To MY KVVSP

So good to hear from you! I do make socks with the 'magic loop' and I agree it is very easy to do and I love the socks I have made. I don't know why I have this thing about learning to knit socks on dpns - I think it's because everyone else can do it!
So - are you all ready for the new contest on the KVVSP blog? It's supposed to be up this weekend and sounds interesting.
Can't wait to find out where I am vacationing!

Easy Knitted Accessories

This is another one of the books I got on sale from the Crafter's Choice Club (they were all under $10.00 ea. by the way). This is a great book for beginners. Each pattern teaches a new skill. At first glance through the book I didn't think there was anything in it that I didn't already have a pattern for someplace else and I would probably be gifting it. But after reading through it I have found some things I would like to make and some new skills I would like to learn! The first project I'm making is the felted patchwork bag. For beginners it teaches slip stitches and beading. I have been wanting to try beading and this was a very easy way to learn, not to mention a great way to use up yarn stash.

It's knit in strips, with different blocks of patterns on each strip. Here is my beaded heart - which was really fun and easy to do using large beads. I'm really curious to see what will happen to the beads when this is felted. I'm already planning my next project from this book, now that I've mastered beading, which is the beautiful beaded scarf on the cover.

DPNs and I (Continued)

See- I'm doing it. And you were right - after the first inch or so it gets easier and just goes around and around! I really think I've got it!


So, why have I stabbed my yarn to death with my dpns? It's really not as bad as it seems. The label on the yarn said size 3 dpns, but it was obvious to me that the stitches were way too lose. I need to either use smaller needles or thicker yarn. So, the sock went to the frog pond. To be continued.............

40 Years Ago

We brought our first born son home from the hospital. We were stationed in Washington D.C. and Scott was born at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland.

Oh my, were we ever all that young! (or that thin!) Happy 40th Scott!

DPNs and I

Okay, I admit it. I am dpn challenged. I've tried and tried and used language you wouldn't expect a grammie to use. All these needles sticking out all over the place - how are you supposed to knit. I've read all the books, seen the tutorials, and watched it done with ease on Knitty Gritty. But I just couldn't do it. They tell me - you are only knitting on two needles at a time - ignore the other needles. How can I ignore needles sticking into my hands with stitches falling off them? They said it would get easier after the first few rounds - I couldn't get past the first few rounds! I did learn to knit socks using one long circular needle - it worked. But there is still this 40" cord twisting every which way and curling up when you are halfway through with the socks.

How I envy people who consider knitting socks on dpns to be mindless knitting. They can do it while watching t.v.,reading a book, driving a car, giving birth. So, I decided, today was the day. I'm going to do it. And LOOK!

Can you see? Those are three needles with two pointy ends- the fourth is empty for now and I have a whole inch done! Now mind you, these are what you call 'vanilla socks' - one inch of ribbing and then just straight knitting around. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can! I'm using Patons Kroy self patterning yarn and size 3 dpns. Wish me luck!!!!

Loop-d-Loop

This is definitely not your plain, ordinary knitting book. If you are looking for something different you should check out Loop-d-Loop by Tea Durham .
There are quite a few patterns in this book that I don't think I would ever make. But, there are a few cute things I might try. The corkscrew scarf is cute, and so is the octagon purse. But knit a chair cover - I don't think so! The child's ballet t-shirt looks like an easy knit for the kids, and I do want to make the choker collar, but probably not the cuff. The felted tweed hat is cute, but I don't know who I would make that for. I do love the adorable child's earflap hat and the braided neckpiece is very interesting, but the yarn-over steek vest - nah, I don't think so. The basketweave scarf is cute - and of course the loop-d-loop scarf on the cover, for which I suppose the book was named. And, maybe that paisley carpetbag for the next ITEIV swap? I think this book is a keeper!

Morehouse Farm Merino Knits

I read this book from cover to cover last night - and I just love it! (My Vegan friends may not want to read this!). But to me - raising sheep, shearing them, spinning their wool, and knitting something warm and wonderful from it, is fascinating . The patterns are not anything fancy. They are mostly plain, basic knits. There is a lace section, but again it's very basic with the yarn itself making the beauty.
There was one disappointment though - there was a great knitting bag pictured at the end of the book - but the pattern is not in the book. Then again, it's pretty basic, and I'm sure I could figure it out. What's really cool about it is that the straps are measuring tapes - how handy!
The author adds personal stories about their farm and their sheep and their wonderful yarn, which can of course, be ordered from their website! Oh - and on a completely different note - stop by and visit Donna's blog
and leave a comment by midnight July 25, and you could win a prize!

Christmas In July

From me to me! The Crafter's Choice Club was having a special - and I'm on a yarn diet not a knitting book diet - so.... these books arrived today. I'll review them after I have had a chance to look through them!

ITEIV Bag Arrived!

I waited for the mailman this morning because I was sure he would bring my ITEIV bag and he did! This is the cute bag that Vange made for me with yarn that she dyed herself. There was also a cute little pouch, and some other goodies, including this beautiful pin and pendant also made by Vange. They are made with fused dichroic glass and are just beautiful! Thanks you Vange - you have been a great pal!

