yarn interpretive center

We were dissappointed that we could not get our recently purchased yarn interpreted at the Yarn Interpretive Center.

yarn interpreted

FO field tested

My darling field tested his knitted headband in the Great Smokie mountains on the Alum Cave trail. He stated that the cable stitch added warmth due to its thickness. What a sweet guy!

blue cable headband

in case you think you've seen it all...

...I ran across a design for a knitted scarf inspired by the one that Martha Stewart wore to the day of her conviction. How hilarious is this? It is a beautifully designed scarf and easy to make. It might be a great way to get your friends interested in learning how to knit.

WIPs vs UFOs

When does a WIP cease being a WIP and turn into an UFO? I began both this gray glove and orange sock over a year ago. The other day I found them abandonded in a heap at the bottom of a long forgotten knitting bag. I also found the pattern for the orange sock smushed in the bag among heaps of other items. I could not, however, find a pattern for the glove. I'm full of fear about trying to retrace my steps to find its pattern...

gray glove

...I remember enjoying both of these items at the time that I knitted them. I wonder what led me to abandon them? The needles are small (4 and 5) so that progress is time consuming. I recall that these were knitted on road trips with my sweetheart. The question is "are they WIPs or are they UFOs?"

orange sock

As I look back at both these items I'm amazed at my skills and abilities with the needles. As someone who has spent the past year knitting not much more than garter stitch scarves I'm pleased to see all that I've learned how to do and how far I've come. The end result are two very beautifully knitted items, so I knew the answer even before I started the hunt for the fifth number 5 needle that had gone missing from the bag. I knew as soon as I fished them out of the bag and spent 45 minutes detangling the yarns. I knew as soon as I saw the beauty of the items. Just because you lay something aside for a while does not mean that you won't go back to it eventually. I'm grateful that those items were there in the bag waiting patiently for me this whole time. Patience and persistence are wonderful things. So yes, these items are indeed WIPs and will be lovingly completed in time.

a knitting Christmas

These are some of the nice knitting things that I got for Christmas. I actually got the pattern a day calendar a while ago but have only just recently ripped it open to shift through all the tasty patterns. My lovely friend gave me Stitch 'n bitch Nation as a follow up to the first book from last year. Although I've knitted for 15 years I'd sort of stopped knitting for quite a while and her giving me that book last year kind of brought me back into the fold. Thanks for all the knitting niceness!

knitting Christmas presents

on the needles

I'm still continuing on the cable craze. This scarf uses the same cable pattern as the hat below. Sirdar Nova Super Chunky yarn knits up on 101/2 needles. Its 50 50 wool and acrylic and is going very fast.

brown & rust cable scarf

green cable hat

I started and finished this hat on Christmas day. It was inspired by Coronet in the online knitting zine Knitty. This is the same pattern that I used in the Woolease green scarf. I had two skeins of Mission Falls yarn and knew it wouldn't be enough to knit a scarf so I decided to knit up this hat. I love the way that it came out!
green cable hat

Yesterday I finished this blue headband using the same pattern. It came out very cute!

Here is the pattern stitch (8 rows):

Rows 1 - 4 and 6 - 8: K2 P2 K2 P4 K8 P4 K2 P2 K2
Row 5: K2 P2 K2 P4 slip next 4 knit stitches to cable needle and hold to front of work, K4, knit 4 stitches from cable needle, P4 K2 P2 K2

Thank you Max for teaching me this pattern last year.

blue cable headband

Christmas day knitting

Christmas day was filled with knitting. On a drive I finished a green cable scarf I'd found abandoned at the bottom of a bag of WIPs from last year. Its made out of Woolease and seems to be curling at the edges. Perhaps blocking it would help. I must have abandoned this scarf because I had one too many stitches (or one too few) in the cable. I discovered 9 instead of 8. I pretended I didn't see it (gasp of horror!) and continued to the end which was only a few inches away.


woolease cable scarf

I liked the cable pattern enough to create something else in the same pattern. I finished a hat pattern that I will post later. For now I've got one skein of Mission Falls1824 wool 100% merino superwash and have decided to make my sweetheart a headband.
beginning of headband

Merry Christmas

Christmas tree

orienteering headband

This hand knitted Christmas present was a hit!

Orienteering headband to keep your ears warm during cold runs in the woods.

1 skein Lion Brand Micro Spun in white
1 skein Lion Brand Micro Spun in orange
1 pair size 4 straight needles

With orange yarn cast on approximately 100 stitches (more for larger heads, less for smaller ones).

K1 P1 rib for 50 stitches.
Attach white yarn and work remaining stitches on row in K1 P1 rib.
Work as estabalished for approximately 24 rows making sure to twist the two yarns together to prevent holes.
Cast off loosely in white.
Sew seam together in back.
Get husband to model your handiwork!


orienteering headband

Merry Christmas eve

I found a ball of Tahki Yarns' Poppy in the bottom of a long abandoned knitting bag last night and worked it up into a scarf while watching A Tale of Two Cities (1935 version). Some how I'd never managed to see this movie before and I was facinated by Madame Defarge's knitting. I couldn't figure out if she was faking it or not. At first it didn't really look like she was really knitting but then a little while later there was a close up scene and I swear that she was. Anyone have any idea about the actress's knitting skills? Besides the knitting, I throughly enjoyed the Miss Pross and Madame Defarge fight scene. How hilarious!

Anyway, what a bear to work with this yarn! You either have to make sure that the little squirkles stick out as you go or give up the whole idea and pull out the little squirkles that next morning while laying in bed listening to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone read by Jim Dale. I did the latter! :)

1 skein Tahki Yarns Poppy Color 001
1 set size 11 straight needles
crochet hook to help pull out the little squirkles

Cast on 10 stitches
Knit every row until you get near the end of the yarn
Cast off Loosely
Use crochet hook to free squirles from their little stitch prisions

squirkle scarf

perfect gift scarf in two hours

1 skein Lion Brand Chenille "Thick & Quick" (my scarf used color #178 Basil)
Size 11 straight needles

Cast on 13 stitches.
Work in knit one purl one for entire piece. This means that when you turn your work you will knit the purl stitches and purl the knit stitches.
Cast off loosely.

Observe the wonder on your friends' faces as they see half a scarf completed during the course of lunch. Warning: be prepared for said friends to lay claim to half completed scarf!

Yoda models scarf

in the garden

Nearly everything was dead in the garden after a cold snap with temperatures down below freezing. But of course the pansies came through with flying colors!
orange pansies

mini weasley Rs

I had a bit of trouble with the Rs. The Hs were much easier. I used duplicate stitch to create the letters. I made the little hangers with some copper wire from the hardware store.
mini weasley

mini weasley Hs

I made several of these cool mini weasleys for friends for Christmas. They were a big hit! I was inspired by Tami's mini weasley.
mini weasley

sand & sea

entry into the modern age

So this is the internet? Well, I guess I've made it into the modern age!