Part of my Christmas puzzle has to do with the men in my family.  I did a Google search for “handmade gifts for men” and there are many, many results but unfortunately, mostly for people like me ASKING what to make for the men in their lives.

This site has some promising ideas (geared to everyone on your list, but some really good ideas for men too). The highlight points us to the Mancala game on Knitty.   So cool!

Here are my stand bys…

Hats.  Last year I got my act together and MEASURED everyone so this year it is a matter of making them.  Innovation… if I use the short rows for the Fish Hat (Knitty), they make really simple ear flaps.   I’ve already started the first one in Paton’s Decor with Green as the base and white and blue as accents.  Quite cool.

Socks… but they don’t wear em and I can’t make them quickly.  So no.

Slippers (like the ones in my site’s header).  But dare I risk breaking my washer again?

Hm… any ideas?

I’ve posted three new scarves to Etsy:

• Autumn Leaves is an up-cycled 100% cashmere sweater that I embellished with needle felted leaves.
• Cinnabar was knit in 100% super soft wool in a lovely cinnamon color, great gift for a man or a woman.
• Warm Oatmeal is a lovely cowl knit in a merino/alpaca yarn that can be worn around your neck, or used as a hood.

One of my latest creations “In Flanders Field” is featured in Meylah’s Handmade Holiday Gift Guide… check in out! Thanks Jessica, I’m honored.

After much deliberation and soul searching (okay, maybe not soul searching) I have finally succumbed to the urge to jump on the band wagon and start doing “WIP Wednesdays”.  For those of you who don’t know, “WIP” is an acronym for “work in progress”.  So, with no further ado, here are some WIPs for today…

Flower Petal Shawl

(free pattern from Elann.com)

Two fish tails down… only ten more to go!

The Stash Buster Afghan

I started working on this afghan about 4 years ago when we lived in Boulder, Colorado… put it away for a LONG time and just got it out again.

I’m using all of my left over stash yarn (hence the name) on this one.  Mostly it’s all worsted weight, single ply, but there are a few other random things thrown in here and there (some bulky single ply and some worsted multi-ply) .

It has gone in and out of the dresser several times over the last four years.  Previously it has been my “movie watching project” and my “wine drinking project”, due to it’s super simple “k1, p1″ pattern but most recently I took it out as something that I can work on while sitting in a mostly dark room waiting for my little one to fall asleep.  I usually only get two or three rows done in a sitting, so this is still a very long term project!

Cheers!

Annie

I wrote another blog post while hanging out in the tub tonight, but when I re-read it, I realized it was mostly just random rambling and didn’t really have anything to do with anything. So I’m composing this post off the cuff, which probably means I’ll just stop in the middle of a story and you’ll never know how it ends. If I do that, go ahead and make up an ending that you like, one that fits your mood. If it’s particularly good, leave it in the comments. We’ll be interactive for this evening.

Tonight was knit night at Clever Knits, and after feeding my lovely little family I set off to make some progress on my mittens whilst enjoying the company of the crowd at the yarn store.  After two rounds, I found a mistake that I must have made as soon as I pulled my knitting out of my bag. Had it not been 5 stitches knit in red when they should have been done in white, I probably would have just left it. But it was glaringly wrong. So I had to tink back (what a PITA!), fix it, and revisit those two rounds. I  stayed for a little over an hour, and finished about 15 rounds. I think I have about 40 rows left, and I’m hoping to finish this mitten tomorrow between Max’s nap and waiting for the girls at the bookstore.

Of course, now that I’m nearly, but not totally, done with this last Christmas project, the yarn that Helena ordered for me to make the Girasol afghan with came in. I picked it up this evening, but resisted having any of the hanks wound into balls in order to maintain my focus on finishing the second mitten. I also got a pattern for a really lovely, straightforward cardigan that I want to make. To squelch any chances of “just casting on” (which inevitably leads to “just a row or two”, then “oh, I’ll just do the back”), I left knit night without (hardly) a glance at the wall o’ yarn to pick just the right ones to use.