New and Improved Clutch

Thanks for all of your advice! I felted the flower and I do like it better. (The color is still not showing up right). Anyway, I made it a pin so it can come off and another pin put on. I made a cowl out of the same yarn as the flower - so it might look pretty on that too. So many options LOL. And my knitting needle bouquet is growing!

Ravelry

So I finally decided to go over and see what all the fuss about Ravelry is about. I signed up for the waiting list, and this is my place in line. ROTFL.

You are #17971 on the list.
11886 people are ahead of you in line.
5 people are behind you in line.
32% of the list has been invited so far

Are You Knitting Daily?

Knitting Daily is Interweave's new blog with free patterns, tips, etc. Since everyone's been talking about the "Tomato" I decided to try it. Except, because I am on a yarn diet and have to use yarn in my stash, mine is going to be more like a lemon! I received this bright yellow Lion Cottonese yarn as a prize for a project I made for a Knit The Classics book (The Joy Luck Club). It might be a birthday present for my DD if it comes out okay. She even likes yellow! So far, it is a very easy knit - and is made in the round with no seams - love that.

I got this book in the mail today. I ordered it from the Crafter's Choice Club - you know the club that tempts you with 5 books for 99 cents each and then you have to commit to buying two more in the next two years. Well, my two years were up and I had to order one more book. I should have looked at this one more closely. It seemed to have such cute patterns in it - but they are actually all made from knitting flat pieces on a knitting machine, felting them and then cutting out the patterns and sewing them.

I think I can use some of the patterns for embellishments though - and of course I can always handknit the flat pieces and make one of these cute totes. Thank you for your comment on my clutch Dipsy! I'm flattered that you visited me all the way from Austria!

Another Clutch

Lately I can't seem to make just one of anything! I'm on a clutch kick and a flower kick so I combined the two in with this one. The bag is made from my kool-aid dyed yarn (Knitpicks bare bulky in variegated shades of 'grape') and the flower is made from some leftover yarn. The flower is a pin from Nicky Epstein's Knitted Flowers. The color actually matches the color of the clutch better than it shows in the photo. Do you think I should felt it? The pin in the book is not felted - but mine is made from 100% wool, so it will felt.

Everything's Coming Up Roses

I just love these felted roses. The stems are knitting needles! You can easily slide the needle off the rose if you should happen to want to knit with it. Wouldn't this just be a perfect way to present a gift of knitting needles? I have to give Danielle credit for this inspiration. She made a Peruvian Rose, from Berroco for her project for last month's Whoduknit book, Maisie Dobbs. And, wouldn't my jar of knitting needles look so much prettier if they all had roses on them? I'm working on it!



I finished my mobius and didn't realize until it was off the needles that it was twice the diameter it should have been. I did use a different yarn than the pattern called for but I did get the gauge. The only think I can think of is that I must have misunderstood the mobius cast on and CO twice as many stitches as I was supposed to! Oh well, it's a scarf - and I can wrap it around my neck twice if I want too. This was made from a Cat Bordhi pattern that she demonstrated on an episode of Knitty Gritty.

But look! It's Lace! And I dyed the yarn myself! So who cares if it's twice the size it's supposed to be. No wonder I ran out of yarn and had to dye some more!

And I finally felted my larger version of Jayne's AP Bag. I put two pockets inside - one on each side of the bag. I really like how this one came out.

Oh - and Hi KVVSP if you are reading this - leave me a comment, I'd love to hear from you! Anonymous of course!

Dyeing Dilema

I'm really fascinated with this mobius pattern. I've made some 'fake' mobius scarves - just a scarf twisted and sewn together. But this is knit all in one piece on a 47" circ. which is looped around. I don't know if you can see in the picture - but it is actually knit from the inside out and you just keep knitting the pattern around and around but you are actually knitting two sides. So, anyway, I'm down to the last three rows and the bind off - and ...can you see how much yarn I have left? UGH! This is yarn that I dyed with kool-aid - not something I can go back to my LYS and pick up.

So, what to do - dye some more yarn. I think I came pretty close. Fortunately it's variegated so I think it will blend in okay. Now I have to wait until it's dry to finish the mobius. I love to knit and I love to felt - but it's the finishing that always stalls me.

Here is the 'Clutch You'll Never Give Up" from the One Skein book. It is supposed to have buttons as an embellishment (don't I hate to sew on buttons!) So I found this pin in my jewelry box - and I think it looks great!
And, no I'm not selling cleaning products - but if you have never used "Simple Green" you have to try it - it cleans anything - even kool-aid stains on kitchen counters!

This is the result of those two skeins of purple Knitpicks Merino. It's the Felted Evening Bag from One Skein Wonders (love that book!) (Sox got swept by the Tigers, but I finished the bag). Before felting it was 10 1/2 x 9 - flap 6 1/2.

After felting - 8 1/2 x 6 - 4 1/2" flap. The pattern calls for ribbon embroidery on the flap, but I will probably do some needlefelting on it. I need to spend a whole day just working on embellishing my finished bags.

Next OTN - a mobius using a technique I saw on Knitty Gritty today. I'm using some of my Knitpicks kool-aid dyed yarn and I am loving this project!

Hello KVVS Pal!

And welcome to my blog! It's good to hear from you. I really am having a lot of fun with this swap. The BINGO game is lots of fun and I've actually got 13 already including the free space. BINGO (Called BEANO here in Downeast Maine - for what reason I don't know, except I'm guessing it has something to do with Bean suppers) is very popular here - I know people who go 5 nights a week! I'm not into it at all - but this virtual BINGO - well, that's a lot of fun. I'm also having a lot of fun collecting things for my downstream pal's package and planning a virtual Downeast Maine vacation for her. Thanks for stopping by KVVSP - come back soon!

Sun-less Sunday

My tribbles are multiplying, so I'm going to give myself credit for another skein of yarn! All I need now is a good sale at Bath & Body on shower gel, and I will have all of my co-worker, girlfriend, etc. gifts for Christmas.
I still haven't heard from my upstream partner in the Knitter's Virtual Vacation Swap .....but, curiously, I have been getting e-mails every day advertising vacations all over the world. Do you supposed my pal signed me up?
I've got a nasty cold and we are having nasty summer weather, so I think I'll take this opportunity to read, knit, and watch baseball today. I didn't make it for all 13 innings last night - and it's just as well, since 13 was not lucky for the sox and they ended up losing it 3-2. Jopel, if you are reading this, thanks for your comments. I haven't been able to find your blog or an e-mail to reply to you.

Yarn Diet

Okay, that's it. I'm going on a yarn diet - no more new yarn until I use up what I have! Except for swaps of course, can't expect my pal to go without just because I'm on a yarn diet. And gifts of course. And really, really, good sales. But that's it! I have a handy, dandy, little tracker on top of my blog now - do you see it? No more new yarn until it gets to the end. The big problem is that most of my yarn stash is in single skeins and partial skeins - so there are going to be a lot of one-skein projects. Here is my first - The Clutch you'll never give up from the One Skein Book. I knit it from some bulky Fleece Peace yarn that I've had for a few years now. I finished off the skein by knitting a rectangle to felt and use for leaves for felted flowers. It took me only 7 innings to knit (Sox were losing so I went to bed). It's drying now, and still needs embellishing - but this skein of yarn is gone from my stash! These two skeins of knitpicks Merino Style are next. Depending on how the Sox do tonight - I may be able to update my ticker tomorrow!

Bet you can't make just one!

I was organizing my yarn the other day, (or trying to) and came across a bag of small balls of leftover dishcloth yarn. It reminded me of a pattern I saw on Abigails' blog for these scrubbies or 'bath poufs'. She calls them Tribbles because like the Tribbles in the Star Trek episode, they multiply. I still have slow dial up service (DSL has still not come to my part of town) so I keep a knitting project next to my computer while I'm waiting for pages to load. These are perfect little projects for computer knitting! And, along with handmade soap, or shower gel, they will make nice little gifts. Bet you can't make just one!!!


My ITEIV tote package is ready to mail out. I hope my partner enjoys it as much as I enjoyed putting it together. I love the Pursenality Plus book that I won in the last ITE swap so much, I'm sending my pal a copy, along with some other goodies.
And....yes, I've been dyeing with kool-aid again - got to start knitting something with this yarn!
I'm also collecting things for my downstream pal in the Knitters Virtual Vacation Swap. I won't say where she is from, just in case she comes across my blog, but we've been e-mailing back and forth and she's so friendly that I'm having trouble trying to stay anonymous! I haven't heard from my upstram pal yet - so if you are reading this - HI! I'd love to hear from you!

Happy Independance Day

Have a Safe and Happy 4th!

Back from Vacation

My daughter, three grandchildren and I drove down to NJ to visit family and friends there. The main reason for our trip was to take 13 year-old Jordyn to her quarterly check-up at the Scoliosis Center in NYC. She is in an innovative new program which uses a soft brace instead of a hard one and involves exercise and chiropractic manipulation to train the spine to straighten, or at least not to curve anymore. This time, her 7 year old sister was examined and her spine is also beginning to curve, so she is now in the program too and wearing a soft brace.
Anyway, since school was out, we took the opportunity to turn the trip into a vacation. We spent a few days at the beautiful Mineral Springs Resort in Vernon NJ

Spent a day with some cousins - and the newest baby in the family
. Visited my sister and brother-in-law at their home on beautiful Lake Hopatcong (New Jersey isn't all shopping centers!)
My sisters and me (yup - I'm in the middle)
Survived a 100 degree day in NYC
Where my sister met Harrison Ford (well, not really, he's a wax statue in Madame Tussauds wax museum, which was absolutely incredible - they all looked so real, and like they were looking right at you. And saw Mary Poppins on Broadway Which was great - amazing special effects!

I didn't do much knitting on this vacation, but did buy some yarn at a Rag Shop that was going out of business- some Moda Dea Sassy Stripes sock yarn and some Patons white yarn (for dying). I also picked up some purse handles, which turned out will be perfect for this "Ms. Poppins Bag" that I found on Knitting Daily. How's that for a coincidence!

Most amazing of all, my DD and I did all this without making one wrong turn - quite an accomplishment for us!