Updating the progress

OK we're almost ready to post pattens. Now that my plug for the computer is reunited back with the computer, I am back online. Sheeshhhhhhh....brilliant move.

These, however, have now become my constant companion. I had another brilliant idea of moving boxes around. I should have known better since falling 5 years ago. It ALWAYS brings pain. But, the thought of putting away the Christmas boxes seemed to be the right choice at the time. Right now, they're 'nearly' there. They're out of the house but not up where they belong, yet. Guess that'll have to wait until I get some additional help. Lifting boxes, or pushing them tend to give my bad hip so much pain, it hurts to breathe. And it takes days to get it to quit. We're now at 8, if anyone is keeping score.

In the meantime, I've not been slouching off. The 'knit me something square' has now become a pillow. At the request of the 6 year old.

The Mini mittens are finished. Well, sorta. I hooked them together from the top using and i-chord with the top stitches. But I'm not sure that's how I want them hanging from the Christmas tree next year. Mittens generally are chained together from the cuffs for little guys to wear through the sleeves of their jackets. What do you think? Should I re-do them and hook them via the cuffs? The Miniature Mitten pattern is in the back of the book, "Folk Mittens". I used Encore DK yarn in both the royal and soft white colors, (US) 1( 2.25mm) double point needles.

As is this pair of mittens. They're the Classic Mitten pattern from the Folk Mittens book. I used Encore worsted in the Royal Blue color with (US) 4 (3.5mm) double point needles.

Did you happen to see the moon the other night? I didn't get the pictures at night, but rather yesterday morning. The pictures make it look much father away than it felt with my own eyes. I guess it was the closest the moon is going to be to the Earth. I found it to be just fascinating.

I've started yet another slipper sock for Ship's Support. This one needs the toe grafted and then of course, a mate.

I've started another Christmas Eve Scarf in Hemplewhite. Do you KNOW how much Homespun I still have? I had bought a 'bit extra' years ago to bring with me to teach my knitting class so the new knitters could pick which color to knit with and get started right away. Having the class end unexpectedly (thanks to some major interfering from an outside source with the agreed upon schedule) left me with lots left over. Oh, well...click click click..the needles are busy.

And, as I'm putting on the finishing touches with the pattern writing, here's what I'm using for them. It's said that the best way to improve something is practice. Practice, practice, practice. So, for me, I make more than one of some technique. 2 years ago, I decided that I wanted to learn to make socks and knit better with colors. In 2007 I learned the techniques, 2008 I made something for me in the colors area (Norwegian Star hat) and for 2009, I want to do better all
way around. You'll see in a moment that I've made more than one of each of the patterns I'll post tomorrow (barring any more 'brilliant' moves).

Yes, I'm using double points. Not just one, not two, but three pairs. (US)6 (4.0mm), (US) 8 (5.0mm), and (US) 9 (5.5mm). If you feel better knitting the items flat, you can. If you're happy with the magic loop, knock your socks off. Or use 2 circulars like I do for the crowns on hats. It's up to you how you want to knit these. They are in the round. I would prefer to not have extra seams to sew up. To me, if there's a way to cut down on time and to make something faster, it means in the round. It's up to you. But, at times, I like double points. Even with the new Addi clicks that came for Christmas! For this project, I like the double points. So, while you're digging out the type and size needles you'll need, I leave you with these pictures. Any ideas how to knit up leftovers from your wool ends?

updating the glitches

OK I have to make this short, since I seem to be separated at the moment from my plug for the computer. sheesssssshhhhhhhh....

In order to fix some other glitches, the pattern with the left over wool is being re-written. I was off by stitch, so I'm having to re-vamp some charts. So bear with me here, and hopefully by the weekend, I'll have them all up.

In answer to a question, the mini pizzas were made with a 1/2 of English muffin, jared pizza sause spread to your preference, shredded mozzerella cheese, and then add the toppings of your choice. We used black, sliced olives, pepperoni and mushrooms. Then, pop them in a 400*F oven for 9-12 mins, or until the cheese has melted. Yummy! Perfect for 6 year old baker's helper to make on his own!

Heart for big sister went over very well...Plymouth Encore pink yarn, pattern found here: Little Hearts http://ourknitalong.blogspot.com

More bits of Christmas....Yo Ho Ho Ho!...from Disneyland...and Santa and snowman from the Biltmore Estate...