I’ll return to the second mitten in the morning, and have it finished before I go to bed tomorrow night. Until then, let me show off the first mitten, which has been done for several days – I just keep forgetting to show it off to you.

“Schön Vneck Knit” ORIGINAL UPLOADED BY SayaLittlething.

for female

for male

[Color]
black, blue, green, pink, red

[Price]
Single — 125L$ each / Fat Pack — 500L$ (5color)

thank you<3

Schön MainShop
http://slurl.com/secondlife/J%20paradise%20island/219/99/30(Map)

I’m in the second day of Stephanie Japel’s teacher workshop for creating online knitting classes.  I only plan to make one actual knitting class though and that one will be to help knitters explore crochet at beginning or more advanced levels.  It’s been great fun so far, we are discovering the inner workings of ning.com and tweaking its features to create our teaching platform.

I’ve taught beadworking and storytelling online as part of an amazingly innovative education project.  It was a few years ago though and our students were subject to the whims of high school computer labs and slow connections so we kept the high tech to a minimum.  I look forward to adding video to these new classes.

A peek at what I have so far…

This is a sample network in process.

The network I’m creating is currently private and will become the hub for classes that are taught by me.  There are several amazing designers at work on their own ideas as well–it will be great to see what comes from this collective effort.

"finally they treat me like I deserve!"

When it’s time to vacuum, there’s a tower of dog beds.  That’s six of ‘em right there.  She stayed there until it was time to go for a walk.  Apollo gave it a try, but sort of fell off the back end.  He’s about two inches longer in the chassis, so it was a little too tippy for him.

I said to the big fella that it was just like The Princess & the Pea.   All I got was a blank stare and some eye blinks.  Really?  Isn’t not that uncommon a fairy tale.

Heel flaps done on the black Flocks™, going to turn them next.

LOLdogs

Well, what a weekend I had.  On Saturday I went to a local alpaca farm and was immersed amongst these guys!  They are so gentle and friendly.  I almost took one of them home.  He really took a liking to me, but unfortunately I can’t have farm animals where I live.  <sigh>  Since these are herd animals I would have had to bring home at least two of them.  I did bring home some yarn that was spun from their fiber.  The yarn is so soft and warm.  I’m looking forward to knitting something with it.  For those of you that may not know what an alpaca looks like, here are a couple pictures:

Then, on Sunday I was invited to an 87th birthday party for my neighbor’s mother.  We had a great time eating ice cream cake and munchies and drinking wine.  At one point, my neighbor’s daughter Katie showed me that the wine was from Oregon (made in the USA!).  I was so happy to see that!  Things are already changing for the better!  Thanks Katie!

I read an article this morning “The Vanishing Youth Nutrient” from the September 2009 Prevention magazine.  It’s about Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.  It describes how important it is for us to balance what we eat so that we consume enough Omega-3s for our bodies, while not overdosing on Omega-6s.  Our bodies do need both of these essential nutrients, however our food system in the US has changed so dramatically that we’re consuming way too much Omega-6s and not enough Omega-3s.  Omega-6s have been linked to obesity and heart disease because they promote blood clotting and inflammation.  Most people believe that Omega-3s come predominantly from eating fish.  This has always concerned me because I’m a vegetarian and I don’t eat fish.  The article explained that Omega-3s ”are found in the green leaves of plants.  Fish are full of omega-3s because they eat phytoplankton (the microscopic green plants of the ocean) and seaweed”.  So, you don’t necessarily have to eat a lot of fish to get the Omega-3 that your body needs.  Another perk to eating your spinach!

Some of the information from this article touched upon what was described in the movie “Food, Inc”.  I highly recommend this movie to everyone that eats food processed by the few major food corporations in the US.  Now let me explain why I’ve been telling you about all of this.  In my challenge to only buy products made in the USA during the year 2010, I was seriously concerned with what I would be able to eat.  As I wrote in my previous post, there’s almost no way of knowing where most of our pre-processed food is coming from.  So I think I figured out how I will address the issue of food during the challenge.  For the year 2010 I plan to eat mainly fresh foods – vegetables, fruits, etc.  Luckily I’m a vegetarian, so I won’t have to worry about where or how the animals were raised (that’s a totally separate issue!).  One good thing is that if I can live up to this challenge, I will feel better both in mind and body!

