Wrapture!

My knitting is improving...it deserves Wrapture. 

Brought to you from my friend, Kristin Omdahl and her partnership with Euclan Delicate Wool Wash. Kristin worked with the folks at Euclan to create a scent that is unique and intoxicating.  Literally a few weeks ago, I did a little hand-dip soak of a swatch in a bucket with cool water and some Euclan... later that day, I was still receiving compliments on my "perfume".  HAHA, it was just the sweet, delicate scent of the Wrapture.

Today, I fastened off a little procrasti-knit project.  (I used knitting to procrastinate from another project I should have been doing....)  And I thought that the interesting little project deserved some sweet blocking.  I put one drop of Wrapture in the water reservoir with the rest water in my hand-held steamer. I pinned my project down, spreading it gently and steamed that Wrapture right into it!

Wow, it's going to be so luxurious to wear!  Love it, Kristin, I really love it!  

Book Review: Knitting in Circles

I know, I know, it's not crochet. But it's just so pretty!  And I know many of you DO knit, so here's my 2 cents.

The new book by Nicky Epstein,  Knitting in Circles is gorgeous. It's based on knitted, round, motifs.  The construction of projects made from circles is a good lesson for all fiber fans, knitters and crocheters alike.

The projects are typical Nicky style, big, bold, almost avant garde. Possibly not for a soccer mom on a typical Tuesday, but inspiration and fantasy pieces for sure.

I may never have the skills to make these round confections, and I'm not likely to make them, but I'm likely to keep the book, because who doesn't love a beautiful book full of yarn?  If you are a knitter, I can see many of these circles becoming the top of hats or the beginning of round blankets. The photography is beautiful, typical of Potter Craft books. It's about 222 pages and hardback. Give it a look see and find out if it's for you!

The photo is from Amazon, you can purchase the book there for around $19.

Knitting

I just finished Susan B. Anderson's Twister pattern. It's available for free from the Spud & Chloe website.  It's 2 skeins of Spud & Chloe Sweater.  Since I didn't have 2 of the same color, I took two of what I did have, pink and yellow!  I thought it might be fun and look like a variegated rose :)

Gift to YOU

So, yesterday I was telling you about Stefanie Japel's Craftsy class.  I've been taking the class on www.craftsy.com It's called Circular Knit Lab: Hats four ways.  It has been teaching me how to use circular and double pointed needles to make hats!  So far, at my own pace, I have made the Sweet Pea and Wheeler Hats (below). Well, Stefanie read my post and decided to offer YOU, my readers, a discount if you want to get into the action too!  Isn't that great?  I love taking classes. Probably nothing inspires me more than hearing people talk about the crafts I love.  The class is regularly $49.99 (totally worth it), but using THIS LINK to Craftsy, you can get the class for $29.99.  They have many other classes too and you can even GIFT a class to a friend. (what a great idea!)
Thanks Stefanie!

Knitting

Don't worry, knitting is not taking away from my crochet time.  This hat, is part of the Circular knitting class "Circular Knit Lab: Hats Four Ways" with Stefanie Japel on Craftsy.  I love the Craftsy class forum. This is the second hat in the class and it has taken me (cough, 3 months?) to finish?  Because of course, crochet has to come first.  But still I love learning and I love knitting and I'm thrilled to have a finished project. Though I did a gauge swatch, my hat is a little big, so I'm not sure who gets it :)

 Chickee started a new knit scarf, alternating rows of garter and stockinette, so I got inspired. I grabbed a beautiful little hank of Louet (uh oh, what was it....) Eastport? Alpaca. Lovely.

And when I say it was a little hank, I mean little!  This is the entire hank.  I'm going to have to get a little decorative broach to pin this scarf on. It's only about 18-20" (a guess) long. But, wow is it soft.

Knitting

Here's a little hat I finished called the "Sweet Pea" by Stefanie Japel.  I am taking the Circular Knit Lab Class: Hats 4 ways on Craftsy.com  I'm having a great time!

