Knitting Update and New Sweaters

I've been bad about blogging, especially regarding my knitting updates.  I've finished a few projects lately, but unfortunately can't share them due to the fact that they are birthday gifts and or upcoming patterns that haven't been released yet.

So, since I am unable to share that, how about I share a little vision - aka premeditated knitting projects.  You saw that I finished my sweater a few weeks ago, and would you believe I've been hankering for a new sweater project ever since!?!  Crazy, right?

I have about 18 skeins of yarn for a project that never got going, and then found THIS pattern.

photo courtesy Knit Picks Pattern store

I only need about 10 skeins of yarn, so I think I also have enough to make THIS sweater for both my girls too.  :)

photo courtesy Never Not Knitting blog/pattern store

I'll keep you posted...

A Beautiful Reminder...

My friend Tresa recently entered a movie contest put on by Close To My Heart, featuring Studio J.  I could go on and on about the benefits of Studio J, and the importance of documenting our family's history, but her video says it so much better.  I hope you take the next 3 minutes to watch!  Be warned, you may need a tissue.  :)

Everyone has precious family memories and photographs.  What are you doing with yours?  Try out Studio J, and you'll see how fast, simple, easy (and mess free) it is!  You really can make scrapbooking work with your busy life!

Sock Heels - Trying Something New

I recently received an order from my favorite yarn store, Twisted!  I purchased 3 skeins of Hazel Knits sock yarn, one I'd not used before, but was extremely excited to try out.  

This is the colorway "Stick-O-Butter" getting wound into loveliness...  It is so bright and cheerful - the perfect yarn to knit spring socks with!

My sock club is working our way through the sock book "Knitted Socks East and West" by Judy Sumner.  This month's pattern is Tatami.  I decided to knit both socks at the same time, so that what happened to my last sock project wouldn't be repeated. 

Did you know that it is possible to knit two socks from one skein?  The sock on the left is pulling yarn from the center of the ball, and the sock on the right is pulling yarn from the outside.  These cuffs are done!

I had a little bit too much fun stacking the socks for this picture...

These photos were taken over a period of a few days.  I would work 8 rows on each sock (one full pattern repeat), then work several rows on other projects. 

The socks were now ready for heels.  I decided to be adventurous, however, and forgo the standard short row heel in place of an "after-thought" heel.

Basically, I knit 1/2 of the stitches with a piece of waste yarn (leaving the working yarn at the beginning of the row).  Then I went back to that working yarn, and started knitting in stockinette.  I guessed - yes guessed - where the toe should go, but left them open so I could go back and increase or decrease depending on need after trying them on.  

The next step was to rip out the waste yarn, and place the loose stitches back on needles.  There were 30 loose stitches above the waste yarn and 30 stitches below, so I placed them evenly on 4 needles (15 sts per needle), then proceeded to bind off exactly the same way as the toe.  Once there were 4 sts/needle left, I grafted them the same as I would a toe.  I tried it on, declared the toe to be correct (whew!!!) and grafted the toe.  Voila!

The heel "seam" is a little thicker than I would have liked.  It's the exact same on the toe, but up there it looks better.  So I may play around with it more.  However, not having to do a short row heel, pick up a ton of extra stitches, and then decrease all those extra stitches is sure a time saver!  I did miss turning the heel though.  That's one of my favorite parts.  

All in all, I'm pretty happy with the socks!  Finally a pair that actually fits me well.  :)  I've taken notes so that I can repeat this success again and again.   

yarn funnies

So I had totally planned on posting about other things today, but came across this little t-shirt site and HAD to share...

http://www.cafepress.com/+knit

Check out these awesome tees!!!  I can't get over them.  Not only do I want like every single one, but now I have a great resource when I need a fun sentiment for a knitting related card!  :)

     

  

   

I couldn't help myself, and purchased this one (because it's very true at the moment):

And if you feel like donating to my cause, please feel free to buy me this one:

this one:

and this one:

 

I promise to wear it every day.

ps... I'm an XL - cuz I'm on the "busty" side.

My Sweater

1. My sweater is done.  Even all those bazillion little ends are sewn in.
2. This makes me very happy.

3. The front edge and lace sections need to be blocked.

4. This does not make me happy.

5. For those that don't know, blocking is the process of getting a knitted item wet, then pinning it into the shape you want it to take, and letting it dry.  It can be a long process, especially for impatient people like me.

6. I wore my sweater today anyway - without blocking.

7. I love my sweater, and I doubt if the lace bits will EVER get blocked.

8. It is very hard to take pictures of yourself modeling a sweater.

9. I think I must have a very long torso, because the sweater looks so much longer on other people in their photos online.

10. My butt looks surprisingly good today.

11. My hair does not.

12. That is all.  Please enjoy the photos.

A little something lovely, in yellow

There's always something wonderful about winding a new skein of yarn.  I've kept this lovely shade (Sunny) of Berroco Vintage in my knitting bowl for the last week, both as inspiration to finish up some knit for hire projects (since I promised myself I would NOT start another new project until those were complete) and just to brighten my day.  It's been especially rainy in Seattle the past week, and my mood has been on the gloomy side as well.  But just looking at this yarn made me cheerful, hopeful, and inspired.