Anyone that knows me knows that I’m not a chef.  2010 will definitely be an interesting year…

So I have had an “infected wisdom tooth” these past few days and have not really been terribly productive. Sunday Betty had her yarn shop open so I went and picked up some misti alpaca worsted and cascade 220, the alpaca is actually a deep plum color but you can’t really tell from this pic–at least not on my monitor:

and I am going to make this with the yarn, I am doing the middle part with purple and then the ruffle in the green.

then I dyed some yarn for my baby surprise jacket:

This is my mindless knitting pattern, its just a garter stitch shawl:

And then this is my hand dyed yarn knit and felted in my “top down felted cloche” pattern:

Hopefully all my christmas knitting will be finished by christmas!

Found a lovely jewellery designer when browsing the internet today, her work is beautifully, elegantly simple contrasting textures and shapes to make intricate and unique pieces. Definitely a gallery and an artist worth paying a visit to.

Claire Lowe

As a special treat, or perhaps as an exercise in how to waste time, I’m writing tonight’s post out longhand.

“Why,” you ask, “would you do such a thing? You’re going to have to type it eventually!”

Yes, my dear readers, I am. However, it’s 10:22pm, and I’ve managed to waste the many free hours I had available to me this evening trying to beat my mom’s score in “Bejeweled Blitz” on Facebook, and I now find myself tired (likely because my under-caffeinated blood has pooled in my butt from sitting for so long), funky (like “in need of a bath”, not “cool”), and without the post I’ve been trying to write all day. (Whoa! How’s that for a run-on sentence?) So, in the interest of multitasking and getting some sleep, I’m soaking in the tub, writing my post with a pen and some paper.

Being that today is Monday, I had a lot of time to knit, what with my weekly teleconference and having to wait for Alex & Sami to meet me at the bookstore. So knit I did! I’ve finished the cuff of the second Bird in Hand mitten, and would have been well into the main part had the lighting been more compatible with reading a chart.

While I was knitting on tis second mitten – which, by the way, is the last bit of Christmas knitting I have to do before sending the gifts off to Wisconsin – I day dreamed about what to knit next. I have several projects lined up, but the prospect of knitting without a deadline is making it hard to decide which one to pick up first. I’ve really enjoyed the challenge of making gifts for my family, but I think in the future, I’ll just do one or two, rather than a whole gaggle of them. That way it will seem like less of a job, and return to being something that I just love to do.

Today I finished my first real blocking project. I have washed and blocked things before, but not a lace project, not a stockinette-field lace project.

I laid it out on top of a flannel pillowcase on top of a towel on my carpeted floor. Then I stretched moderately and pinned each corner and each midpoint. Then I stretched again and pinned that, so the spread was almost 50% more than the first time. I proceeded to pin the midpoints between each pin until the smiles and frowns were tiny and could be ignored.

It should be dry in just a few hours because it is stretched so hard.

Pin blocking sucks. Just so you know. It takes about a bazillion pins just for a neckwarmer. As soon as the button is attached (after it is dry), the gift will be completed.

That means I have completed it before December 1.

Very simple knitted decoration for your tree or it could be sewn onto a stocking as decoration. You will need 2 double pointed needles and a small amount of red and white yarn, coloured ribbons if required. This can also be made using a knitting dolly or french knitting (I think thats what its called). Just make the tube of knitting the length you want and fasten off then shape as below.

This is simply an i-cord tube, shaped with a piece of wire or pipe  cleaner. I used 2 strands of double knit yarn held together and 5mm double point needles but you could use whatever yarn and needles you like, thinner needles or yarn will make the tube narrower and smaller which might work well if you want to sew it onto something as a decoration, you wouldnt need the wire then either, just sew it into shape. This candy cane is just over 4 inches in height.

If you havent done an i-cord before it is very simple and there is an excellent video at knittinghelp

Cast on 3 stitches in red.

Attach white yarn (if you do it now you can leave the end at the bottom of the piece of i-cord so it doesnt get in your way).

