Sunday, February 26, 2006

Almost done!

according to the Yarn Harlots count down timer, I've got 2 hours and 5 mins left.


I'm on the toe decresses for the 2nd sock. So just a few more rows and grafting and I am done!!

I'm at work, so I can't post any pictures till tonight.

I was up till 12:30 last night knitting in bed, knowing I had to get up early for work. Blah

Sunday, February 19, 2006

1 down, 1 to go

The first sock is DONE!!!


Pictures to come

You are Merino Wool.
You are Merino Wool.You are very easygoing and sweet. People like to
keep you close because you are so
softhearted. You love to be comfortable and
warm from your head to your toes.

What kind of yarn are you?
brought to you by

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Monday, February 13, 2006

2006 Knitting Olympics Day's 1-3







The Start of Friday














The end of Day 1
















The end of Day 2
















The end of Day 3












Some of the problems I had:
These were suppose to be for my husband, however I made them to small. How is that possible? Well...
#1. I didn't do a swatch
#2. I didn't use the right yarn the pattern called for
#3. He's a big guy
So now they are gonna be mine. He wanted crew sock length, and I had already started on the heel flap before trying them on him, so I wasn't about to go back and frog it cuz I was doing the slip 1, knit 1 heel and I haven't had the greatest luck with frogging that and pick it back up again.

Other problems:
I started out using the pattern for the Tech Guys socks. It called for sport weight, but I was using fingering weight. But I didn't bother to swatch and wasn't really 'worried' so I just casted on for the large size man - 60 sts

Everything was going good until when it came to turn the heel. I read the patterns instructions for The short-row heel, went 'huh?' and switched over to the Original Pattern for the yarn. Problem is, I had 60 stitches, and their pattern called for 56. Not a big deal if you've knitted a pair of socks before, but I haven't. I didn't have any idea how any of this worked or where things lay.
It took some trial and error, but I figured it out!

I'm on my way to finishing my 1st sock!!!







I can't believe I turned the heel!!

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Commenting


I'm noticing that I have started commenting on other blogs. Typically I just read and don't comment, mostly cuz what I have to say has been said about 10 times already.

So, if you start getting comments from me, it's a good indication that I've been reading you for awhile. And if no comment, I'm probadly reading anyway, you just get allot of comments and I don't want to repeat what is already said.

Monday, February 06, 2006

Dishcloths

I joined a Dishcloth KAL yahoo group last month. I really like it and I needed some motivation to knit up some dishcloths.

Here are a few that I've been working on.




This was this months Theme KAL, I really liked it. I might knit up another one and give it to my MIL and maybe another to send to my Great Great Aunt....mmmm.















We are also doing an exchange, which I really like. My person has her kitchen colors listed as Teal and Plum, so this was the closest colored yarn I could find. I love the color and how it turned out. I did the Mock Cable pattern, which uses allot of yarn. I don't have much left, so I'm gonna have to go and get another ball of it so I can make myself one.



I also made one for my MIL, who is awesome and requested one.




She's English (well, she's been here for over 30 years, but she still has the accent, so I still consider her English) and drinks tea, so I thought this was perfect.








Well, gotta to, the boys lunch is on the stove.

Friday, February 03, 2006

Pattern for Amy Bag

Please forgive me if I didn't explain anything correctly. I've never written a pattern before and I didn't take notes when I knitted this up. I've only been knitting for 5 months.


Materials
2 skeins of Cascade 220
For a longer strap, another skein will be needed

1 16-Inch Circular 10-1/2 Needles
1 set 10-1/2 double point Needles

1 Stitch Marker
Tapestry needle


I didn’t do a gauge, sorry

I started with the bottom of the bag, picked up stitches for the sides and then knitted in the round, bound off the front, knitted up the handle, then did the flap.

Bottom of Bag
CO 56 sts.

Knit 34 rows in garter st.

Pick up 16 sts on the left edge of the bottom, then pick up 56 sts on the cast on edge, then pick up another 16 sts on the last side.
(Total stitches – 144)


Sides
Place marker and join picked up sts and begin working in the round.

Knit 64 rows (in stockinette st)

At marker, Bind Off 56 sts
Place next 16 st on DPN
K54 sts
Place last 16 st on DPN

Leave 56 sts on circular needle, you will come back and knit the flap after the Handle

Handle

On the side where your yarn is still attached, knit 16 sts in St st (knit right side, purl wrong side) until it’s at the length you want.

Unfortunately, I did not measure or count my rows, so this will be based off of what you want. Keep in mind, you need to save enough yarn to knit your flap. So unless you have a 3rd skein of yarn, don’t make it too long.

When you get to your desired length, use kitchener st (grafting, or weaving) to graft these 16 sts to the other 16 sts on other side of bag.


Flap

Rows 1-57: Stockinette st (knit right side, purl wrong side)
Rows 58-62: Garter st
Row 63: Bind Off

I did a I-cord for the loop and attached to the middle of the end of the flap.


Weave in ends.

Felt
I had to felt this 2 times to get it to the size I wanted. Please, keep checking so it doesn’t get to small.

Block
I used the 5th Harry Potter book (wraped in a plastic bag) to block the bag.
Don’t be afraid to pull and stretch to fit.

Pull and pin flap of bag to match the width of the bag.

Let dry.


Notes:
I used a felted join, so there were not many ends to weave in.


Abbreviations

Kitchener st (grafting), Felted Join, Knitting in the Round and Picking Up Stichtes