Kitchen Towel

Not the best pic, but I'm so happy with this I had to post ASAP! I followed this pattern and used my fav Lily Sugar 'n Cream in Potpourri Ombre on size 7 needles. It took one skein for the body of the towel and a little of a 2nd skein to complete the decreasing on the handle section. This is part of a Christmas gift and I need to make at least one more and then possibly matching dish clothes. Time is running out and I now realize I should've started knitting these gifts earlier!

Sneaky Snake

Sneaky Snake is done and Jonathan is happy! He decided on adding the eyes and tongue and I think that makes it extra cute!

I think this yarn worked so great for this project... at some angles you don't notice the cables and some you do.

I improvised on the end of the pattern a bit so that both sides would match. After finishing row 24 of my last set of the pattern I followed the pattern backwards starting with row 9. Once I had cast off I found some black yarn and knotted two pieces on for eyes and a bit of pink yarn was knotted on for the tongue.

Sneaky Snake

Ooo-hoo... I'm working TWO projects at once! Look out! Haha... so I had this green unknown yarn and thought it looked #1 great for a boy, and #2 like it should be a creature. I decided on snake and went looking for a pattern. I found one that fit just right. As I started going, I wasn't sure this yarn would work because of all the texture in it. I've done two repeats and I'm starting to think it's just right. The extra texture is working with this and you can still see the snake, it's just not totally obvious... kind of like a real snake, could be hiding in the grass or something. I might even add a little pink tongue when it's finished!

Windy City Twist

Finally starting to twist, might work out well after all... This twisty scarf was not an easy start. I began using a pattern that worked the length of the scarf, but I didn't have large enough needles. I tried to compensate by doubling the cast on stitches and was at 800 stitches on the circ needles when they broke! I then had a knotted mess of yarn... I took two days to get started and another two to unknot the mess!

I'm now two days into this version knitting across... I was a little worried as I didn't see how this would start to twist, but I've gotten to a point where I'm seeing it now. I'm just hoping I can finish it in less than a week so I'll have it for my trip to the Windy City!

Do Over!

So, the shawl I made with this yarn turned out rather unusable... I decided I liked the yarn enough to frog it and start on something I might actually use. I decided a wrap around my back would be nice, but something that would stay put and keep my arms warm as well. I just went from there in my mind.

CO 40 st on sz 10 dpns
K2, P2 in the round until the work is about 4 1/2 inches long (mid forearm to elbow)
K1, KFB, repeat all around, there are now 60 st
K work in the round until it is about 15 inches (mid forearm to shoulder)
Begin working "flat" (won't really be flat for many rows)*

• R1: K
• R2: P

At about 27 inches I was almost done with one skein of the yarn and the work was about mid-back so I stopped knitting, just leaving the work on the needle. I will be doing the 3 needle cast off with the other half once it's finished to seam the pieces together.

*For the first side, I swtiched to a circ when I stopped knitting in the round. That didn't work so well, so I tried straight needles, but they only started working once I was several rows out of the round. For the second side I plan to continue on the dpns until the straight needles will work.

Pink Camo Wrist Warmers

Just trying to use up the pink camo yarn I had purchased to make socks with. I decided on wrist warmers thinking they'd be an easy knit. I read some patterns on ravelry.com to get sizing ideas and then cast on.

CO 36 st on sz 3 dpns
Work in the round: K2, P2 until work is 4 1/2 inches
Stop working in the round and continue K2, P2 for Row 1 and P2, K2 for Row 2 repeating twice (total of 4 rows not in the round)
Work back in the round K2, P2 until work is 7 inches long
BO

I found the easiest way to create a thumb hole was to just stop knitting in the round for a little, long enough to make the hole the right size.

As an FYI, these were knit for an 8 year old girl, so sizing may vary based on the recipient.

