What I Knit To This Week

What I knit to this week was Emma, Star Trek - the prequel, episodes of Bones Season Two and John Tucker Must Die. All good fun and entertaining.

I worked on a new felted clog project that corresponds with the class I am teaching, another mitten - this time without a pattern (it did not turn out so well but will make a cute hanging holder for silk flowers or leaves)

Right now I am trying to design a pine tree motif to embroider on the front of it. (pictures to come soon). And I got the Ooh La La scarf off the needles - finally.

My plan is to go through the box of UFOs and get some of them done before summer. It is a slow process but has been good so far to see what I was excited about and need to get done so I can evaluate the project for giftability and class possibilities.

In other news, Pedro kept me company by watching from his perch by Duck Central. I hope everyone had a fun-filled and productive weekend~!

Proof of Warmth

I have proof that someone is wearing what I knit. I am so proud to present one of my sister's good friends modelling his birthday gifts that I was commissioned to knit. The hat is from the Reasonably Hip visor beanie pattern and the cowl is from the Cowl'd and Frosty pattern.

He says that he really likes them and I can tell he looks "hotter" with them on.

Thanks for the picture! I really like seeing my knitting displayed.

I hope everyone is having a great time pursuing their passions with proof to spare~!

First Mitten: Decorated with Surface Embroidery

Once I got my first mitten done I realized that it was the perfect canvas for testing some embellishing techniques.

I found a drawing of the mitten you see in the picture and used is as a sketch document to design what I wanted to do with the mitten.

I found buttons to use for flower centers, as well as some theme buttons of cat and mouse. And I used beads for flower centers to give it some more visual interest. I used the darker color yarn to do the surface embroidery.

It was a fun way to spend an evening while I watched Post Grad (cute movie) and episodes of Bones.

I am already finding yarn and embellishments for my next one. I may end up with a matching pair from the yarn that was an unexpected gift from an unknown donor that came into the shop. This will be on display after Friday this week.

I hope everyone is finding new ways to express their creativity~!

First Mitten and Pawprints

I knit my first mitten this weekend and have found a new passion in the portable knitting arena. Mittens are simpler than socks and offer a wonderful canvas to be as creative or simple as you want to be.

Since I got excited about this I requested "Pawprints" from my mom and brother so I can be making hand coverings for both of them in either a fingerless or regular format.

I will be decorating the one in the picture tonight and adding the finished picture to the blog. This mitten will be an only child and will be on display as a shop sample after this.

I hope everyone is finding new things to be excited about ~!

Knit O Rama Means New Ideas for Projects

Knit O Ramas are a great time for me. I learn things from my students and I hope they learn something too. Friday was no exception.

I tried to find my way through the beginning of knitting 2 socks at a time on one long circular. I think the method may be valid. Now if I can just figure out how to split the hanks/skeins of sock yarn I have that are 400+ yards. I researched a tool I found at KnitPicks - the yardage counter - and thought that $50 was a bit spendy. However, I can justify that I will only have to buy it once. The other method is to weigh the yarn and wind off half the weight. Not sure how that will work if the yarn has to go on the swift.

So I have evaluated the needles I have and plan to do at least one pair like this to see how it all works. More knowledge is good. I hope everyone is learning new ways to do things!

Three

To steal an idea from the Yarn Harlot, I would like to address my third year blogaversary.

Let me begin by saying, THANK YOU!! for your readership, for your kind comments and for your continued support. I realize this is a medium akin to a journal and I enjoy writing it, taking pictures for it, thinking about new titles and information that I want to share with my virtual community.

I hope that my efforts have been interesting, entertaining and, perhaps, educational. My goal for this year is more of the same. Happy blog reading to all~!

Olympic Countdown

IMG_3482, originally uploaded by anniemaude.

Loopy and I ventured over to the Olympic Training Center to take some pics of him with the Winter mascots to get ready for Ravelympics and the lighting of the torch in Vancouver in just 20 days.

