still showingn off the flecks of color. It's really comfy and a nice size, but I'm just not loving it I guess. I'm thinking it might make a nice pair of little gloves... I really should've gotten more than one skein of this because it would make some real nice bigger items...

A little shopping

Found some nice yarns at the thrift store the other day... I've looked there a couple times and usually they just have the really crafty looking acrylics but this time they had some nicer stuff. Two of the yarns are lightweight (maybe even lace weight?) in a light purple (without a tag) and a light green (with an old tag). Then a nice ball of a dark green mystery yarn. A bright green Red Heart sport weight (with tag). They had a bin full of what is probably crochet floss or something, but there was a white with gold that I thought might be nice so I grabbed that. Finally, I found 4 skeins of a red, black and white varigated yarn (some with tags) that had a UFO still attached!

Another day I was at the Barnes and Noble with the kids and found a great stitch book. It has over 500 stitch patterns! It's a little big for travel but great to start making up patterns at home. I also stopped into Michael's to see what was on sale. I found some bulky brown yarn (for a purse?) and a silky green yarn (perhaps a hat?) but not much on sale. I decided to check out the jewelry section to see if they had anything I could use to make knit jewelry. I found some thin wire, some hemp, and some beads. I finally stopped into my LYS too! I picked up a lovely purple & brown skein of a wool blend that I think will make a nice pair of socks for me. Also a big ol ball of yarn in black, grey's and white which will likely become a purse (or maybe two!).

Finally getting an amount of yarn I think qualifies as a stash! LOL