Bag O' Soap

CO 30 sz 7 dpns; K 4 rows; k2tog, yo, repeat; K 5 rows; K, yo, yo; k (drop yo's); K 4 rows; K, yo, yo; K (drop yo's); K 5 rows; 3 needle BO

Stay-put Baby Blanket-Style 2

Another baby on the way in the extended family so I decided to try a different pattern on the blanket. I had plenty of the pastel green Pound of Love yarn so I got to work, casting on 80 again with size 7 dpns.

The first 8 rows are k1,p1 ribbing followed by increasing with row 9. k7, kfb, and repeat. Then the basketweave pattern begins.

R1-3: k5, p4, repeat ending on p4

R4: k

R5-7: p5, k4, repeat ending on k4

R8: k

I continued the basketweave pattern, ending on R8 of the pattern at row 102 or approximately 14 1/2 inches long. I went back to my first blanket pattern to end this one.

R103-107: k1, p1

R108: k7, k2tog, repeat to end

R109: k2tog, k38, repeat

R110: k6, k2tog, ending with k6

R111: knit

R112: k5, k2tog, ending with k6

R113: knit

R114: k4, k2tog

R115: knit

R116: k3, k2tog

R117: knit

R118: k2, k2tog

R119: knit

R120: k1, k2tog

R121: 3 needle bo

Butterflly dishcloth

Finished this one up quick! I think it turned out pretty cool... I was a little worried about the pattern and the striping but it all landed in the right places. I found the pattern on ravelry and there is no website to link to so you need to be a ravelry member to view it.

I still have cotton yarn left so I'm trying to figure if there is enough to make another dishcloth. I did see a heart pattern I was interested in too, so maybe I'll try it and see...

Scrubbie

So, I had yarn left from the first dishcloth I made and while searching for another dishcloth pattern I found this pattern for a "scrubbie". It only took a couple hours! I knit using the leftover Sugar'n Cream and some beige rough stuff I had leftover. That way there was a little extra scrubbing power in it!

Dishcloth

Quick knit! Used the same pattern as last, um... I don't remember, last year sometime when I made a dishcloth :-P Used a really nice beige with speckles of color. I wanted to use a less busy yarn so the knit showed off. I think this would actually be better used as a pot holder or for the table. It's a little large to wash dishes with... that's what the recepient of the first round dishcloth mentioned too. This one is also a gift and I'll be knitting up another one, more of an actual dishcloth, to round out the gift. Took me two nights, maybe 4 or 5 hours from start to finish.

Eh... shawl

So, shoulda known it would't've turned out that great... but it sure is warm! I really shoulda made a blanket, like a lap blanket. Oh well, now I know!

Simple Shawl

Couldn't think of a match for brainless so just went for simple :-) Was gifted 5 skeins of this yarn and wasn't sure what I'd do with it... the wrapper had directions for a "Prayer Shawl" but that wasn't exactly me... I did go with the shawl idea though. It seems like pointy wraps are all the rage now so I thought that would add some interest to mine... I cast 60 st onto size 10 needles like the wrapper directions said but instead of their super simple knitting the whole thing I k2, k2tog... of course this turned out not quite right when I got to the end of my row but I just adjusted and k the last one. After a while I realized that I now had only 59 st on my needles, but oh well, this is supposed to be simple so I didn't let it bother me :-) I followed this pattern for the first skein. After switching to skein #2 I went with knitting all around so that the whole thing wouldn't be too off-kilter. I'm about finished with skein #2 and I will move the current work onto a pair of circs while I begin the whole process again with skein's 3 & 4. Then I will take the unworked stitches from the knitted only parts and cast them off together for a nice seam (hopefully!). I shall keep you posted!

Pink Camo Socks

Finished these up pretty quick, just a few evening per sock once I got the pattern worked out. I maybe used up half the yarn I used so I might knit up a second pair either longer on the leg or with a little pattern to them... not sure yet. I didn't really use an existing pattern because I couldn't find a toe-up one that was sized for kids, so I glanced at the pattern I used to make my own socks (refer to March post) and went from there. These fit an 8 year old girl, size 12 shoes.

