I'll admit patterns can terrify me. I'm a newbie in the knitting world and the "next step" is often scary. One of the projects I had promised to do in exchange for diapers was two neck ties. Yup, knit neck ties. I have been putting it off for a bit now. Longer than I should have actually. It scared me. It called for an increase or two and some decreases as well. I don't know how to do those! Well, I didn't. I went over to the site that taught me to knit in the first place (www.knittinghelp.com) and watched the videos this evening on how to do those. Good lord what was my hang up!!! I am now knitting one of the two ties and frankly, they ar ea piece of cake! Easier than a scarf actually.
My shameless plug for help happened prior to today though. As I reread my tie pattern the other night I got nervous. I then reread my hat pattern. I was REALLY nervous. The hat pattern is knit on DPN's in the round. I don't know how to knit in the round and I'm not sure I want to. It's looks complicated and frustrating. I get easily frustrated and would rather avoid it all the way around. So I got a genius idea!!! I headed over to my Freecycle group and posted for some knitting help on two ties and two hats. I expected my message to get turned down (the moderators have to approve it) but sure enough...it got posted! What amazed me even more was that someone replied! Yup, a person wrote me and is willing to help me knit free of charge all becuase they are nice enough to do so. I supply the goods and they supply the knitting. How much better could that get!? To top it off, she now only has to help with hats since ties are nothing!
I'm feelin' pretty good. Not only did I master two techniques tonight but I am well on my way to pumping out two more projects. I DO NOT know why any of this took this long. It's all very simple (with exception to the hats...those are tough for us newbies) and quick. You know what else? My homemade DPN's kick ass!
Sunday, January 29
Wednesday, January 25
Knitting needles part 2
So I made them. In fact I made 3 pairs (6 needles total) in a size 11 and then later went back to the store and got materials for more. I now have 3 pairs size 11 DPN's and 3 pairs size 3 DPN's. I just tested out the 3's with some thin foreign wool and they are great!!! Much nicer feeling in my hands than my Clover bamboo needles. I'd like to get some of every size but am thinking I may have a hard time finding the dowel rods for the bigger sizes. I'd like to replace my 10.5 straights and my 8 DPN's for some that I make. They turned out rather lovely. I think from start to finish it takes maybe 10 minutes to make them. I didn't have any acrylic paint to use today and I was in such an eager rush I pulled out my nail polish and adorned one (yes only one) needle with some color! Without further ado...a picture:
See? Lovely aren't they? Just wish I would have thought of making my own sooner. It cost me $1.48 this morning and the most expensive piece was the pencil sharpener! When I went back the second dowel rod was .33! I have twelve new needles for a whopping .82. Just as wonderful as any "store" bought needles too! In fact more so...cause they now have meaning to them. :)
See? Lovely aren't they? Just wish I would have thought of making my own sooner. It cost me $1.48 this morning and the most expensive piece was the pencil sharpener! When I went back the second dowel rod was .33! I have twelve new needles for a whopping .82. Just as wonderful as any "store" bought needles too! In fact more so...cause they now have meaning to them. :)
Tuesday, January 24
Knitting needles
I have two sets of knitting needles. That's it. I have one set of 10.5 straights and one package (a.k.a five individual needles) of size 8 dpn's. I want more. Let me rephrase....I want LOTS more. I see pictures on vairous sites online and am seized by jealousy. Not only do these people have cups and buckets and drawers full of needles they have gorgeous sets!!! So I wandered over to the yarn crafts forum on Mothering and did a search. I had seen someone post about making your own before but I never thought to remember where I had seen them say that. I posted for help on doing so and then headed over to google. I put in my search terms and I am now the happy owner of making your own knitting needles instructions. Quite easy actually. A couple wooden dowels (rod length), some sand paper, and a pencil sharpener/knife. If you want something fnacy shmancy some wood stain (or paint) and/or some clay to make your toppers. You can make plain toppers with dowel caps but I like oomph so will go with clay.
I did another google search for some wooden dowels and came acorss a site that offers them in discounts. You can get 100 for $20. Granted I don't want 100 of one size but hey! That's a good deal. 100 needles (50 pairs) for 20 bucks!!!! You can't find that anywhere.
I posted on Freecycle to see if I can't score some dowels. I'll try my hand at making me some needles. Then I can have cups and buckets and drawers full of gorgeous needles that will also have sentimental value to them. And for dirt cheap!
I did another google search for some wooden dowels and came acorss a site that offers them in discounts. You can get 100 for $20. Granted I don't want 100 of one size but hey! That's a good deal. 100 needles (50 pairs) for 20 bucks!!!! You can't find that anywhere.
I posted on Freecycle to see if I can't score some dowels. I'll try my hand at making me some needles. Then I can have cups and buckets and drawers full of gorgeous needles that will also have sentimental value to them. And for dirt cheap!
Saturday, January 21
Scarf updates
My second post and no pictures yet! Not true. This post will have pictures in it.
I would like to share a bit of lunacy on my part though. I get enjoyment out of knitting a long piece of whatever and then frogging it. Don't ask why. I did this with a scarf I was making myself. 30 inches!!! I frogged it to about five. Yes 5 whole inches! Why? A bright idea I had. I recommend pulling out more yarn, another set of needles, and trying out any ideas you have prior to frogging 25 inches off a perfectly lovely scarf.
I thought it was that isolated moment. Oh no! I turned around and frogged a scarf that I was making for my step son. Man! I wish I had taken a picture cause it was truely lovely. It's done with some cheapy yarn passed on to me but the yarn itself is varigated and sweet to look at. For some reason I think of candy canes when I see it. I said as much to my sister who said (after I described the not so candy canish colors) that it was the gourmet ones I was thinking about. Needless to say the gorgeous creation is now a ball in my bin. You'd think I would have at least taken a picture! I'm kind of regertting it. It had taken me awhile and was anice tight knit. Oh well, I suppose I could always start over. No....no I don't think so.