Lace Knitting

;

This swatch represents about 8 hours of work!  You see that it is bound off.... of course I made a mistake while watching Chickee's volleyball game... I worked the wrong side row on the right side. I didn't know how to un-knit lace, so I just bound off in frustration and started over.  I'm doing better on the second, third, fourth try.  I have put in a life line and have moved my instructions to a card where I can mark rows off as they are completed.  Still, I've been so busy with crochet deadlines that this little project has sat untouched for about a month!

On my hooks though, are a couple great projects with Spud & Chloe Fine, and a few projects using Red Heart products, several other projects on the schedule behind those! 

We're on a 2-hour delay this morning, and I just heard a plow go by. I'm looking forward to some happily-stuck-in-the-house crocheting today!

knitting in the dirt

I was trying to knit at Chief's soccer game the other day... look at the nice, lush grass they had to play on... We are in about an 8" deficit of rain and it's really getting bad. 

The very basic knit scarf is just because I had an overwhelming desire to knit something the other day.  I'm using Claudia Handpaints.  I can't remember the variety by it is 100% Merino, dk weight.  It's lovely and bright. 

Raspberry Knit Ascot!

This yarn is just so gorgeous! It's Scarlet Fleece in the color "Coffee and Raspberry Pie". I love raspberries. This would only be better if it were named, "Chocolate and Raspberry sorbet" because I don't do coffee and I don't do pie... unless it's chocolate pudding pie or the occasional piece of pumpkin or apple pie... Graeter's Ice Cream in Cincinnati makes an incredible 'Black Raspberry Chip" ice cream... oh, I'd better start talking about the scarf...

It's an intermediate (because of the increases and decreases) KNIT ribbed scarf edged with garter stitch and it has two narrow spots at either end for convenient tying. I think I have worn it everyday since I photographed it. I told you awhile back that my latest favorite color is Magenta... this definitely feels magenta to me.

It's my first knit pattern, but never fear, I had it professionally tech edited.
$2.99 USD for the PDF pattern. Adobe or other PDF reader is required to view the PDF on your computer.

Strong opinion quote

Today I am continuing to work on the big project, no, not that big project, the other one... The book is being pushed aside this week. It's just so hard to say 'no' to projects with shorter deadlines that actually bring in revenue. The good news is that sometime before December, there will be 2 sneak peeks! I just have finished 4 other projects that will not have sneak peeks. Some buyers approve sneak peeks and some do not.

I did find a scarf that I want to cast on for.... yes, I said it, cast on. It's knitted. I think that from now on, I'm going to knit at Crochet and Chat... which I should change the name to Crochet and Craft. Since we welcome all sorts of crafters. I want to knit more, but haven't been able to find the time, so if I devote the 1.5 hours a month at Crochet and Chat for knitting, where I can get help if I need it... it seems like a pretty good plan. Of course if someone is there wanting crochet help, then that is the priority. The scarf will be in Blue Sky Alpacas Sportweight in Hibiscus. 100% Baby Alpaca. I have one hank, so the scarf will be stitched until the yarn runs out.

Frankly, I’m suspicious of anyone who has a strong opinion on a complicated issue.

Scott Adams, The Dilbert Blog

knit fasten off

How long have I been working on this easy scarf??!??!?!? I have no idea, months. On big size 13 needles it should have gone vrey quick, but I have repeatedly put if off for other projects. Now it's done! It's made of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Bulky. I have also made the Monterey Poncho (shown above in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Bulky and in Louet Gems in Crabapple and brown) out of it. I love Lorna's Laces and Louet yarns! The Monterey Poncho pattern is available here

Sweets Witch

A crocheted witch hat for a guinea pig, and a knitted "cape" create this cavi ensemble.

Chickee knitted the cape herself and it is by far the best knitted piece she has done so far. The stitches are nice and even and she maintained count. Excellent! We talked about after Halloween, if she wants to make an identical cape, we can sew the two together and make a purse/pouch. Once you learn to make a rectangle in knit or crochet, the possibilities are endless! yay Chickee!