Using size 3 dpns, start with 2 needles, plus your working needle:
Magic 8 CO 20 (10 per needle)
Knit 1 row
Repeat the following two rows until you have 40 stitches (20 per needle)
1)kfb, k until 1 st, kfb
2)knit
Move stitches around so you now have stitches on 3 needles and work with the 4th
Continue knitting around until you have completed 45 rows or approximately 5 inches from cast-on
You will now begin to short row the heel using just 20 stitches
1)Turn the work, p to the last st, *slip as if to p, move yarn to the back, move st back to the L needle, move yarn back to the front
2)Turn the work, k to the last st, *slip as if to p, move yarn to the front, move st back to the L needle, move yarn back to the back
*=wrapping the stitch
Repeat these two rows until you have 6 st unworked, then begin long rowing the heel
1)Turn the work, p to 1st wrapped st, p the st and the wrap, wrap* the next stitch
2)Turn the work, k to 1st wrapped st, k the st and the wrap, wrap* the next stitch
Continue these two rows until all the wrapped stitches are worked, your heel is finished and you will now join back up with the other stitches
k for one row
k1, p1 for 14 rows, BO on row 15

Stay-put Baby Blanket-Finished

Another baby project is finished! I am really happy with this one :-)

I left off with 26 rows on my last post about this... I ended up stopping the cable pattern at 106 rows, which was about 14 1/2 inches long. I refered back to the Nocte for decreasing. I had to make some alterations due to the number I'd cast on along with other little things that I wanted to look differently.

Rows 107-111 K1, P1 around.

R112 K7, K2tog, and repeat

R113 K2tog, K38, and repeat

R114 K6, K2tog, ending with K6

R115 Knit

R116 K5, K2tog, ending with K6

R117 Knit

R118 K4, K2tog

R119 Knit

R120 K3, K2tog

R121 Knit

R122 K2, K2tog

R123 Knit

R124 K1, K2tog

I decided I wanted more of a seam look so I ended here and did a 3 needle bind out after turning the piece inside out. One could continue with R125 Knit and R126 K2tog all around and then weave a long tail through the remaining stitches, pull tight, knot and weave the end in.

I can't wait to find out how well it really fits a baby! Got a couple more months for that... but in a few weeks, I'll find out if my knitted items will be well received by the mom-to-be :-)

Stay-put Baby Blanket

Yes, yet another baby item... this is the big one! I wanted to make something that followed the idea of my favorite kind of baby pj's, the baby "bag". Instead of legs, which can be difficult to get a squirmy little baby into, the bottom was just a bag so the baby would keep warm but still have room to kick.

I found one pattern that was closest to my idea, called Nocte, on ravelry. I wanted something more eye catching and decided cables would do the trick. I also didn't feel that the sizing was quite right, at least not with the yarn I ended up using.

I cast on 80 st with Lion Brand Yarns Pound of Love in Pastel Green (unknown baby sex) and followed Nocte in using k1, p1 on size 7 dpns for 8 rows.
Row 9 *k7, kfb, *repeat
Row 10 k
Row 11 *k11, c4b, *repeat
Row 12-14 k
Row 15 k3, c4f, *k11, c4f, *repeat, end with k8
Row 16-18 k

Repeat rows 11-18.

In the picture above I've ended with row 26, so I've got plenty more to go... I'm thinking the length should be around 12-15 inches, but I'll wait and see how it's looking. I'm still a little concerned that the waist isn't large enough, but from all the baby patterns I've read, it should be ok. I guess 4 years is long enough to forget how small a newborn really can be!

Baby Booties

Still knitting baby stuff for the cousins... on to booties. These are a quick knit, don't take much yarn, and they're cute! Another pattern found on ravelry... I'll post a link later along with the bib. And probably more pics :-)

Bibs!