The sign on the board across the way says "20 days to Vancouver and 916 days to London". That says alot about planning ahead.

I hope everyone is pursuing lofty goals!

What's New - On My Needles

This past weekend I started a new shop sample, Colonnade Shawl by Stephen West. So far, I am really liking this knit. It looks like it will make a lovely general use shawl for our cooler weather here in Colorado. I chose colors that will look great with jeans out of Patons Classic Merino in Peacock and Retro.

I will keep you aprised of my progress. I hope everyone has fun, new things they are working on~!

What I Knit To This Weekend

I knit with this view from my knitting chair which includes the ever-growing collection of ducks while watching the rest of Season One of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Big Love Season 3, and Harry Potter 5 and 6.

I finished dad's felted clogs except for felting and fitting, and finished mom's one-row neckwarmer. I am still working on a scarf of the same pattern for a friend, and started a Colannade shawl for a shop sample. I finally got the beads strung on the yarn to do the scarf I have had sitting in the wings for two years.

I chose the events I want to participate in for the Ravelympics, they include: Mitten Moguls, Hat Halfpipe, Single Skein Speed Skate and Colorwork Curling.

I started jotting ideas for classes for the second quarter of the year.

All in all, it was a very productive weekend. I hope everyone had a great one as well~!

Rewind!

Have you ever had a project that you really wanted to do in a particular way however got halfway and decided that it would not work out? I know, I have, more than once. This time it is Mom's scarf to match her visor beanie.

I really wanted to do it in the linen stitch, however the more I knit on it, the less I like it. So I am frogging it tonight and starting over on something I think will work better.

Here it is in the linen, now frogged and back on the needles for an attempt with the one-row stitch. And I had to design it in my mind to pattern stripe vertically. The pattern of this creates a stripe (not color, just pattern) and did not want it length-wise as I am currently doing in a scarf for a friend. So I had to gauge the scarf I am doing and determine how many stitches to cast on for the scarflette for Mom.

Now it is on the needles and I am liking better already. I hope everyone has an easy rewind if they need it~!

New Discovery: Patternfish and Sea Lettuce

Today, while reading Lucy Neatby's blog, I discovered a great new pattern, Sea Lettuce Scarf, that can be knit from sock yarn. I am always on the look out for these type of patterns because I believe that sock yarn (fingering weight) is not just for socks.

I faved the pattern on Ravelry and pulled it up later to learn more about it. It looks like one that will make a great travel knit so I went to buy it through the download link. That link took me to a great pattern site called Patternfish.

This is an online store where you can buy or sell your designs for knitting or crochet patterns as customized PDF downloads. They offer a little bit of everything from new, old, indie, corporate, vintage, modern, classic, and offbeat, and it comes from all over the world. Currently there are 4545 patterns from the United States, Canada, Britain, New Zealand, Sweden, Iceland, Germany, Ireland, France, and Turkey.

It was an easy transaction using PayPal and the PDFs look professional. I think this will be a great resource for patterns. To make it easy for you to find the site in the future, I am featuring it on my blog links to the left.

I hope everyone has fun discoveries in their life!

Happy Birthday to Me!

I had a great birthday! I took myself to breakfast this morning to a little cafe I have wanted to try all year. It was yummy. And I shopped a great discount coupon at Borders. Then my folks came and we went to see Sherlock Holmes at the theater. Very interesting take on Holmes. In this version he is a cross between Holmes, James Bond and a Marvel comic hero mixed liberally with Dan Brown's symbology. I am going to rent the early Sherlock Holmes movies to see the contrast.

Then we went for early dinner at one of my favorite places, The Colorado Wine Shop in Cascade that makes the best buffalo burgers ever. It was great to spend the day celebrating with my loved ones. I also received fun cards from family members around the country and duck gifts from my truck driving brother.

All in all it was a great day. I hope everyone is having a great start to their New Year~!

