Just Sit Back & Knit

Lime Pincushion Pattern

I've been meaning to post this ever since I finished my pincushion. I have yet to write up the pattern for the leaf & stem (which were both crocheted but I'm going to do a knit version also) but hope too soon. When I have done that I will post the entire pattern here in pdf format. You can also read my original entry about this pincushion.

Lime Pincushion Pattern (without leaf or stem)
Super easy, super quick Lime Pincushion created for the May Pincushion Challenge.

Materials
Yarn: Single strand of Paton's Classic Wool Merino in Leaf Green
Stuffing: Wool yarn ends (I can't seem to throw away the yarn ends I've snipped off of finished projects so I had a lot of these)
Needles: #9 DPNs

Cast-on 5 and join in the round.

• Rnds 1 & 2: Knit
  
• Rnd 3: Inc around (10 sts)
  
• Rnd 4: (Inc, K1) around (15 sts)
  
• Rnd 5: (Inc, K2) around (20 sts)
  
• Rnd 6: (Inc, K3) around (25 sts)
  
• Rnds 6-12: Knit (piece should measure about 2")
  
• Rnd 13: (K2tog, K3) around (20 sts)
  
• Rnd 14: (K2tog, K2) around (15 sts)
  
• Rnd 15: (K2tog, K1) around (10 sts)
  
• At this point you should stuff the lime. I stuffed it pretty full, knowing that these would felt too.
  
• Rnd 16: K2tog around (5 sts)
  
• Rnds 17 & 18: Knit

Finish off by cutting yarn and pulling through the remaining five stitches. Weave in ends. Finally, felt it.

Everyone Wants My Bootie (Pattern)

Yipee! We've had our first visitor comment! Thanks, Kaleen!

The pattern I used for the booties shown in a previous post, as well as those shown below, is from Knitting for Baby : 30 Heirloom Projects with Complete How-to-Knit Instructions by Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas. I checked it out from the library and loved it so much that I bought a copy. When the title says Complete How-to-Knit Instructions it's telling the truth. The instructions in this book are very detailed and great for a beginner. There are lots of little projects in this book, as well as larger projects like blankets and sweaters.

As for the bootie pattern, the one I used is the "Stay On Booties" pattern (although I've been calling them "Stay-Put Booties", whoops!). The book also has a "Beginner Booties" pattern for beginning knitters. I have not worked from this pattern because I avoid seams at any cost. I chose to dismiss the warning that only those knitters familiar with double pointed needles should attempt the "Stay-On Booties" and tackled that pattern instead (might explain the mysterious third bootie). I actually found this pattern a good dpn practice pattern (before the first set of booties I had rarely used dpns--like maybe once) since I didn't mind having to make three of them the first time around. I liked this pattern so much, in fact, that I made more:

These booties and hat are teeny-tiny! They are for Dinah Lynne and I hope they still fit by the time she gets them (I sent them out yesterday).

On Tuesday I also sent a hat Jesse made and the never-ending-BUNO-scarf (that cured me of my Scarfophobia) that I mailed off to Bundle Up New Orleans

And finally, because I still can't get over the fact that it snowed and because Ted is so cute and because, while I am not quite as cute as Ted, I was at least wearing a home-knit hat!

Happy Birthday Sara (fletchersmama)!

In honor of this most important, momentus, splendid occasion, we are giving you a one year gift subscription to:

The spring issue should arrive at your door within the next few weeks. We hope you enjoy it (and photocopy the good parts for us :). Have a very, very, happy birthday!
Love, Jesse & Barb

Hot Head Hat in the Round, How to Avoid Making the Dreaded I-Cord & More

I actually started a post a while ago about making the Stitch N Bitch Hot Head Hat in the round but hadn't gotten around to finishing it. Now that FletchersMama posted our first ever comment (yipee!) asking about it, here goes.