And check out the yummy surprise from Miss Angela! oh, now to decide which pattern to use!!!!!


More wine charms.

Happy New Year!

Ready for some new patterns? Grab your odds and ends of your wool or wool blends. I've got something up my 'sleeve'....I'm using double points, you might want to use 2 circular needs. I'll give you a little bit of time to go hunt them up.

Baker's Helper has been at the house to day 'teaching' me to make mini pizzas. Right now, I'm off to play Candy Land!

Happy New Year!

(would someone get the U of Michigan football team to Resolve to a having a winning season this year?)

finishing up 2008 just before the stroke of Midnight

A couple of days ago, the Baker's helper was over to the house and watched me crochet on a blue and white afghan. (He doesn't know it, but someday it'll be his when it's finished.) He asked what I was working on and I said I was practicing my crocheting because I'm not as good at it as knitting. He asked if he could have it when I was finished practicing. I told him I thought we could figure something out.


A moment later he asked if I could knit him a square, then wait...a rectangle. With a Star and my name. And a little one like 'this' like a credit card.

Out came the paper and pens and his 'designs' were on paper. The next day we hit the yarn store where he picked out his yarn. And some pink yarn as a surprise for his big sister. He wanted me to knit her a heart.

12 minutes before Midnight tonight, I downloaded the pictures of the 3 important items that had just been finished.

Here's hoping the end of your 2008 is filled with as much love as this little guy shows his big brothers and sisters!

December Things Revealed

So, have you gotten finished finding all the little things lost amongst the wrapping paper yet? 'Tis the season! I remember those days...tons of little things that were opened by little fingers as paper threw through the air...and when you THOUGHT it was all picked up, and you went to put parts together, off to the bags of trashed wrapping paper you went to find that package of little parts that jumped in when you weren't looking.

I miss those days. Not how tired I was, but I miss those excited grins and giggles of the kids when they were little. However, this year, with adult kids that don't live at home anymore, we're learning to develop new memories. And it's time to share a few.

OK, this was the 'stealth' knitting, but it wasn't holiday related. Rather, a birthday of sorts. The big kind of birthday. As in the big 5-0. And it went over well. Totally undetected, but asked for for quite some time.

details:

Lisa Knits 'Office Vest', www.lisaknits.com, size large, Ella Rae Amity wool/acrylic blend, 7 skeins, (US) 6 (4.0mm), (US) 7 (4.5mm) needles. Loved the yarn, and the pattern, but I did change the ribbing to a 2x2 twisted rib (again). If I were to make this in the future, I'd drop the ribbing on the bottom and the armholes to a (US) 5 (3.75 mm) and I'd drop the armhole sizes down to 140 stitches. I re-knit the armholes 3 times and I'm still not too excited about how 'floppy' they were for me. Don't know, might be my knitting...but I think it would turn out better with a smaller needle and a fewer amount of stitches. Then again, when I slipped a shirt under the vest to see how it would fit, the armholes seemed to settle right down.

I've also picked up a few others of Lisa's patterns for little kiddos, and I'm looking forward to knitting them up. One of the little sweaters, TOUCHDOWN! is really burning a hole in my knitting list-it comes with a knitted up football pattern! Can't wait to see how it turns out.

Alright, onto other knitting...the scarf and hat for my niece (you know those purple and yellow items in colors for an Aunt to really demonstrate true love since hers is the 'rival' high school from way back in my 'youth'...you know, when the dinosaurs roamed...) ya..that set... According to my Mom..the first words out of her mouth were-"Oh! This must have been hard for Aunt Cathy to knit with these colors!" But, she loved 'em.

As were these...

Holiday dinner had green beans and bacon to feed a lonely daughter's soul after not exactly enjoying her take out Thanksgiving Dinner that didn't include the bacon and fresh green beans. Then, with the help of a certain baker's helper...I've learned a few things that had apparently escaped my notice over the past gazillion years we've been making and enjoying fruit salad. One-we use two kinds of grapes, not because it's the recipe, but rather, because the red and green are Christmas colors! Which then also means 2- the same goes for the red and green apples in the fruit salad as well. He still isn't a fan of the Swedish Sausage we have for our Christmas dinner, but then again, that just means more left for those of us who do. Then it leads to 3- if you can't be with big sister #3 and big brother #1- speaker phone is a fun way to tease each other and find out what Santa brought. And learn that your big sister is psychic about your thinking about eating candy! 4- if you don't like Swedish sausage, then Coco Wheats is a great alternative when you're not at home with your own parents. Which means 5- spoiling 6 year olds that aren't yours, can be fun.

