Cable on a Table

Ok, I'm running out of catchy titles, plus I'm tired. But I finished my triple cable scarf, I really just made it to practice my cables, which I really, really like doing. I also made a matching hat, but the picture I tried to take of it didn't turn out that well. The pattern is from Knit Simple and I used Joann's Sensations Angel Hair yarn (I just love that yarn!).

I was pleased with the way it turned out and it wasn't hard at all. I think I'm going to try another cable if I can find one I like that is a little more complicated. A girl at work really like the hat and scarf so I'm going to give it to her, but wanted to take a picture first. I did see a cute cable sweater for a child, so I might try that for J, my niece. Although it is getting a bit warm to knit sweaters. I'm looking for some cotton summer patterns that I could try out.

And just to throw it in, here is a picture of Olivia doing her thing on her perch. I'm using http://www.photobucket.com/ for my pictures. You can add all kinds of borders and other cool stuff!

A Weekend Away...

Had a free weekend in Ocean City, Maryland and being the stellar photographer that I am, I took this picture at sunrise. Thanks Randy for the use of the condo!

Never a Skull Moment

Don't you just love my catching titles? LOL, ok not terribly original, but trying to find a word that rhymes with skull wasn't easy. Anyhoo, I finished my felted skull bag, pattern is again form the Hello Yarn website (http://www.helloyarn.com/bigskulltote.htm). Again a free pattern from the Hello Yarn Lady, she has the cutest things!

This was my first foray into "stranding" and although I don't think I did a great job with it, it worked out fairly well. Given that the bag as knitted in the round, it was a little harder also. I will try it again with flat knitting. I used Patons wool yarn in worsted weight and it was knitted double strand through out. I added a crochet color border to the top to set it off a bit. I also made a mistake using the graph (there are skulls on both sides of the bag) and made one eye on one side to small (guess what! first time using a graph also). It looked like some kind of weird skull birth defect! So I used duplicate stitching to fix the eye before I felted the bad. It actually worked really well, and it was the first time I had used duplicate stitching also. After felting in one wash cycle, I stopped and noticed the skull was actually pulling inward on the back do to the stranding, so I pulled it as much as I could to stretch it out a bit on the sides of the skull. I took the picture after one felting cycle, but I'm toying with the idea of throwing it in for a second cycle to see what would happen. The Hello Yarn Lady said she used two cycles when felting her bag. Any way, here is what the bag looked like prior to felting, it was pretty big, and a close up of the graphic work for the skull.

Don't know what I want to work on next, I don't like being without a project, since I don't like to watch TV without having something to do!

Cable For One?

I wanted to try my hand at something I hadn't tried before, so I found a link to a website called Hello Yarn, here's the link if you all are interested http://www.helloyarn.com/irishhikingscarf.htm.

It's a really cute website by a gal that does some amazing things with yarn. The Hello Yarn Lady offers some free patterns and there was a beautiful pattern for an Irish Hiking Scarf. A really pretty, uncomplicated cable pattern for a scarf. So I used some yarn from my stash, Joann's Sensations Angel Hair yarn in color #649, which is actually a cool purple color. The only problem with this yarn is that it is kinda hairy, so the cables are not as distinct as they could be. But it was fun to do and easy peasy japaneasy!

Pretty Puppy and Baby Sweater

Wow! Two posts in a month! I'm ramping up here so watch out! I've been meaning to post a couple of projects. First a puppy sweater I made for a girl at work who has a little Maltese (I think that is how you spell it), anyway I had been wanting to make this doggie sweater but didn't know any small dogs. Turns out it fit her Mom's doggie better, so here is Mitzy with her sweater!

The pattern is free from Lion Brand, it called for Microspun, but I used TLC Cotton Plus in pink that I already had, and used Fancy Fur in pink that I already had. It knitted up quickly. So if I can find some more of the Fancy Fur in pink I'm commissioned to make a slightly larger one for the original doggie. Who's name oddly enough is Olivia!

The second project was for a friend at work who has a 4-5 month old boy. I made this sweater from the March issue of Crochet! magazine. The pattern had flowers for a girl, so I left them off as well as the pockets and added little car buttons. He really liked it and has promised me a picture of the baby donning the jacket. I used Caron Simply Soft in Turquoise and instead of the white Bliss yarn it called for to make the collar, I used some white Bernat Boa that I already had. I thought it turned out kinda cute! Oh! I also added about an inch to the bottom in a border, not in the original pattern because it looked kinda short since my gauge was off. And one extra picture of the little buttons since they were really cute!Currently I'm knitting a scarf for myself, yeehaw! It is the first time that I have knitted cables, and I'm surprised at how easy it is! I've practiced a little before, but never made anything. Bought myself a nice cable needle to use and have subsequently lost it, so I am using a double-point needle as my cable needle. A little awkward, but it's doing the job. I'm about 2/3's finished, so stay tuned!

