New Word of the Week #3 - Chillax

Def: To calm down and relax. This is why I knit. It helps to keep me calm and more patient. I also like this activity because after I am "chillaxed" I have something to show for it.

Selfish Knitting Month - Final Update

What have I accomplished for myself? Twisted Rib Neckwarmer, Summer Cardi, and most of the pair of socks for January. Now is is on to other things. The plan is to do my samples for upcoming classes and work on more cardis and socks this first part of the year.

And I plan to live this motto while doing so: It is from daisychic at Etsy.

I hope everyone had a great first month of this new year~!

KWCG Sock Club - January is Slipping Away

The month is rapidly coming to a close and my progress report is: one sock completed and the other one is on the needles. I managed to get the ribbing and one repeat done this morning.

Now this project becomes the house project and may get done this weekend if I am lucky. At least that is my plan.

I really like this sock pattern and plan to use it again in the future. It is the Primavera Sock and is found at Ravelry.

New Word of the Week #2 - Bargainous

Bargainous: the yarn sale of a lifetime where your favorite skeins are ridiculously cheap; as fabulous as winning the lottery or getting a paycheck for not working.


Definitely something to be on the lookout for every day. Happy words to all~!

Four

Happy Blog-aversary to Me! 

I cannot believe I have been doing this for four years. I evaluated my post numbers through the years and find I am writing more every year.

Thank you for your Readership! I could not do this without you.

KWCG Sock Club - January Update

I am through the decreases and partway down the foot of the first January Sock. Since I am almost finished with the Summer Cardi as my house project I will be knitting these socks as a car and house project so they will get all my knitting time. I may get both done by the end of the month, we shall see.

If not, I will have learned a valuable lesson: I must start my sock of the month on the first and keep knitting in the car. That will be tried with the February Sock.

Felted Soap

Today I set up my kitchen to test the felted soap I wanted to do.

First, I found all the tools I would need, a mat, a tape measure, scissors, the soap - a travel size, and the roving.

I prepped the rovings and wrapped the soap like the tutorial explained then I used a washboard to accelerate the felting process.

I made two to start which I will be testing in my own shower this next week to see how I like them. They turned out really fun looking, I made one in purple and gold, pictured, and one in red and blue.

I am going to try needlefelting a design on them as they dry. More on that process later. I have to get the tools first. These were fun to do and will make great gift items.

I hope everyone is finding fun new things to try~! 

Selfish Knitting Update

My sweater is on the needles. This is the yarn that I received two Christmas' ago and I repurposed to this project because I realized I could get this sweater done in a timely fashion and have more places to wear it. The package in the picture that looks like a reindeer is how the yarn was wrapped and given to me that year. It was a masterpiece of creativity on the part of my brother and mom.

The yarn is Plymouth Encore Worsted in Royal Purple (1034). It is a rich color that shows the stitches beautifully. The pattern is Knitting Pure and Simple Summer Cardi. It is knitted from the top down and has gone very quickly.

I started it on Sunday, Jan 16th and it is to the point where I have to separate the sleeve stitches onto holders to continue the body. For the size I am knitting that 69 stitches across the back between the middle stitch holders and it is measuring about 10 inches from the cast on edge. It is done from the top down using a simple kf&b (knit front and back of the same stitch) for the increase and looks very nice.

I may be adding a couple of inches to the bottom of it before the ribbing to get it to be hip length, which is more comfortable to me in a sweater, instead of waistband length like it calls for. I have plenty of yarn so it should not be a problem.

I hope to have this one finished this month and make a decision about making one from Caron Spa or Country for a lighter summer weight one.

New Word of the Week #1 - Automagically

I saw this list in my AARP paper that relates to new words that have been added this last year to the English dictionaries (oops, dating myself) and thought that I should utilize this list and try to translate it into the knitting world. Not sure how well I will do but I will make a weekly attempt until the list runs out of words. Join me on my quest, won't you?