Drum roll please...Hot Head Hat in the Round
First off, I bought some new sixteen inch Crystal Palace circular needles (#10.5 & #11) because I've been making so many hats lately that, even though I have the wonderful Denise Interchangeable Knitting Needles, I decided having a couple sets of dedicated hat needles was worth the expense (and I love, love, love knitting with Crystal Palace needles!). Anyway, I have perused a lot of hat patterns and those knit in the round seem to always call for sixteen inch needles, which of course, makes sense because you want a needle that is slightly smaller in diameter than the diameter of the finished product. In addition, you'll need a set of dpns in the same size (or close to it, I used 10.5 circ & 10 dpns) (unless you want to use two circs instead, in which case, have fun with that! you're on your own there). As you can see in the pictures of my post about Steven's hat, I used four of the five dpns that come in a Crystal Palace set.

So, basically follow the pattern with the exception that you need to join in a circle after you cast on. Make the majority of the hat as described in the pattern (k2, p2 ribbing around and around and around...). When you get to the decrease rows transfer to your dpns after the first or second decrease row. Even if you've never transfered to dpns from a circ (and if you're smarter than I am) you might realize that the easiest way to transfer to dpns is to just work a prescribed round with one dpn after the other acting as your working needle, rather than with the other end of the circ (if on the other hand, you're like me, you might not think of that until after you painstakingly transfer each little stitch to a dpn in between working rounds.)

Shaping the Crown:
The "Shape the Crown" section of the pattern is where the difference is between flat and in the round knitting. I didn't do this properly with Steven's hat so the very center of the crown of his hat looks stockinette stiched rather than ribbed (but I figure the guys I am making hats for are so tall no one will see the top but everyone would see a messy side seam!). I forgot to use double-reverse math* (my term) on the "flat" directions to make them "in the round" directions (I used "single-reverse math" by accident instead). So here goes, this should work...

Knit the first row as instructed (k2tog, p2). On the second row, however, you need to reverse the knits and purls twice so you'll k1, p2tog across (rather than k2tog, p1). For row three just follow the pattern (k1, p1 across). Row four is the tricky one because the directions in the book for row four are exactly the same as for row three which shouldn't work for flat knitting (that row has always bothered me and I've never done it as prescribed). So I would do round four exactly as the book describes it because to my mind it is already reversed. Make sense? I thought not. Rows five and six I've never liked either because they would create a garter stitch in flat knitting. So five and six in the round would be (k2tog, p2tog) around. Yipee skippy, you're done! Almost...

Finishing:
Break the yarn off and with a tapestry needle draw the remaining stitches off the dpns and pull tightly to close the hole and weave in end (blah, blah, blah we know all this right?)
Then look back at the end where you first started. If you knit like I do (or maybe this just happens to anyone knitting in the round) you'll have a one stitch gap in the first round where you joined. Just weave your cast on tail through it to close it. Presto! A lot easier than mattress-stitching (sixteen times because you (I) can never get it right the first time!) an entire seam closed!

And now, in the second half of our regularly scheduled program, we'll move on to a segment I like to call...

How to Avoid Making the Dreaded I-Cord
No, I have never made an I-Cord. I started to once...cast-on 4 stitches okay, slide to other end of dpn, okay, pull
yarn across blah, blah, blah, okayokayokay...I managed about 4 rows before I knew that I was crazy enough without trying to finish the damn I-cord.

Fortunately for me, the pattern (Stay-On Baby Booties from Knitting for Baby by Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas--I love this book!) I was working from provided options other than the dreaded I-Cord (I'm guessing Melanie and Kristin know how some people feel about I-Cords).

How to avoid making an I-Cord (by Barbara, adapted (in part) from the above mentioned pattern):

• have someone else make it for you (good luck there!)
• Cast on six-gazillion stitches then bind them all off (what I like to call the Magic-Tie-No-I-Cord-Cord). This is the method I used for the bootie ties (I cast on 100 sts & then bound them off). The ties were a lot smoother than the bumpy I-Cord I never finished. The problem with this method is, if you need a big cord (like a purse handle anyone??) you would practically have to make a small scarf, especially if you're planning on felting.
• Crochet. Yes, I said it, crochet. If you are going to felt it no one will know the difference! Chain that gazillion stitches then do a few single/half-double/double or triple crochet rows and you're done!
• make something called a Monk's Cord that I read about in Knitting in Plain English that requires three times the amount of yarn as the length of whatever you want to make, a pencil (or a hand held egg beater), a book and a doorknob. This one I can't help you with. I read the instructions. They require you to walk back and forth across a room three times. I kept expecting to read something about a cauldron or bats or lizard tongues. And try as I might I could not grasp the pencil/book/doorknob contraption that was supposed to make the whole cord magically appear once you get the torque right.
• and finally, knit things that don't require I-Cords (this is the plan I'm following).