Loving these bibs! They have a cable along the side which then makes up the neck strap... these are #2 and #3, blue is for my cousin having her 4th (a boy) and the other is multi-colored for my cousin have her 1st (unknown). I also did a seafoam one for my cousin having her 1st but I don't have it with me anymore... I could make these all day long! I found the pattern on ravelry.com and will post it later when I have more time and when I have more pics :-)

Floppy Beige Bucket

Well, this one turned out different than I'd imagined! I found the pattern on ravelry.com for a "bucket" hat but my yarn seemed quite a bit thinner than in the pattern, so instead of CO96, I did 156. After completing the brim (which is twice what you see, it is turned under) I came to realize this might be a little too big... so I started to correct. I k8, k2tog 12 times after knitting 3 rows, about 4 times. I then knit until the "body" of the hat was about 4 inches, at which point I started the decreases for the top. Around there I noticed my correction didn't help much but to make this look like a pancake! My fix was to take a piece of yarn and string it through where the brim meets the body and pull. I took it in to where it fit snuggly and then, voila! Added a little flower from my mother's day card and it's not too shabby... it's just more like a floppy sunhat now :-)

You can find the original pattern by going to the make1yarns website.

Tank FINISHED!

I am soooo happy!  I finished my tank and it turned out so well :-D

It seems that I can only insert four pics into this blog but I had more views than that so the pics are posted here. 

It may be just a little short, but not too bad... and there are quite a few loose ends, especially at the shoulders, but they are mostly hidden well.  Otherwise I am so pleased how well it turned out.  I think it's truly wearable!  

I didn't use a particular pattern, but a hodge podge of patterns, techniques and things that were in my head...  I did keep good notes though, mostly here on the blog, so here is the full pattern, in one place :-)

Using Berroco Touche, I cast on 226 stitches (making about a size XL).  I knit row 1 and k1, p1 row 2; repeating this pattern until the body was the desired length.  My length turned out to be about 15 1/2 inches.  

Then the work was split in two, one with 112 stitches and the other with 114 stitches.  112 is the back, which is worked first.  Row one begins with binding off the first 10 stitches, then K2, slip 2 and then insert the L needle from the front into the back of the slipped stitches, knitting them together (SSK).  Continue knitting until the last 4 stitches, K2tog, K2.  Row two also begins with binding off the first 10 stitches, then k3, use the same pattern as previously but backwards (P1, K1) to the last 3, K3.  Repeat these two rows 5 times.  Then decrease approximately every 4th row, doing so about 4 or 5 times.  The pattern row will have a lead off of knit stitches either 3 or 4 depending on how it works into the pattern.  After doing that to 75 remaining stitches (which was my desired length of about 6 inches) I began the cast of for the neck.  I knit 25, BO 25, knit 25.  I then knit each 25 a couple times around, using the P1, K1 pattern every other row.  

Moving to the front section of 114...  I again BO 10 for the first row, knitting the remainder of the row.  BO 10 on the next row, K3, pattern of P1, K1, until the last three, K3.  I then used an additional pattern (6 rows repeated) for interest on the front.  

1. k20, yo2, k14, yo3, k13, yo4, k13, yo3, k14, yo2, k20
2. k, dropping all yarn over's
3. k
4. k4, yo2, k10, yo3, k9, yo4, k9, yo3, k10, yo2, k10, yo2, k10, yo3, k9, yo4, k9, yo3, k10, yo2, k4
5. k, dropping all yarn over's
6. k

I repeat 1-6 two times and then did 1-3 one more time.  This completed the pattern and I began to bind off, K25, BO44, K25.  Row 1 was knit and row 2 was P1, K1, until 3 remaining, then K3.  I repeat these two rows until each shoulder was long enough.  

Once I had the four shoulder pieces I needed to get them together.  I had read about the three needle cast off but wasn't really sure how I was going to accomplish this melding together...  I did use three needles but my own way of casting everything off...  I had two needles facing the same direction and used a third needle thread through one at a time knit-wise.  I began to cast off at the second stitch.  Somehow it worked out and created a pretty nice seam.  I did work my cast off on the inside of the piece.

I think this is my first pretty from scratch pattern (since I had to make up my own cast on to get a size most patterns aren't created for) and I hope the directions aren't too confusing!