Knit 3 stitches in red.

Slide all stitches to end of needle, bring yarn round from last stitch firmly and knit again.

To ensure the yarn you are not currently using is carried up the middle of the tube, bring it over the left needle so it falls in front every time you slide the stitches to the end of the needle, then bring the yarn around the back of it to knit the next 3 stitches. Pull the yarn tight enough round the back so no hole is left. You are stretching the yarn round the back of the 3 stitches so you are knitting them in a circle.

To change colour twist the 2 yarns together and then start using the new colour, making sure the unused yarn is in front of the left needle.

Continue working 3 rows of each colour until you reach the desired length.

To finish off knit 3 together or if it is too tight slip 1, knit 2 tog then pass the slipped stitch over. Fasten off both yarns.

Shape the candy cane.

I used a piece of 0.8mm wire cut to the same length as the i-cord.

Using pliers grip the end of the wire and wrap it around the pliers to form a very small loop. This stops the end catching on the yarn.

Slip the wire through the yarn at one end of the i-cord so it slides through the middle of the tube and gently ease it all the way through.

Pipe cleaners can also be used and are probably better as they are less likely to slip out. However I didnt have any to hand so used wire and it feels fairly  secure. I WOULD NOT GIVE THIS TO  A SMALL CHILD AS A TOY! The end of the wire can be quite sharp, even pipe cleaners can be scratchy so please take care.

Bend the candy cane to the shape you want. Decorate with a ribbon bow if you like, sew a piece of thread through the top or tie the bow at the top and make a loop of ribbon to hang it from your tree.

Emma, my other half, recently took up knitting and she was kind enough to make Shiro a new sweater and two scarves! They’re absolutely beautiful and my boy loves them. It called for a photoshoot of course!

Scarf No.1. The jacket is not new by the way. It was just too cold to go outside without it!

Scarf No. 2.

<3

Back inside… it’s time to show off your new sweater, Shiro!

Looks pretty spiffy, doesn’t it? Strike a pose~

Looks amazing!

Take off the scarf too~

*fixes hair*

Do you like your new clothes, Shiro?

Shiro: *puts scarf back on*

Yes.

Thank you, Emma!! <3

I don’t know why I can’t seem to get this blog started today… I have writtenthe first line and erased the first line more often than I can count. And it really shouldn’t be that difficult – I just want to talk about toys. And Christmas.

Toys and Christmas. How hard can it be?

Well, apparently, today it can be very hard (Maybe it is a Monday-after-a-long-weekend-thing). But I digress…

I was at the library some time ago when I came across this really nifty how-to book for knitting teddy bears. (I really can’t remember the name of the book, and it doesn’t really even matter now – but I mention the book because before I saw it, I never even thought of knitting my own teddy bear.) It was an a-ha moment for sure. Knitting a home-made teddy bear? Never had I given thought to such a thing before! But… wow! What a neat thought!!!

So… I grabbed my knitting needles to make one of my very own. The whole project was a bit of a challenge since I was just learning to knit at the time, but I stumbled through and ended up with a really cute little bear. I named him Samuel.

I suppose I could have stopped there, but I didn’t. It turns out that knitting teddy bears can be quite addictive. Now, at the date of this writing,  I have 6 adorable bears – and I am sure that this is only the beginning. (I also have 1 bunny because in one of my more creative moments, I decided that my white bear-to-be would be better off as a bunny. I named her Sabella. She has the cutest pink nose!)

And, because all of us here at Daylilies are encouraging you to give handmade and homemade for Christmas this year (from your hearts and hands), the knitted teddy bear is Creative Christmas Gift Idea #25. Like the other knitted projects I have included so far, this knitting project is good for beginners and advanced knitters alike. Taking approximately 50g of med weight yarn, and roughly 6-8 hours of knitting time (and remember – I am a very slow knitter), the knitted teddy bear is a great idea for your gift giving this year. This is giving from the ‘heart and hands’ at its very finest.