If I ever get back to knitting....

I think this might be a pattern I can see myself trying... really big needles, not much shaping... I might actually be able to do this one.... check it out, Cinnamon, designed by Sarah Hatton

Or maybe this one, although the yarn isn't fat, so it could take considerably longer.... Sleeveless V-neck pullover...

Although, I still am smitten with Stefanie Japel's sleeveless turtleneck from Fitted Knits ... and I already own the book...although it is probably way beyond my skill level.

Chickee knits

I taught Chickee to knit about a year ago. She has taken to it much more easily than crochet. However, I taught her to crochet at 5. Now she is much older, has better dexterity and she seems to enjoy it more. She only knows the knit stitch. She is making a garter stitch scarf. She occasionally increases a st on accident. I'm not sure how to help her stop doing this, so instead I taught her how to k2tog so she can compensate, but it doesn't really prevent her from adding stitches. I'm really proud of her commitment to the scarf, she has about 10" now. Charlie likes that seat on the couch most of all, so he was willing to share it with her rather than not get to sit there at all. I think he was asking her, "when are you going to get up?"

Knitting

I was seen knitting over Easter.... Just some mindless knitting with great yarn on big needles. This is Lorna's Laces gorgeous Shepherd Bulky. I love, love, love the feel of this yarn. This scarf still curls though. What's the solution? Leave a comment and tell me what I should have done differently. there are 3 garter sts on either edge and stockinette in the middle. My next scarf will be ribbed? I really need to learn how to make a hat. Now that would be progress.

This Knit Sweater

I would LOVE to make this sweater. Gorgeous. It's by Stefanie Japel, author of Fitted Knits. Oh, to find the time! (The irony is not lost on me, that if I spent less time on the computer, I might have more time to do some of the things I want to do!)

Burgundy knit hat

This is from a knit pattern by Meg White. This is my first knit project on circular needles. This is my second cable project. It's coming along ok, considering I really have no idea what I'm doing and I'm guessing at what the abbreviations mean! I'm using Patons Classic Wool for the yarn. It is probably my favorite felting wool, so I had a good amount of it in my stash bin. Since this photo, I have made a few critical errors and so I will have to start over with more experience this time! If you are on Ravelry, you can find this hat under "Magenta cabled Hat" by Meg White, it's a free download.

dpns conquered...????

I don't think "conquered" is the right word, but at least now, I understand the concept of double pointed needles. (dpns). Of course, since I have no desire at all to knot, I mean knit socks, I don't know when I would ever need to know how to use dpns. Still, even the smallest accomplishment is cause for chocolate cake, uh, I mean, it's cause for joy and satisfaction.

Chickee Knits

I don't know if it is because she already knows how to crochet, or if it is because she is a little older now, but she picked up the knitting really quickly. Fortunately, I was able to hide my mixed emotions when she said that she likes knitting better (gasp!). Still, I'm just thrilled that she lets me teach her about fiberarts. I feel a sense of satisfaction knowing that she is potentially picking up skills that will be lifelong friends for her.

"Wow! Fantastic" says Chief

When I showed him my amazing piece of knitting. Now, if you are not a fiber fanatic, you may not look at this amazing piece of knitting and think it's so amazing. But, if you are a crocheter or a knitter you can look at this amazing piece of learning and see if for it's real worth!

I started with 3 stitches at one corner, I practiced all the increase types that are shown on KnittingHelp.com including the elusive 'yarn over' then I practiced most of the techniques for decreasing AND I didn't drop one stitch! (Try not to notice the accidental purl row in there where I forgot to pay attention, then I didn't know how to fix it.)

Still, I learned so much in this one evening exercise. Maybe I'll hang it on the fridge gallery! Ok, maybe it will have to go on the 'overflow' gallery AKA the washing machine.