Rememebr the said projects? I nixed one. I just have too much on my plate so I emailed the lady I would have made leg warmers for and said never mind. I explained I simply had too much to do and she said that was fine. So one less project!
Now for the half finished picture!! I thought this was done but I knew it would be dumb to bind off too soon. So I snapped a pic, measured it, and got a hold of the mom. Good thing. She wants longer! As it is right now this basic scarf is 31 inches. She was hoping for 35 which is all fine and dandy but you know what? The pattern I put into the scarf would not work. Why? I have 64 rows (so 32 lumpy rows that you can actually see for those who look and say that it is not 64) and then a row of purling. Then back to the 64 and a row of purling. If I went with the 35 inches this mom would end up with a scarf that suddenly had a random chunk of knit on the bottom. So now I am adding on about ten more inches. I was soo looking forward to being done with these. I just want to start on some stuff for my daughter. No more beating around the bush!! Here are the pictures!!
I would like to share a bit of lunacy on my part though. I get enjoyment out of knitting a long piece of whatever and then frogging it. Don't ask why. I did this with a scarf I was making myself. 30 inches!!! I frogged it to about five. Yes 5 whole inches! Why? A bright idea I had. I recommend pulling out more yarn, another set of needles, and trying out any ideas you have prior to frogging 25 inches off a perfectly lovely scarf.
I thought it was that isolated moment. Oh no! I turned around and frogged a scarf that I was making for my step son. Man! I wish I had taken a picture cause it was truely lovely. It's done with some cheapy yarn passed on to me but the yarn itself is varigated and sweet to look at. For some reason I think of candy canes when I see it. I said as much to my sister who said (after I described the not so candy canish colors) that it was the gourmet ones I was thinking about. Needless to say the gorgeous creation is now a ball in my bin. You'd think I would have at least taken a picture! I'm kind of regertting it. It had taken me awhile and was anice tight knit. Oh well, I suppose I could always start over. No....no I don't think so.
Rememebr the said projects? I nixed one. I just have too much on my plate so I emailed the lady I would have made leg warmers for and said never mind. I explained I simply had too much to do and she said that was fine. So one less project!
Now for the half finished picture!! I thought this was done but I knew it would be dumb to bind off too soon. So I snapped a pic, measured it, and got a hold of the mom. Good thing. She wants longer! As it is right now this basic scarf is 31 inches. She was hoping for 35 which is all fine and dandy but you know what? The pattern I put into the scarf would not work. Why? I have 64 rows (so 32 lumpy rows that you can actually see for those who look and say that it is not 64) and then a row of purling. Then back to the 64 and a row of purling. If I went with the 35 inches this mom would end up with a scarf that suddenly had a random chunk of knit on the bottom. So now I am adding on about ten more inches. I was soo looking forward to being done with these. I just want to start on some stuff for my daughter. No more beating around the bush!! Here are the pictures!!
This is an attempt at showing the detail in the scarf. The detail is just the line of purl. It didn't out very good and actually ended up being a bit blurry. Not sure why.
This was to show the length (to which I have to add more...grrr...). Pretty basic but hey, it's for a toddler! What do they care about intricate design?
After all this senseless knitting is done I am getting geared up for the Yarn Harlot KNitting Olympics. I think I will knit some food for my neice. She got a shoping cart for Christmas and this would be perfect for her!
Sunday, January 15
Oh what a full plate!
So here it is! My knitting blog. I promise there will be pictures but as of yet I have none taken. Would you like to know what insane amount of knitting I have to do? Being a member of www.mothering.com I am able to buy, sell, and trade various things on one of the forums. I traveled over there the other day to find me some new diapers. You see, S is growing out of hers and frankly I wanted some new ones. So I posted a thread about how I would knit for diapers. I ended up getting three different replies. I am now knitting (and I am not lying in any way to make you think I am some super knitter):
2 scarves- one pink and one blue
2 ties- one green and one blue (for dress up and what not)
1 scarf and Aspen Neck Cowl set- A neck warmer type thing with a scarf to attach to it. Waiting on the mom to send me the yarn she wanted in particular for it.
Then, I found a fertility monitor I wanted. Yes, a fertility monitor. No I am not currently TTC but thought it might be nice to have on deck. So I offered a trade. A knitting trade. Now you can add to my list:
2 hats- a matching mom and baby set.
THEN, I saw a diaper today that I have been wanting to try (the brand, not this diaper in general) so I offered yet another knitting trade. She bit! Now add to the roster:
1 pair leg warmers.
Total count? 10 individual things!!! Yes, 10!! How many projects do I have done? None. That's right, none. I am however almost finished with one scarf. So there will be a half finished project picture soon to come. It's basic but lovely in my eyes.
2 scarves- one pink and one blue
2 ties- one green and one blue (for dress up and what not)
1 scarf and Aspen Neck Cowl set- A neck warmer type thing with a scarf to attach to it. Waiting on the mom to send me the yarn she wanted in particular for it.
Then, I found a fertility monitor I wanted. Yes, a fertility monitor. No I am not currently TTC but thought it might be nice to have on deck. So I offered a trade. A knitting trade. Now you can add to my list:
2 hats- a matching mom and baby set.
THEN, I saw a diaper today that I have been wanting to try (the brand, not this diaper in general) so I offered yet another knitting trade. She bit! Now add to the roster:
1 pair leg warmers.
Total count? 10 individual things!!! Yes, 10!! How many projects do I have done? None. That's right, none. I am however almost finished with one scarf. So there will be a half finished project picture soon to come. It's basic but lovely in my eyes.
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