The first word on the list is "automagically". The word gets its origin from the computing world. I think that following a pattern to the letter will usually produce automagical results, an example is a top down sweater. At first you are not sure what you are doing is going to work until you get about 10 rows into it and then you know it is working.

Another example is the Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman. The first one I knit I followed her original pattern that is written in paragraphical format. Now it is written in line-by-line and much easier to follow.

I hope everyone finds some magic in their world be it automatic or not~!

Weather of the Month

I have been asked why I have not become a meterologist. I say that is in my next reinvention. I love weather and adore trying to out-guess the TV weather guys. So, once a month, I will be dealing with a weather phenom that might occur in that month.

Diamond Dust: What is it and how does it occur? According to the Weather Watcher's Calendar, it is a form of precipitation made of small, unbranched crystals of ice that fall so slowly  they seem to be floating in the air. When the light hits them they sparkle brilliantly. Diamond dust forms in calm air at bitterly cold temperatures and can even fall from a cloudless sky.

I even saw this during our recent frigid temps, when I exhaled my plume of warm breath created my own little snowstorm, how cool is that? Well, actually it was about 2-degrees Fahrenheit at the time.

New Technique: 2@Time Top Down

Today I took a class to learn how to knit socks 2 at a Time Toe Up from the book by Melissa Morgan-Oakes. First, I have to say, she writes a very good instruction book! Each step is clear and well documented. I know that I could have taught myself this technique just from the book, but taking a class is so much more fun. I learn more and have the opportunity to ask questions as we go along.

The hardest part of the technique is getting the two socks set up and getting through the first 4-5 rows so there is enough knitted fabric to keep the thing from tangling.

My sample socks will be the weirdest looking socks ever because I only put a couple rows of each part of the sock construction on them. The picture shows just through the gussets picked up and ready for decreasing. I will be finishing them tomorrow. I am not certain which technique I like better in the 2 at a Time yet, I think I may be leaning towards the toe up. Time will tell.

I hope everyone is finding new and interesting ways to do the things they love~!

KWCG Sock Club - January Update

I am making progress on the first sock of this year. It is the Primavera pattern I found on Ravelry. I am knitting it out of Heritage Handpaint from Cascade in the Aqua Sol colorway.

At first I did not think I was going to like the pattern until I got to the 4 repeat and decided it was really pretty. I will be interested to see how it fits. I am knitting it on size 1US (2.25 mm) and over the 66 stitches exactly like the pattern says.

The progress is shown here on my new sock blocker from KnitPicks. I was pleasantly surprised that these are sold as a pair not as a single, which makes them the best deal around. I will say that the edges need a little smoothing which I will try to do with some sand paper. Otherwise they are nicely made and the right price.

This will become my car project beginnning this week as I have almost completed my last hat project. I hope everyone is having a great start to their year~!

To Me!

KWCG Sock Club - January Progress Report

First, an update on which sock I will be knitting in January. I chose another yarn and pattern because I need purple tone socks to wear to Spring Fling in April.

So my original choice was put back in the bucket and I chose Primavera in Cascade Heritage Handpainted in the Aqua Sol.

I will be casting these on this week and trying to complete them as a car project this month.

Newest Member of the Duck Brigade

This week I received a package in the mail from the Evil Elf in Germany. It contained a belated (due to the mailing system) Christmas card with pics of my nieces and an exceptionally well-wrapped birthday gift.

He says they found it at the Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremburg. He is too fragile to go in the bathroom with the others, so he will hang in the house where kitty cannot knock him down.

He is an Inge-Glass. I think he is adorable.

A big thank you to the German contingent for thinking of me while on their shopping adventure in Nuremburg~!

January is “Selfish Knitting Month”

According to Sheri at the Loopy Ewe, this is the rule. You can only knit for yourself during the month of January.

Now, let's see, what is on my list?  The Twisted Rib neckwarmer with the Malabrigo I brought home from the Loopy Ewe Spring Fling last year.

It is beautiful and soft and really nice to knit with. The pattern is easily memorized and I am up to 6 repeats. It looks like I will only get about 4 1/2 inch wide with this 150 yards of yarn. Good thing it is one that you wind around twice, like an infinity scarf.

I also knit two of the Dinan Slouchy Beanies for myself. I am going to try to finish my Irish Hiking Scarf as a scarflette this month as well so I can have one more FO in my collection.

And I am starting my January socks which will be updated in another post. I hope everyone is finding a way to treat themselves at the beginning of this fine year~!

KWCG Sock Club: January

Well, it is time to choose a sock project from my self-created Sock Club. Let's see what I pick blindly from the bucket. Oh, it looks like I will be knitting Cookie A's Summer Sock  out of Berrocco Comfort Sock for January.

I read through the pattern and the first thing I noticed is the description for "circular stockinette", it is knit every round. I have not seen that explanation before, interesting.

These socks will all be done top down and on two circs this year, while I perfect the other techniques I am adding to my sock knitting arsenal with other socks. I am hoping that this will reduce my sock stash enough to satisfy my goal before Spring Fling and Sock Summit.

I will keep you posted on the progress. Enjoy your new year of projects~!

Looking Back: My Favorite Memories of 2010

May this year be the best every! And I want to share my top memories from 2010 with all of you. Here we go!

As most of you who have been reading all year know, 2010 was my year to seriously knit. Most of my posts were about knitting in some fashion. In January I knit my first pair of mittens and then got crazy with it. I think the final count was 10 pair with supplies for more waiting in the wings. In February I completed five knitting events for Ravelympics while watching the Winter Games. It was lots of fun.

In March I knit my first cardi, the pattern is from Knitting Pure and Simple and is a wraparound style. I even wore it again this weekend to see my folks for New Year. In April, I went to the Loopy Ewe Spring Fling and Pedro went to Camp Mouse. His letters home were hysterical.

In May, I sadly watched the final episodes of LOST. Network TV will never be the same for me. And in June I headed east to pick up the tent trailer with my brother. We had a good time and the trailer will be handy for camping trips in the future.

In July, I did some local touring with the folks and decluttered my house which was a huge accomplishment. Of course, all the while I was knitting. The Watermelon Vesper socks got completed after their road trip to West Virginia. In August, we had a short visit from the Evil Elf and took dad camping for his 90th birthday. Pedro liked his first real camping trip as well.

In September, we had more visits from family members from both coasts and visited a ghost town in full autumn splendor. And I got to visit Buckskin Joe's for their final weekend before it is moved to an undislosed destination. In October, I knit my first pair of mystery KAL socks, saw Werewolves in Cripple Creek and learned a new fabric craft I call Folded Fabric.

In November, I got serious about my holiday gift knitting, Ravelry hit its 1 million registered users milestone and the weather stayed unusually balmy. December brought the year to an end with pub crawling, deadline knitting, new technique classes for me and a wonderful holiday break.

I hope everyone has great memories from this year. May 2011 bring more joy than you can hope for~!

Happy New Year: 2011

I wonder if this is going to be the year of firsts? I think it might with all these 1's in it. You know, 01/01/11.

Here is where I will list the goals that I want to be accountable for in the coming year:

1. Schedule and teach two classes a month at the shop in Woodland Park, and one class a month at PILLAR in Colorado Springs.
2. (Knit) Stitch of the Month Club for knit and purl stitch techniques.
3. Learn new skills: Two at a Time Socks both toe up and top down, Entrelac, Double, and Brioche.
4. Design and submit pattern to Knitty.com.
5. Design and submit pattern to Ravelry.
6. Attend fourth Loopy Spring Fling.
7. Attend Pagosa Fiber Festival in May.
8. Post to my blog at least 4 times a week.
9. Learn to make felted soap.
10. Have more fun, say YES to more adventures, and be grateful everyday for what I have.

I think that should do it for this year. There are more that I cannot talk about here, but, believe me, they will be worth it in the long run.

Happy New Year to all and to all good luck with your goals/resolutions~!