And finally, in closing, since another SKP has met the same fate as mine...I'll reveal the nature of my SKP: It's a SCARF...it's a WRAP...IT'S A CLAPOTIS! (clap-o-tee) by Kate Gilbert. This pattern won the Knitter's Review 2005 Design of the Year Award (even though it was published in 2004) because EVERYONE in the knitting/blogging world made/ismaking/wantstomake one (with some exceptions, of course). With my recent addiction to all things knit I kept tripping over this pattern (so to speak) when reading knit blogs. So I had to try it myself. Poor, poor Clapotis...perhaps I'll try to make another one someday...

skp, nvc, and jsb'n

Well there is just so much I want to talk about today, and I know I have very little time before my boss enters my cubicle demanding to know when I will get back to work (you know, cooking, cleaning, surrending my body to him.......for fast milkies).

Las night was our meeting for NVC (nonviolent communication), it was amazing!  Whent Fletch was a new guy I was part of a practice group for maybe three meetings, then dropped out, telling myself it was too hard with Fletch - which truth be told it was hard.  I think I really quit because the group just didn't feel right, I could barely talk in front of them and this of coarse hindered my learning or practicing the process that is NVC. This new group has a whole different feel and I was able to talk last night!  The first time I was shaking and even started crying (yes, what I said was an emotional thing for me, but just revealing it to four people at once was hard to do, which is what made me cry).   I feel invigorated by the possiblities and hopeful about how learning to use NVC can change my life and the lives of my family.

Barb, your SKP, is it an afgan/throw?  If not I am really lost!  On of the first knitting projects that really inspired me to want to knit beautiful things is this throw from the book Simply Noro by Jane Ellison:

I have yet to buy the yarn for it, but some day I WILL DO IT!

Here are some other projects  I really want to make for myself:

I am in love with this sweater, and I love the color.
Last Thanksgiving I went to a LYS in Ventura with
Kathy (MIL) and searched for the right yarn, they did
not have it, I was not going to be swayed!  I had permission
from hubby to splurge and I wasn't going to let the
oppertunity pass!  I ended up with a striping yarn with dark
colors.  Do you know I bought one ball short?  I think fate is telling me to find the right
orange yarn to make this beauty.  9the weekend crafter Knitting 20 simple wearabeles for begeinners)

Barb this can be knit with Silk Garden.  Maybe you would not hate the colors of yours so much in a different pattern?
This just looks so comfy!

These are both so amazing! 
I just want to curl up in the "jacket"
(both from interweave)

And this is simply ingenious!  Someday I will absolutely will make this:

caped cardigan
check out the website, you have to see what
the cardigan does, everyone needs one!

This started my desire to knit purses, and though I have the yarn and started the purse I have not progressed too far:

Alright, I think it's time to move back into reality:
Here is just the beginning of my SKP, I need to head into town for a new set of dp's to continue:
And I have to send out a special thanks to you barb!  Notice this is not a plain old ball I wound with my yarn, it is a center pull ball!  You were right, it really is just as easy, if not easier that winding a ball.  I would not have even tried (I had tried another tecnique from a book or somewhere written that I did not understand) if not for your post - the video really made it easy to understand!

The yarn is my one skein (well now ball) of Recycled Silk.  I would now like to send out a special thanks to Little Knits (I can't remeber the name of the woman who owns it or at least sent me this).  When I put in an order before Christmas, one of the colors of  some wool yarn was out and she contacted me to choose another.  I did not want any others and asked her to send on the order without.  Well to my greatful surprise she GAVE me this Recycled Silk for free.  I told her she made me a forever loyal costomer.