The pattern I designed for my bears is available for download from Daylilies. But, if that teddy bear (or bunny) doesn’t inspire you, check out some other really neat patterns available out on the web – I found this really cute knitted  ‘Mr. Bean style‘ bear or try the Brenda bear by Lincraft. And, if you would rather crochet, take a peek at the adorable better bear pattern offered at By Hook, By Hand.

Happy Knitting (oh… and don’t be surprised when you find yourself knitting little bear clothing too. Did I say knitting bears can be addictive?)

I’ve just added an instant “new classic” toddler sweater to the Ravelry Store.

The Botanical Argyle Toddler Sweater

on Ravelry! Pattern only $5.00 US.

Featuring the rich and beautiful colors of natural plant dyed, “Greenspun” yarns, this little sweater jacket is hip yet classic. A quick knit, this pattern features several fun techniques – including intarsia and duplicate stitch.

This sweet sweater is the companion piece to the Botanical Argyle Vest from my book Nature Babies. (Which, BTW, it looks like you can get for a song and a dance, a steal (ouch!) for less than sixs buck on Amazon.com - buy em up for all your crafting friends – Great Holiday Gift!  Includes upsourcing and recycling material, organics, and beautiful handwork (knitting, felt and sewing).

The yarn shown is Botanical Shades’ Worsted Singles with a put up of 225 yards per hank – which I first discovered several years ago at Rhinebeck. 2 Hanks of the main color are needed.

If you start it now, you still have time to finish it for the holidays!

so I have nothing to show you.  I’m making another pair of Flocks™ in black Knit Picks Stroll sock yarn.  Black socks.  Size 14 wide.  Yes, I believe I am insane.  I’m almost to the beginning point of the heel flaps on both of them.

The other day I made this:

mushroomy!

It’s Smitten Kitchen’s Mushroom Bourguignon. I’ve made this before and it was yummy, but this one in particular was delicious.  I always make too many noodles, though.  I used a mixture of portobello, cremini and a few white mushrooms.  I probably wouldn’t use the portobello again.  Either that or else I’d have to chop them much smaller because they were a bit rubbery in this, where the sliced cremini were perfect.

I couldn’t find any pearl onions, so I used shallots cut in half and I put them in for 10 minutes instead of the 5 that the recipe directs.  I used an Australian sheraz for the red wine.  The wine/beef broth sauce is really rich and flavourful.  The poopers got a little extra drizzled on their kibble and they were over the moon!

alert the authorities!

Oh noes!  Call doggy social services.  Look at how mistreated that hound is – having to lay on the top-most bare bed!  (I should say “top-most of three beds”.)  No cushy cover on it.  But pull back a little:

the rest of the story

There’s the pile of extra blankets and bed-covers still warm from the dryer.  Poor neglected little hounds.

he's REALLY uncomfortable, I can just tell

Monday and the big fella is back to work after his compassionate leave.  I’ve got some prep work to do for a meeting on Friday, but I still think I’ll have time to get those black Flocks™ through the heel flaps today.

mommy, my tongue is stuck to the carpet ...

I’m uploading some scarves today on Etsy. Here is the first of the batch… Pussy Willow. I designed this scarf by first knitting the scarf in 100% wool yarn, I wet felted and shaped it. I then needle felted the pussy willows with 100% wool yarn and roving.

We will be holding a Hat Knitting workshop this coming Saturday, December 5th, from 1-5pm. Our knitting teacher, Anne Marie, is amazingly talented…(see below for some of her knitting work — she will also be teaching our Mommy+Me knitting, as well as fashion knitting!)

This workshop is part of our Gift Series — participants will walk away with a finished adult-sized hat to give as a present, as well as the knowledge of how to recreate this gift over and over again!

Details:

Hat Knitting, Saturday, December 5th, 1-5PM, $45  (materials will be available for purchase – kit $20)

320 2nd Street (between 4th + 5th Ave), Park Slope Brooklyn 11215

718-369-0222     www.textileartscenter.com

ich habe den zauberball in zwei von der farbabfolge her gleiche hälften geteilt, damit die handschuhe einigermassen gleich werden. sie sind ja schon an sich bunt und gewöhnungsbedürftig genug.

langsam kann man erkennen, wie sie werden…

ganz schön auffällig.