When you have adult children, you can make them wine charms. And once your son learns that they're not earrings, he figures out that the baseball glove and baseball one in UCLA colors was made just for him. (should have taken pictures of the other two sets before I sent them off via Fed-ex. nuts!)

This is another 'stealth' project,but I'm certain that the baker's helper isn't a regular reader here, so I can share it now. He's been telling me for quite sometime that blue and white are his favorite colors. This will be his afghan if and when it's ever finished. I'm making it in Hobby Lobby's Yarn Bee....I Love this Yarn! in Royal and White using Lion Brand website's pattern for Crayon Ripple Throw @ http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/cja-cray.html .While working on it the baker's helper asked what I was doing. I said I was crocheting to practice since I'm not as good at it as I am at knitting. He said if I was just practicing, could it have it when I'm finished? I said..well, let me practice some more and see what I can do. (This could be fun.)

Later on, he asked if I could knit him a square in blue and white squares so he could play with them. After thinking some more and we sat down and designed a few ideas, we have a plan. And the day after Christmas we took off for the yarn store so he could pick out his color choices. Here he is with his new friend Nancy where she was impressed with his behavior in the store and let him 'ring me up' with our new purchases. Boy did he get a kick out of that! Now he wants to run the cash register at every store! (I had to sit down and explain that it was one time only deal. Hated breaking his heart.)

Later that day come learning thing #7-since he's on a kick to make everything into a surprise for Syracuse sister, making her favorite Rice Krispy treats meant trying to make them into cookie cutter shapes. Another thing I've done mindlessly time and time again without thinking of another variety. I covered the cookie sheet in plastic wrap, sprayed the wrap and the cookie cutters with pam and we pressed in the warm rice krispy mix (recipe over <----- there) and let them sit for a few moments to firm up before taking the cookie cutters off. Delicious both for the recipe and the ideas and the love from the baker's helper towards his sister. (Now to get the rest of the big brother and sisters to come home to let him spoil them, too!)

Yesterday morning I pulled out my copy of "Folk Mittens" while looking for some 'inspiration' of knitted charts and found the pattern for Miniature Mittens in the back. I thought I'd knit up a pair after all the mini knitting I've been viewing lately. Since I've made up a couple of larger projects, or last minute hurry up knits, these are perfect. Unless you're having a horrible allergy attack and only had an hour's worth of sleep the night before. I had to rip this one mitten out 3 times and I THINK I have it right. I'll make the 2nd one up later once I feel better. I'm now battling a mother of a cold and my ability to focus my eyes is rather nil. I'm using Plymouth Encore DK in #133 Royal and #146 Soft White. However, I think future mitts will be out of Baby Ull. I think 100% wool would lay better than a blend. (does that make me a snob on the rise?)

In other news, I have located the pattern for Mom's vest that I was looking for. Note to self, when all else fails, check the bookcase for the "Knitter's" Magazine rack when you've 'misplaced' the pattern to find all you did was put it away in it's proper place. ULG. After all I've searched. It's in Knitter's 76, Fall, 2004 called Patchwork Vest. So, when I'm ready to pick it up, I'm all set, especially since I have it written down here and in Ravelry now to be able to find it the next time I lose track of it.

The best quote of the last bit of a while came the other night. Baker's helper looked at me and said, "You really love yarn!"

Yep, I have to agree.

And with that, I'm heading to nap-land. I hate being sick.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve Scarf

Christmas Eve Scarf

Cathy Waldie, August, 2004

1 Skein Lion Brand Homespun Yarn
(US) 11 (8.00mm) needles
crochet hook (for fringe)

finished size: 72" x 6" wide (excluding fringe)

Gauge: 12 sts/17 rows = 4"/10 cm in garter stitch

Cut 36-15" lengths, knot each end and set aside.

Cast on 18 stitches, and garter stitch until you reach the last yard/meter of yarn.
Bind off.