100 Days til Launch

I am so excited to be a part of this upcoming event. I am busy planning what simple knits to take with me and what I want to learn while there. I hope to meet lots of new like-minded folks and make some new fiber friends.

I hope everyone has exciting events to look forward to this year!

One-Skein Knits: Great Way to Learn New Techniques

For me, this is the year to learn new things and not spend a lot of money doing it. I figure that some of you may be in the same boat. So I am looking at small projects that can use a skein or less and still end up with wearable and, possibly, giftable item.

Since I am finishing the visor beanie for my mom and I loved the way the Cascade 220 Paint colors knitted up I decided to use the rest of the skein to try out a linen stitch scarflette. It is easy to knit and the variegate color gives it a lot of snap with this stitch technique. I think she will like it.

Another thing I have seen a lot about recently is mittens. They are the new socks, with portability, small amount of yarn, wearability and a great canvas to practice stitch or color techniques. A great way to show off your creativity and artistic endeavors.

This weekend I taught a class with an earflap hat as the project that incorporates the Channel Island Cast On and cables as techniques to learn. It is a really fun project and is made out of one skein of Cascade 220.

Another new technique that I am getting ready to delve into is twined knitting. I have the yarn set out for a cowl and hat from the new book, New Twists on Twined Knitting.

One skein knits are also a great way to budget your knitting while you learn new techniques and create fun gifts for family and friends.

Judith Durant and Leigh Radford's books are a wealth of ideas for those who want to pursue these type of projects.

I have several projects lined up to knit in Ravelympics this February to get a head start on learning new things and gifts for holidays.

Happy pursuits of the things that make you smile!

Blog Interrupted - by the Cat

Hi, I have taken over momma's blog to report a insult to my kittyhood. I cannot tell you how hard I tried to understand her blah blah blah this morning when I was looking, patiently, from her to my food mat, for my breakfast.

She saved me when my momma died - she lets me sleep with her in the bed, she shares everything with me and worries when I am just having an off day. She talks to me and loves me and tells everyone about me. How could she be so mean this morning a deny me sustenance?

Then, to top it off, she shut me up in the walk-in closet and a while later came in, picked me up and stuffed me in my carrier that is reserved for vet visits. What? I am not sick, no way am I liking this.

She picked me up later in the day from the vet and I was still groggy from the shot they gave me and she is going on and on about what pretty teeth I have. Wait until I wake up and I will show her how pretty they are. Currently I am ensconced in my nest on the dresser in the bedroom plotting my revenge. Momma says that she is happy we won't have to that again for a while.

I certainly hope so because I hate not having my food on time.

I hope everyone had a warm, cozy day!

More Hats and Cowls on My List

Even though my holiday knit list is complete, I find I am knitting up "just a couple more" visor beanies and matching cowls. One set is for my mom, she picked out the yarn before Xmas so I am going to get this done for her right away because her list of IOUs from me is already too long.

I changed up the pattern just a little for hers because the yarn was knitting up so beautifully with the color changes that I wanted to see it with the garter short rows, seed stitch, plus a stockinette crown to finish, techniques. It is really something and I am going to add a beaded brim to it.

The yarn is Cascade 220 Painted in colorway 9826-Londonberry and it looks like grapes and leaves, very vintner I might say.

I am also being asked by several folks, commenters and emailers, what lace scarf patterns I am going to be attempting in the Ravelympics. Well, I have a pattern that I purchased through Knitpicks, with yarn to go with them, called Elizabeth I. It has three patterns within it and a story to go with each. I note this here however will not share who is getting them or the colors because some of you are very smart and can figure it out. You know who you are, don't look so innocent.

I hope that everyone have fun things they are pursuing this beginning of a new year!

A Little of This and A Little of That

This weekend was devoted to out with the old and in with the new. The great thrill was opening the new calendars and adding dates to the wall calendar for my upcoming classes and adventures I am already planning.

