I found a button

I’ve known about this website for a while.  I had forgotten how incredibly helpful it is though. Check it out

But, but wait there’s more

Due to baby and other stuff in my life I have basically ignored what is new out there in the fiber world at large.  So I was perusing the knitting section at my local library and found a new domino knitting book Vivian Hoxbro.  I loved her first book on domino knitting so much I actually own it.  The second book is just as wonderful as the first, explaining the idea behind the project, giving a lot of jumping off room for one to make their own pattern, which I love to do.  I am especially enamored with the sock/slipper pattern.  I really like knitting domino knitting, because it is a bunch of little pieces of knitting connected together without seaming.

Then, as if that wasn’t fabulous enough, I found another of my favorite knitting books Mason Dixon Knitting at a garage sale.  I was so excited.  Then the next week I go to the library and there is the next Mason Dixon Knitting book. In this book I found a project that neatly solves a problem I have.  The problem of too much undesirable wool – in natural colors.  Added bonus it has an easy steek, so I can learn steeking as well.

Cold Little Feet

I went to the Library yesterday so the daughter could get some summer reading.  I dressed the little guy in pants with bare feet as I thought it was warm outside, but not warm enough as his feet got cold.

Inspired by his little freezing feet I went in search of a bootie/sock knitting pattern and found Knitting for Baby by Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas.  Fabulous book, by the way, definitely going on my wish list.  There were two, yes two, bootie patterns, including the intregingly named pattern Stay on Baby Booties, as so many things don’t.  I started with the beginner booties.  They looked super easy with garter stitch back and forth then sewn up at the end.

I am just using some stash yarn left over from other projects.  I should be finshed soon, then my little guy will have much warmer feet.

It’s back

My creativity that is.  After the last two, can you believe two, months of craziness I thought that I had lost my desire to create.  Maybe it was being part of the creation of a new little life, having to wait thirty of the longest days of my life for that little person to come home and then remembering how to take care of that little life on zero sleep.  Whatever it was, I had no desire to do anything creative, not knitting, not spinning, not sewing, not even counted cross stitch,  nothing, zip, zilch, nada.

But I had to finish these socks.  I had promised to make these socks way back in September and I had set for myself the end of school as the finish date.  Normally it does not take me nine months to knit a pair of socks.  These were really, really hard socks to knit for a number of reasons, most of which were emotional.  So when I woke up on Monday, looked out my window and realized the trees were in full leaf and the lawn needed to mowed again that it dawned on me that it was summer,  the last day of school was only 5 days away and these socks were still unfinished in my knitting bag.  So last night I pulled out the socks, they only had an inch or so to go on the toe, and finished them.  I felt such relief.  They were done.  Today I gave them to the intended recipient.  Then I went to the library to get some knitting books.  I enjoyed looking at the books.  I even have an idea for a new project.

Here is a picture of that other little project I’ve been working on for, oh, the last 9 months or so:

Super Secret Christmas Knitting

Ok, it may be just a tad late in the game to be knitting something else for Christmas, but I don’t intend to actually finish it before the big day.  I need the husband’s hand to finish.

I was talking with the husband about knitting projects and he said to me “Didn’t you promise to knit me a pair of 1/2 glove mittens (the kind where the mitten top can flap off)?”  Well, I had.  So I started these lovelies.  I am knitting it out of handspun in a super tight gauge, then when all the knitting is done I am going to line them with fleece to make them extra warm.

How to Use an Abacus Row Counter

I’ve been making some of these great Abacus Row Counter.  It took me some time to figure out how to work these fun and beautiful counters.  Most counters are bracelets, but if you can get a counter with an lobster claw you can clip it to your knitting bag or belt loop or whatever. These row counters will count up to 99 rows.

Here is the break down

Starting out all of the beads will be on the same side as the small bead. As you count rows you will move beads from the side with the small bead to the side with the big bead.

Start using the small beads for single rows. (If you have two different color of beads, pick which bead you would like for the single rows and which color for the 10 row beads.) When you complete each row move one of the small beads from one side of the charm to the other.  In the photo below 4 rows have been worked.

Continue working until you have worked 9 rows.

On the tenth row move all 9 small beads back and move 1 large bead (representing 10 rows) forward.

Then continue moving the small beads over as rows are worked. In the picture below 12 rows have been worked.

Continue until you have used all of the big beads and small beads which will be 99 rows.

Gasp…Actual Knitting Content

Ok, You may have noticed the lack of knitting content over the last few months, that is because I have been working (or not) on one project.  The man socks.  My dad requested socks for Christmas.  Hey! a specific request, easy to do, I was quite excited.  I did not understand the large difference between men’s and women’s feet.  It took me 4 months to knit a sock and a half it took me a day to finish the last half.  (I went down for Thanksgiving and finished up both socks.  I forgot a yarn needle, so I had to bring the last sock to kitchner the toe.)  Here are the pics:

Dad’s Sock

All wrapped up and ready to go!

Snakey Socks

I finally got the yarn for the Hogwarts Sock Swap.  This is my third swap partner.  I probably procrastinated longer than  I should have, but I wanted to make sure this person was not going to bale.  I have an idea for some snake inspired socks.  In my research I found a really nifty pattern here

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Piratical Knitting

I’ve found a new game.  It’s online, it’s free, it’s fun, it’s really addictive.  You have been warned.  It’s called Puzzle Pirates.  The reasons I started were simple: Puzzles are supposed to keep the mind sharp and my lovely sister-in-law said it was cool.  What can I say I’m easily led astry.  So as I’ve been playing this I’ve been thinking about all kinds of piratical knit wear to make.  The idea that I am most likely to make is a red a white stripey hat.  But scarves, socks even mittens in pirate themes with lots of stripes and black with skulls and crossbones keep popping into my head.  But then there is also the motifs from the Pirates who don’t do anything.  The possibilities are endless wa ha ah. 

Click on the link below to find out more about Puzzle Pirates.

Still looking for my card reader.

One Hat

I finished one hat for the knit 4000 hats in 40 days.  I’m working on another, hoping to get it done in the next couple of weeks. Yes it is acrylic, but they wanted washable and acrylic is what I had on hand.