I wound the yarn into two equal balls, so I could maximize the yardage for what was to come.  My vision - gauntlets.  Long, ornate, lovely, cabled gauntlets that would induce gasps of wonder and amazement.

Just the cuffs did that for me...

In design, it's always wonderful with what you envision in your mind actually comes out in the final product.  There have been projects that I've torn out again, and again, and again.  Not these babies...  it was sheer bliss from the first stitch.  

When this prototype was finished I texted my best friend Wendi, and told her I felt like a teenie bopper who'd shaken hands with Justin Bieber.  I was giddy - and after the crappy week I'd endured, giddy was needed.

I still have some adjusting to do on these.  Thinking of removing the eyelet section, widening the wrist, and tightening the upper arm.  Otherwise, this puppy is about done.  Pattern to come soon.  :)

Mega Scrapbook Class

This Sunday I'm holding a mega scrapbook class.  It's been a while since I held one of these classes, but they are always a blast, and people go home feeling SO accomplished!  :)

The class features either Girl themed pages (using Sophia papers) or Boy themed pages (using Lucky papers).  Here's the flyer showing what the pages look like:

The pages are not embellished, or titled.  I did this so they could be used for anything - birthday pages, trips to the zoo, easter egg hunts, you name it.  And best of all, in just 3 hours you'll go home with pages ready for your photos!  :)

Locals - I'm extending the deadline for RSVPs until 8 pm tonight!!!!  So let me know if you want to come! 

 Here is an example of what can be done with the pages...  I took mine, added some simple embellishments, and made 3 additional pages (using left over paper and extra sheets of cardstock) to create these "Baby's First Year" albums for our school auction.

So, be sure to let me know if you want to come if you are in the greater Seattle area!  :)

What's On My Needles

I'm working on some new patterns and can't wait to share them. In the meantime, here's what's been on my needles the last week or so.

I'm a little backlogged and don't remember the dates for the pictures. Facebook messed up my nice and tidy system with their new photo albums. I can longer easily copy/paste photos from without it being a huge "process". So I started a flickr account instead and I'm back to smooth sailing, except for remembering to date the photos. :)

Anyway - here we go...

Here are some fingerless gloves (boyfriend) I knit up while at CU. I added the thumbs last night, now just have to sew in the ends.

These are some lovely green gloves (Montmartre) that I knit at CU. I've already sewn in the ends of these. :)

You may remember this one. This is a headband/ear warmer prototype for a new pattern. Unfortunately the pleats made it smaller than I anticipated, so it fits Samantha great. However, it was supposed to fit me. Back to the drawing board!

This is another new pattern/prototype. It still needs a little tweaking as this one has the opposite problem as the previous one - too big. :) Someday I'll get it right. And by someday I mean this weekend, as it's on my to do list of things that need "fiddling".

These are dino mits without the spines. I've since finished them. They were not knit at CU, but were ordered by a friend that attended CU with me. She also got cupcake gloves for her daughter.

Speaking of cupcakes, this hat is an ADULT sized cupcake hat. Ordered with matching mittens for a friend at CU. Finished the hat last night, and now I'm working on the mits!

And now that I'm thinking about cupcakes, I'm realizing that the cupcake mitten pattern never got posted to my etsy and rav sites, and I never added more knitting stuff on etsy either. Oops! I'll try to get on that. :)

Why Knitting Socks 2 at a Time is a Good Idea...

In November, I knit the first sock in a pair. Then with the craziness of life, I set it aside, with some needles.

Then I knit a bunch of other stuff, and I used those needles, and put them away.

Then I knit 2 more pairs of socks, and stuffed those needles into the bag with my lonely sock.

Can you see where this is going?

So last week I sat down to finish the second sock in the pair and all seemed to be going great!

I finished my sock, and boy was it a beauty...

...until I set it next to the the first sock.

No... there is no optical illusion. The sock on the right is indeed larger than the sock on the left.

Unfortunately, the difference in 2.5mm and 2.75mm (yes, millimeters) needles is such that a sock knit on the former will end up several INCHES shorter than a sock knit on the later.

Sigh...

So what did I do? I promptly went to knit picks and ordered duplicates of my favorite sock needles, so I can cast on and knit my sock at the same time!

One other good thing did come out of all of this. I'd been promising Samantha a new pair of socks. And she has unusually large feet for a little girl. And she could care less if one sock is bigger than the other. Voila... a happy little darling.

Happy March!

Happy March everyone!  I can't believe it's almost spring, and February is over.  That means I'm one month closer to market season, and I have one less month to prepare!  AHHHHH!

Thankfully I have my CTMH business all set for the month.  :)  Here's the kit - or should I say "kits" - I'm offering this month.  It's all about scrapbooking and mini-albums this month.  Make either or both of these darling kits - perfect for the little boy or girl in your life.  :)

Check back later in the week to see the which project class I have cooked up for my local customers.

If you want to pick up your kit, then just email me to order (nonapearl@firebin.net).  For those long distance people, feel free to click the button below and your kit will be mailed right to your home!  :)

Click here for the "Lucky" Boy Mini-Album and Card Kit:

Click here for the "Sophia" Girl Mini-Album and Card Kit: