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Pattern UP!

DOTK — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 00:29:38 +0000

Here’s the yarn I’m using. LOVE IT! Let me know WHO’s in the KNIT a long Can’t wait!

Knitted Dish Cloth

Victoria — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 00:17:05 +0000

A few years back I taught myself how to knit. I haven’t knitted anything big though. Just a

BFL is my new BFF

micamynx — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:44:56 +0000

Okay that was silly. Seriously though, I love BFL. I spun up this BeeMiceElf BFL:

BeeMiceElf BFL top in Floribunda colorway

I navajo plied it into 265 yards of fingering weight yarn:

265 yards

I used the close-up picture so you can see the fuzzy halo. It is really soft and pretty. I hope there is enough for some kid socks, but if not, it will make a lovely beret or cowl.

I just started on some MCN. My first MCN too!

Trying something new

shellssells — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:04:50 +0000

Since I never spin this way, I thought I’d try my hand at some low spun singles. I switched to

It's Black Friday.....

Tina — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:25:15 +0000

Black Friday, fun for some, torture for others! Many of you will be hitting the malls for Christmas shopping this year for all the bargains you can find while others will be staying at home surfing the net.

This year, why not make it a hand made holiday and purchase items that are created from true inspiration, that are one of a kind and are simply unique!

Here are a few of my favorites this year…..

In the Fiber Related World:

Wind Rose Fiber Studio

Others I love and can’t resist:

Demure Artistic Designs

Enjoy your day and be safe out there!

Yarn on Sale!

sunnysideellen — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 04:58:29 +0000

from today until Monday Dec. 30th

Odd Duck Sale!!

kitchensinkdyeworks — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 01:50:51 +0000

Elwood the intrepid mascot.

Why should turkeys get all the attention this weekend? Get our “Odd Duck”, one-of-a-kind dye batches on sale all weekend long! These unique colorways are beautiful non-repeatable batches that are sure to please.

Sale Price: $16.00-17.00!
Regular Price: $18.95-21.95

Visit our online SHOP for a wide variety of colorways!

And in addition to great prices on our Odd Ducks, stock up on our regular priced items and get FREE SHIPPING!

Order any regular price in-stock items in addition to our Odd Duck skeins, and receive FREE SHIPPING on your entire order!

Shipping discount available on orders to the US and Canada; shipping discount will be redeemed as a PayPal refund after purchase. In-stock items only, not redeemable on custom dyed orders.

All Thanksgiving weekend orders will ship Tuesday, Dec. 1st.

top down felted cloche pattern

lilmommacass — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:12:55 +0000

I recently came up with a pattern for a top down felted cloche hat. I like to start my hats at the top and couldn’t find a pattern for felted cloche that started at the top…I figure I would share the pattern:

I used cascade pastaza double stranded but you can use any bulky yarn double stranded.
Size 10 dpns and size 10 circulars
Divide 4 stitches on 3 needles
Rnd 1: Knit
Rnd 2: Knit one, make one all the way around (24 stitches)
Rnd 3: knit
Rnd 4: Knit THREE, make one all the way around (30 stitches)
Rnd 5: Knit
Rnd 6: Knit four, make one all the way around
Rnd 7: Knit
Rnd 8: Knit five, make one all the way around
Rnd 9: knit
Rnd 10: Knit six, make one all the way around
Rnd 11: Knit
Rnd 12: Knit seven, make one all the way around
Rnd 13: Knit
Rnd 14:Knit eight, make one all the way around
Rnd 15: Knit
Rnd 16 Knit nine, make one all the way around
Rnd 17 knit onto circulars, pm
Knit for 8 1/2 inches from top of hat
Brim:
Knit 3, make one all the way around
knit 5 more rounds

To get this dense fiber good and felted I boil some water and add that to my water in the washing machine, put bag in zippered laundry bag and add a little dish soap and some towels. I usually have to run the hat threw a couple of times

I like to crochet flowers to attach to pins and put on my hats…that will be my next blog!

Happy Thanksgiving

shellssells — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:04:24 +0000

It is a quiet one here. Though I had some wonderful other options (thank you friends!) I’ve ch

Proposition: Taos is a gorgeous yarn

mildawg — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:34:23 +0000

(this post inspired by:)

How to tink or frog Kidsilk Haze

Vicky — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:41:26 +0000

Heard a great tip today for working with Kidsilk Haze. When you go wrong with this yarn, it’s a bit of a pig to unknit (tink) or frog it.

Apparently, if you stick it in the freezer for 20 minutes, it makes the fibres stiff, and it’s much easier to tink it!

Good to know

Black Friday Yarn Purchasing: A wee bit of advice.

camanomade — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:48:09 +0000

Yeah, today is THanksgiving, but tomorrow is “Black Friday.” The big shopping day. For fiber afficiandos everywhere the temptation to hit the craft stores is right up there on our lists. Before you hit the big box stores I want to break down some prices for you, just to remind you that your local yarn store may in FACT be the better deal.

Example: I specifically went to a big box store to get Lion Brand Homespun, it is the thickness and texture I wanted for a project. It has 187 yds per skein. It costs approximately .03 cents (US) per yard. I have to drive 35 minutes to get to the store.

My local yarn store carried a similar weight yarn that is less textured, but would work for my projects (a bunch of tunisian scarves I’m whipping up on an S hook), and the skeins are 387 yds. They also cost approximately .03 per yard.

Why did I drive so far? I dunno. Not again I tell you, because if they don’t have what I’m looking for at my yarn store they will order it in for me, especially in bulk for a large project

So make sure you calculate your price per yard, you may find out that the “good yarns” aren’t always that much more expensive, in fact sometimes you get right close to the nose in price, get more yardage per skein, and may or may not have to drive so far.

It’s not worth the gas money unless you truly love a store

How to calculate price per yard. X =Sticker Price Y= Yardage X/Y=Price per yard.

Giving Thanks

woowooteacup — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:11:55 +0000

There’s a Facebook challenge that’s been going on between Hubby and some of his friends. For each day in November, they’ve been posting something for which they are thankful. I’ve been thinking about this Facebook challenge, although I didn’t take part in it. I figured I’d give it a shot here on my blog – 30 things I’m thankful for (because November hath 30 days).

In no particular order, I give thanks for …

1. Family, particularly Hubby and the kids, but the rest of the whole bunch of you are included, too

2. Food (Need I say more?)

3. Clean, abundant, easily accessible water

4. Hot showers

5. A comfy house with strong colors on the walls

6. A cozy bed with a heavy comforter

7. Music in all its forms (Although I wasn’t ever sure I’d be thankful for an mp3 player that didn’t have physical art or lyrics. That has changed and now I’m VERY thankful for my iPod.)

8. My ability to easily string words together

9. The internet – for the voice it gives to ordinary peeps through a variety of apps (and the research, too!)

10. My computer – for letting me access the internet

11. Flowers

12. Birds

13. Books, acres and acres of books

14. GoodReads – for helping me keep track of the books I’ve read, and most especially for the books I want to read

15. My health. It’s been relatively good over the years. Not too many scary situations.

16. Dictionaries, thesauruses, grammar & punctuation guides

17. Yarn

18. Notebooks

19. Movies that suck me in over and over

20. Human creativity (although animal creativity is pretty fascinating, as well)

21. Museums – for saving so much of our culture and for being enthralling repositories of investigation

22. Kitties (They purr, which is a most loverly sign of affection.)

23. Bic Round Stic Pens – medium flow, black ink

24. Heated car seats (They keep my butt warm while the engine and heater heat up.)

25. Gift bags – for making gift wrapping easy

26. Life mysteries – for giving me so much to think about (What do those darned khipu mean, anyway?)

27. The opportunity to sleep in late (refer back to #6)

28. My sewing machine (a needle and thread will also do)

29. Sweaters, jackets, sweatshirts, turtlenecks, mittens, gloves, hats, scarves, neck-warmers, thick socks, and Steger mukluks (Can you tell by this and several other items on the list that I like to stay warm? Yeah. I’m thankful for warmth.)

30. Friends, both offline and on, because you’re all part of my real world no matter where I find you.

Have you been taking part in the Facebook challenge? Whether you did or not, what are you thankful for?

Happy Thanksgiving! Eat well & be joyous!

The Stash!

knitminion — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:51:24 +0000

I live such a high flying life so I do. Spent most of today photographing and cataloguing all of my wool and have finally uploaded all of it to my stash page on Ravelry (Log-in required for viewing, or look here). I think I have a reasonable selection, although I do tend to go for patterned yarns over solid colours – mostly because I get tired of knitting the same colour over and over again.