Attach fringe in 6 groups of 3 at each end, or singly across the ends of the scarf. Enjoy!

Here's hoping your travels over the holidays, don't look like this!

Ribbon Scarf

Need another fast knit scarf for the holidays? Try a ribbon scarf!

Ribbon Scarf

Cathy Waldie, November, 2004

2 balls, Lion Brand Incredible ribbon nylon 'yarn'

(US) 13 needles

Cut 40- 15" lengths and put aside for fringe

Cast on 20 stitches, knit in garter stitch until ~1 yard from the end, bind off in Knit.

Add 20 lengths for fringe at each end of scarf...wear and enjoy!

(sorry for the photo quality...it was 3:13am when I finished this and got it ready for gifting.)

Skinny HS Scarf

Need a scarf for a pre-teen in a hurry? This one knits up very fast.

Skinny HS (Homespun) Scarf
Cathy Waldie, August, 2004

finished size (62" x 4")

1 Skein of Lion Brand Homespun yarn. (actually about 3/4 ths of a skein)
(US) 11 needles (I like wood or bamboo with this yarn)

Cut and knot the ends of 14" lengths before knitting. Set aside. ~ 24 lengths.
Cast On 12 stitches and knit 222 rows.
Bind off. Attach fringe.

And in other knitterly news...

Finished...aren't they cute? ~ 50 yards of leftover wool, is all it took, and they're winging their way to Michigan right now. The pattern is at: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=194286.10 and the ravelry page on them is here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/knit-coffee-sleeve . Oh, I do so love me some cables. You can see the 'shhhhhhhhhhhh' project over on my ravelry page, too...But I can't show it until after Christmas. *wink wink* if you know what I mean...

Irish Hiking Scarf, Revisited

Need a last minute scarf idea? If you're like me, you know you need one more gift to knit up. While I like the Irish Hiking Scarf that was so popular a few years back, I just didn't like the way the ends flared out. So, with that idea in mine, and wanting one that would fold under a coat, I came up with this idea, to make it in the 'seaman's scarf' manner.

Irish Hiking Scarf, Revisited

Cathy Waldie, September 8, 2008

Pattern for the Original Irish Hiking Scarf: http://www.helloyarn.com/irishhikingscarfpf.htm

(US)6 (4.0mm) needles (short straights are fine)

(US) 8 (5.0mm) needles (short straights are fine)

360 yards, worsted weight yarn (2 skeins of I Love this Cotton! used in sample)

stitch holder

chibi needle, for grafting and weaving in ends

53" x 8" finished size

C/O = Cast On
K = Knit
P = Purl
Kfb = Knit into the front and back of stitch
Pfb = Purl into the front and back of stitch
sts = stitches
IHS = Irish hiking Pattern
tog = together
B/O= Bind Off

(make 2)
With smaller needles (US) 6 (4.0mm), C/O 36 sts.
Rows 1, 3, 5: K3, (P2, K2) x7, P2, K3
Rows 2, 4, 6: P3, (K2, P2) x7, K2, P3
Row 7 (inc row): K3, P1, Kfb, K2, P2, Kfb, K1, P2, K1, Kfb, P2, K2, P1, Pfb, K2, P2, Kfb, K1, P2, K1, Kfb, P2, K3 (42 sts)

Change to larger needles (US)8 (5.omm) and follow original pattern as follows:
Knit Rows (5-8) in IHS pattern 1 time

Knit Rows (1-8) in IHS pattern 8 times

Knit Rows (1-4) in IHS Pattern 1 time, end with row 4.

Dec row for ribbed neck :
K2, P2, K2 tog, P4, P2 tog, K2, P2, K2 tog, P5, K2 tog, K1, P2, K1, P2 tog, P4, P2 tog, K1, P2, K2 (36 sts)
Scarf pieces now measures 14" in length.

Rib Knit Section:
Row 1: K3, (P2, K2) x7, P2, K3
Row 2: P3, (K2, P2) x7, K2, P3
Repeat rib Knit rows (1 and 2) 22 times, End with row #45-row 1 in pattern) for 9" of rib knit, hold first section on a stitch holder, and knit the second section to match the first section.

Return section one on larger needle and kitchener stitch (graft) both sections together.

Cut yarn, weave in ends.

(I'm still working on my grafting...)
Wrap and gift or wear and enjoy!