Now here is the first project I really loved and made for myself - well so far the only thing I've really made for myself.  It is from the first Knitting Experience book and though it was supposed to be longer and wider, I still love it:
   

Great model, huh?  Note:  the wax paper bag of trucks :) 
I wanted to bring this scarf up
1) to show it off and
2) because it is knit lenghth wise, which might be interesting for you to try barb to help with the angony of knitting scarves!

This post has literally taken me two hours to create and I need to stop neglecting my boy, even though there were several other things I wanted to talk about.
Note to self for future:
If you blog daily, you won't have so much to write about at each blog!

Oh, before I run!  Barb you asked about my untwisting my twisted knitting?   I'm not sure my explination will be clear, but I folded the twisted edge up to the knitting edge (where I was working) and knitted them together for four or five stitches:
this has created a very strange spot, but did untwist the knitting and I thought I might as well see if I can't turn it into an interesting feature at the top of a purse when felted?

I know I go to some astonishing lengths to avoid frogging my work, but well there you have it.  I am just a Different Breed of Knitter (DBK)!

First Post of our Second Month!

So, I've got about two feet of my BUNO scarf done! Yipee, no scarfophobia! I did have a minor set back--I realized that the yarn I was using was way too think for a scarf. I have plenty of TLC Amore left over from my poncho so I cast on again and was off! I started out using #9 metal circs, don't ask me why. They're cold and my hands sweat and the acrylic yarn doesn't wick it away like wool would and after a few minutes of knitting the stitches don't move along the needles smoothly. So I switched to my wonderful Denise Needles and had no more trouble and was able to knit much faster. The scarf is a stockinette panel surrounded by a garter stitch edging. And guess what? The garter stitch keeps it from curling even though it's only three stitches on either side (the panel of stockinette is twenty-four stitches across).

SKP
In other knitting news, I am really leaning toward frogging my SKP (some people object to the use of the proper scientific term "Secret Knitting Project"). The reasons I haven't yet frogged it are:

• two feet of completed fabric comprised of two and a half balls of yarn
  
• I'll probably never make another one
  
• what am I going to do with seven (or is it eight?) balls of yarn in colors I don't love, love, love?
  

The reasons I should go ahead and frog it are:

• three more feet of fabric before I'm done
  
• I'll probably never finish it
  
• what am I going to do with it once I'm done and don't love, love, love the colors (yes, I know I could give it away, I'm ignoring that option for now)
  
• if I stop now maybe, just maybe, I would make another one in colors that I do love, love, love
  

Matilda's Bear
Friday night I cast on for Matilda's bear (Fiber Trends: Baby Bear and by Sunday morning had completed most of the front of the body (legs up to neck) but was dreading the idea of sewing the damn thing up and weaving in all the ends (I hate ends, hate, hate, hate 'em!) And I had really been looking for a toy that was knit in the round. So I frogged it all and began designing my own teddy bear. I knit nearly without pause yesterday and once again made it all the way to the neck, but this time front and back are done at the same time since it's all knit on my lovely Crystal Palace size 10 dpns. And due to the fact that I went against my better judgement (which said just attach the arms next to the body and knit on in the round decreasing for the shoulders/neck) I tried to do some creative wanna-be short row sholder shaping and decreases for the upper chest/back area to create room on either side to attach the arms. What I did worked and I got everything put together (looks a little funky, but hey, what is felting for if not to hide mistakes?!) and decreased for the neck. But, because of not-so-well-thought-out design I ended up with about twenty ends that needed to be woven. I thought about just knoting the hell out of them and leaving them inside the body but I just wasn't sure how good of an idea that was. I wove them in and now I just have the head left but am unsure just what kind of creative design mess to get myself into with that. Also, I haven't left an opening for stuffing after felting and don't think I want a gaping head wound to repair later and am considering stuffing it and hand-felting (an option given in the Fiber Trend's Bear pattern) Hmmmm. Any thoughts?

And finally, check out this sweet face...