Tank Update

Just finished skein 6 and am at about 15 1/2 inches.  I have 2 skeins left, so it's time to split and see how it goes.  

Since I cast on 226 I'm going to work 112 which will be the back, worked straight back and forth.  The plan is to knit two rows, BO 10 at the beginning of each.  The first row is K2, slip 1, slip next and insert L needle through the back of both slipped and knit them together (SSK).  Knit to the last 4, K2TOG, K2.  The 2nd row is K3, pattern (P1, K1) to the last 3, K3.  These two rows are worked 5 times and then the decreasing occurs every 4th row, doing so 5 times.  The first and last 3 should be knit on each row.  

This should take me to the shoulders for the back.  I'm going to give this a whirl and see what happens and then post the continuation...  maybe some pics too.

dishcloth to kill time

came up with this at the airport so I would have more to do than read...

Cast on 40
Knit
k1, *m1, k2tog, repeat from * until 3 left k2tog, k1 (this will be called pattern row)
¤K next 3 rows
Pattern row¤
Continue between ¤ until desired length

Will post a pic once finished...

Still working out the tank

Finished skein 4 and am at 9 1/2 inches. Purchased 2 more skeins from
WEBS and even tho it's not the same dye lot I don't see a difference.
The plan is to knit 2 more skeins and then split front and back. Will
post an update then.

Tank progress

Finished third skein and am at 7inches done... Still looking like more yarn will need to be purchased to finish...

Aargh....

Already hitting a set back :-(

I have just about gotten through my first hank out of six and as I realize this and look at my progress I am not happy... I realize knitting is not always done because it is cheap, but come on! Even if you just put it in terms of how many hanks and not money... I've got about 2 inches knit out of a hank. I measured myself and approximate I'll need 17 inches to get to the armpits and somewhere around another 8 inches to finish it completely. That works out to needing 12 hanks! This is one darn expensive tank top!!! And that's with the reasonably priced yarn...

I'm now on the fence as to what to do... start over with a different spin? Just give up and go buy more before I leave here so I get the same lot? Just keep going, hope for the best and figure it out when I get to the problem? Which would most likely end up causing more problems in the terms of what yarn to get???

AARGH!

Taking a Leap

I've been knitting for well over a year or two now but until recently was doing either nothingness or scarves. Within the past couple months, maybe six months, I've become more 'adventurous' in my knitting. Part of it is probably because I have had alot of spare time on my hands and along with that came a kind knitter soul who helped me along. I started by being more creative with my scarves, using real patterns with intricite details. Then I learned a new trick - cables. I made a purse! I got some cicular needles and make a blanket! I got double point needles, learned how to knit in the round, made a couple hats... and then some socks.

Now, I'm ready to take a big leap... I've really enjoyed knitting in the round, I like double points the most. My knitter friend said she was making a hooded lightweight sweater for the summer. I thought, that sounds good, but no way I'm committing to a whole sweater! Maybe a tank top would be nice? I started browsing patterns on my favorite sites. I got some good ideas of what I liked and what I would need and headed to the local yarn shop here in California.

Based on the pattern I found to start with I was to cast on 188 stitches but my gauge was an inch off of theirs because I didn't want to buy more needles. So I added one stitch for every 5 stitches and cast on 226. I have a set of four dpns in 7 and a circ. I started just using the dpns but that wasn't working well so I put 113 stitches on the circs and then 37, 38, 38 per. That has been going pretty good. Two circs would probably be ideal, or maybe just a shorter circ... but anyway...

I've been knitting for about three days now, a couple hours a night and the above is the fruit of that labor. I'm doing a basic pattern - R1 k; R2 k1, p1 - and repeat until you get to the armpits. I don't think I'm going to keep with the pattern beyond that. I found another pattern that had a nice front section with drop stitches that I might want to incorporate and I might want to put a little sleeve on it instead of having it be a tank top.

I'll keep you updated on my progress and post pics whenever I get around to them...