I also catalogued all of my needles. Well, not all of them – I didn’t bother with my Denise set of interchangeable needles because they make up a set of pretty much every length of straight or circular that you might ever need. They are the ones I use for most things at the moment – other than the massive sockathon going on at the moment.

There are a few pics below to give you an idea of what’s in my stash.

Top Left: My wooden chest I use for storing my wool – I’ve recently run out of space in here though!
Top Right: One of my favourite patterned yarns, it reminds me of summer, and festivals, and sweeties.
Bottom Left: Part of the massive haul of sock wool currently in my possession (I have heard on Ravelry that this stuff felts if machine washed though, which is annoying for my gift recipients)
Bottom Right: Some squishy Jaegar, only 1 ball and i’ve no clue what to knit with it, but I love it.

Enjoy!

malabrigo love

fiveftfour — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:42:47 +0000

via

I want them all.

Many years ago...

belongum — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:19:24 +0000

…I discovered these shirts. Thanks to the Mighty Battle Tanker and the RAN, a visit to Thailan

i have a theory

theyarnstore — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:14:43 +0000

i’m pretty sure jan never sleeps….ever. the upside is that we get to look at super cute miniature santa suit. all this little darlin’ needs is some suspenders and a couple of hangers, then its ready for the tree!

Marvellous mittens

Moggle — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:05:44 +0000

Pattern: Warmest Mittens by Kris Percival

Yarn: Handspun Natural Dye Studio Halo BFL (2-ply construction)

Needle: 3.75mm interchangeable

Mods: None

These were quick and satisfying to knit. They really only took a couple of days. The yarn fluffed up a lot and a little uneven and probably varied between DK and Aran. So the fabric on 3.75mm needles is fairly dense which hopefully will keep the wind out.

The decreases aren’t particularly neat but I’m really not bothered. The yarn graduated from purple at one end to blue at the other which caused the non-matching mittens. I cast on the first one with blue then changed to purple to try to even them up a bit.

I wore them this morning and this evening for my commute (train-bus-walk & waiting in between) and they kept my fingers nice and toasty. I’ll be sad to put away my endpaper mitts, but they just don’t keep my fingers warm.

I have two new projects, one of which has a photo from this past weekend so I’ll try to post about that in the next day or two.

Swanky Swag at Northridge Mall

swankyswag — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:49:05 +0000

Weekends in December, Swanky Swag will be at Northridge Mall with lots of gift-giving ideas!

Barrettes, headbands, pins and tawashis (Japanese washcloths) all handmade and all one of a kind. Come by and see us in the main court area where we will be featured along with other great crafters.

Where: Northridge Mall
9301 Tampa Ave.

View Larger Map

Compact Yarn Swift

thefinishedspool — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:37:35 +0000

The Finished Spool is a big fan of craft tools for small spaces. Initially, we were fans of the Beka Yarn Swift, which has received many rave reviews. The only problem is that it does not fold up. This is just not acceptable in a small apartment. We were really excited when we found this table top yarn swift. The only problem is that we are prone to loosing parts and breaking things made out of wood. It just was not meant to be for us and this nifty handmade gadget. What to do? Reeling Machine. We found our nirvana swift. Compact, simple design and our favorite color (orange). Swoon.

Mustard Scarf is going to Chicago

spinningsheep — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:14:39 +0000

My best friend is taking a trip from Daytona Beach FL to Chicago IL and she’s afraid she’s going to be cold. She had this crazy idea that she’d buy an acrylic scarf for her trip and I wouldn’t hear of it! So, I began knitting. I pulled out a couple of skeins of Dream in Color superwash sock yarn and started knitting an infinity scarf. I held two strands of yarn together and finished the scarf in record time, but hated it!

So, I started knitting the “Mustard Scarf” pattern by Jane Richmond (it’s a free Ravelry download!) and frogged that one after a couple of rows. It deserved a heavier weight yarn. So, I pulled out my spinning wheel and plied 4 strands together (same yarn) and started over. It didn’t take long at all to knit this pattern. The button is great, once you wrap it around your neck, just button it up and there’s no chance of losing the scarf. I love this scarf and hope she does too!