Cool Photo Tool!

I just found the coolest photo tool! A free download of a program tool called GIMP that is just like Photoshop! I've been wanting to put in family photos, but didn't really want to put faces on the blog (although I have about 3 readers and they all know everyone ANYWAY), but safety first right? So I wanted to post a photo with little black boxes over the eyes, like they do in Glamour magazine in their Do's and Don'ts section where they catch people on the street wearing really bad or really good outfits, and then they print them with bars over their eyes to hide the identity!

So I can finally do it and here is the photo from Christmas with the gang wearing their Christmas hats I knitted! Dad, N, J, and R all put on their hats and posed for the camera!

Very, very cool! A definite Do!

Pillow Talk

Well, so much for my New Year's resolution to write once a week! I have a couple of projects going on. I finished another pillow for the living room, some tan knotty looking yarn and some furry eggplant colored yarn I got for $1 a skein produced a pillow that's not terribly attractive, but I liked the way it turned out. This time I knitted two squares and crocheted them together to produce a border around the pillow insert. I like the way it is put together. The orange pillow was done in one piece and folded over around the insert, then sewn together on three sides. It didn't produce very sharp corners which I didn't like very much.

Snow And Some Other Stuff

Well we finally got a few inches of snow! Of course around here you get a couple of inches and the whole world goes crazy! We got out of work early, which was fine by me! Here's a little picture of my driveway.

Haven't been up to much in the knitting and crocheting world. After the Christmas rush it's been a little hard to sit down and commit to one thing. I did knit two more earflap hats, one for my brother for his birthday, it matches the ones I made for his kids and my Dad for Christmas. I thought the kids would get a kick out of having the same hat as Dad and Grandpa. I also made one for my friend's son, who I shall call Shaggy at the moment, since I don't use real names here, and because the kid needs a haircut! They came over for the playoff football games last Sunday and we teased him that if his team lost we would get to cut his hair. Of course HIS team won so he got to cut a piece of hair of my friend's head, which is saying a lot since my friend is, ummm, somewhat hair impaired on top. But Shaggy got a kick out of it! I made him a hat to go with his new coat and his favorite colors orange and army green. Here is a picture of him with the hat, permission granted by his Mom(s).

I've been spending time on my crochet website, http://www.crochetville.org/, and talking with the other guys and gals that like to crochet. There are some knitters also. One friend started a thread in the forum asking for folks to make some 12 x 12 squares and send them to her, she wants to make a KING size afghan for her bed in her new home. So she will get all these squares and join them together and have a big "friendship" blanket. I'm not much into the granny square, but decided what the heck, it would be fun to try out some new stitches. So I looked up some patterns and made four for her that I will send out tomorrow. Here's what they look like. Not fabulous, but it was fun trying something new. I did start a small project, I'm knitting my friend at work a sweater for her doggie. I always thought this particular pattern was too cute, but didn't know any itty, bitty dogs. I already had all the yarn in my stash, so I hope to finish it shortly and post a picture of the puppy wearing it. Funniest thing is her dog's name is Olivia, and my cat's name is Olivia. What's the chances of two animals, I mean children, having such a grand name!

Happy New Year 2008!

Happy New Year everyone! I wish everyone of my readers (Hey Mom and Dad!) a happy, safe and healthy New Year. This picture was funnier when I thought it was a squirrel! I mean what's a hamster doing hooked to a tree outside??

I'm not making too many resolutions, but I will try to write at least once a week, and show whatever it is I am working on.

Last year my Dad sent me a prayer that he heard at church for the New Year in 2007. We don't know the author. I saved it, he sent it last January 3rd. I'd like to print it out here, because it really is wonderful. Thanks Dad!
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May God make your year a happy one!
Not by shielding you from all sorrows and pain,
But by strengthening you to bear it, as it comes;
Not by making your path easy,
But by making you sturdy to travel any path;
Not by taking hardships from you,
But by taking fear from your heart;
Not by granting you unbroken sunshine;
But by keeping your face bright, even in shadows;
Not by making your life always pleasant,
But by showing you when people and their causes need
you most, and by making you anxious to be there to help.
God’s love, peace, hope, joy to you for the year ahead.

GOD BLESS OUR NEW YEAR.
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