It was lots of fun to pack up last year's Knit a Pattern A Day calendar and open the new one to expose a whole year of more inspiration and ideas. I usually flip through it to see if there is anything that might make a great class idea. Then I set it back up to reveal each day's delight.

Then, after I finished the last of the gift knits on Jan 1st, I began to look for projects to start for the new year. At this time it will be the beaded samples I need for the shop first, then I have to figure out some gift knitting items that I can do for Ravelympics in February. I am thinking lace scarves since I bought all the supplies in October and thought I would get some done before Xmas, wrong.

And I spent some time planning the topics for my monthly newsletter, Knitting Tidbits. I was behind on getting the January edition written and out, however have managed to get that accomplished this weekend. Now I just need to get on track to do it on time for the rest of the year.

I hope everyone has found their path to progress for this coming year!

What Are My Goals for 2010

There are several, so let's get right to it:

1. Learn new skills: Entrelac, domino, double, twined and more color work knitting.

2. Schedule and teach at least two classes a month

3. Provide more fun knitting accessories at my Etsy shop

4. Design and submit a pattern to Knitty.com

5. Design and submit patterns on Ravelry.com

6. Attend the third annual Loopy Ewe Spring Fling in April

7. Attend the Pagosa Fiber Festival the end of May

8. Learn more digital camera techniques

9. Post on my blog at least three times a week
10. Have more fun, say yes to more of life and be grateful every day for what I have.

I think that will do it for this year. What are your plans for the New Year?

Happy New Year! With Top Memories of 2009

May this year be the best every!

And I want to share my top memories from 2009 with all of you.

Here we go!

I will start at the beginning and work my way up. I planned to have two knit classes a month and ended up doing at least four sometimes more. It was a blast! Thank you to all that joined me in this endeavor. We knit lots of flowers from the Nicki Epstein book, learned new skills like: Knit One Below (some liked it - some did not); felted clogs; various cast ons and bind offs; two-handed Fair Isle; cables with or without needle; and socks on dpns.

I learned some new skills as well, I ventured into the world of the Channel Island cast on; tried the Magic Loop cast on; knit socks on two circulars; mastered a one-row buttonhole; knit my first adult size sweater (Febuary Lady); and tackled some designing on my own. All in all a successful year for knitting.

There were lots of things on my needles throughout the year, mostly gifts for others or samples for the shop. I also designed and sold fun knitting accessories on my Etsy shop. I plan to do lots more of all these things in 2010.

Spring arrived with more snow than we had all winter and I managed to get a couple classes at the much-sought after Sock Summit, so I learned and knit lots of wee tiny socks for samples and give away before the big event. As summer approached so did the opportunity to go to Estes Park and see all the fun things at the Wool Festival. Also I got to ride a steam train on the Colorado/New Mexico border with my folks and the visiting from Germany, evil elf brother. It was breathtaking and historically fascinating.

I visited lots of Farmer Market days to have fresh basil and tomatoes for salads and fresh marinara. Got my first batch of Moo Cards to be used at Sock Summit, learned what to do with just a little leftover sock yarn, attended the big show at Sock Summit - WOW~! and attended every play of the season at the Butte Opera House in Cripple Creek.

By fall I was attending the Taos Wool Festival with some new friends I had met at Sock Summit and knitting like the wind trying to get all the holiday prezzies done in time.

I have to admit that keeping this blog has helped me to see what I have accomplished during the year and how much I have to be grateful for. And, as always, I had help from my favorite boy, Pedro, throughout the year to help me giggle and forget when things weren't good and remember that life can be full of yes if you just let it me.

I hope everyone is planning a great New Year. I know I have big plans for the year and will share them with you tomorrow. I have the list about done and will share those goals with all of you.

I found last year that it helped to make me more accountable if I knew that others had read it.

Happy New Year to all - may all your dreams come true!

Note: if you need a giggle - here is Simon's Cat doing SNOW ~ it is hysterical.