Knitting Passion

What to write about?

Lessa and I are headed to Homer, Alaska today for the Kachemak Bay Writers Conference, with keynote speaker Amy Tan. Lessa and I are both looking forward to getting away for a bit - we ejoy each other’s company (always nice in a mother-daughter combo - and especially nice since we will be bunking together for the next few nights - heh)

Homer is a quiet little hamlet by the sea - well, usually, but it IS closing in on summer now and the tourists are coming strong. Also, all of the folks who live in our area or in Anchorage who like to fish out of the Homer harbor are beginning to put their boats into the water and playing.

It is summer in Alaska.

but . . . let’s get back to the knitting front, shall we?

I was dinking around through a knitting news site and found an article that just climbed right into my brain and wouldn’t let go - even though the article is about crochet, not knitting. It is about a woman who lives in Coshocton, Ohio, which is a town that my mother lived in at one point in her life. It’s near where I grew up, too.

The story is about Esther Rine, who carries on a craft taught to her by her grandmother when she was seven years old - crocheting rag rugs. This is cool to me because I also learned to crochet early (4 years old) and was taught to make rag rugs by my grandmother (the one who lived in Coshocton while my mother was young)

Ms. Rine also makes children’s clothing and gives them to her church and missions. Her rugs are now being sold on ebay thanks to the work of a friend. Very cool, I’m thinking.

And, for your weekend pleasure - a free pattern to use for Knitting in Public Day (the 9th). This is a darling cap with “heart shaped lace detailing” from Knit Whits. Poifect!

And, with that I am out of here until Monday where I will be writing to you from beautiful downtown Homer, Alaska. Perhaps I’ll have a picture to share!

knitting, knitting news, Coshocton Ohio, rag rugs, crochet, free pattern, knit whits

Monday I told you about the Opal baby sweater pattern by Lucia Tedesco. I finished the body of the sweater, but couldn’t get started on the sleeves because, silly me, I didn’t purchase the size 4 dp needles, thinking I already had them. (That’s how I have accumulated several pairs of duplicated needles - forgetting which I owned)

So, I picked them up tonight after work - and before a board meeting at work. I generally don’t go to the board meetings - going this time because our president was resigning to be with his children. We’ll miss DT as he is an extremely hard worker and really has our agency’s best interest to heart.

ANYway - I got off work at 5 and before the meeting I went to the LYS to get the needles - and pick up three more skeins of yarn - in a different color - also for an as yet unknown baby. Got started on the first sleeve tonight.

progress photo:
click for larger version.

Aren’t the colors just luscious? I love them.

I want to give a shout out to some recent visitors:

Dee, Debbie, and Joan.

thanks for stopping by, ladies. I’m enjoying your sites, too!

knitting, baby sweater, friends, novice knitting, knitting deb, vamantaknits,

when good knitters go a wee bit naughty . . .

While checking out patterns yesterday I clicked a link that took me to the summer 04 issue of knitty. There I found patterns that led daughter #1 to tell me - see I told you knitters were weird.

Of course that was followed by - gee, I could sure use one of . . . heh. And, maybe one of . . .

Seriously - all in good fun, I’m sure. But, I do think that the Moon creation was just tres’ craftique! (so, okay - I don’t speak OR write French!) However, if you have a daughter just entering those awkward moody monthlies time in her life - perhaps this is something that she could use.

After all, we olders are not that easily embarrassed by such - right? right? Hmmmm - maybe one for your favorite friend might be appropriate after all.

knitting, knitty, naughty, patterns, free, rachel ray, watching rachel ray, Lessa

Okay - who is inside my head pounding on my temples??? Get out - get out now! (eta - ahhhh, good old exced**n! lovely not to be in pain any longer!)

Good morning, everyone - it is Memorial Day and I hope that you are thinking kind thoughts of those who have passed in order to make our country free. While you are doing that, won’t you say a prayer for those who are overseas (in many places) following orders - in order to keep our country free?

moving on . . . .

I have begun the next project - Opal Baby Sweater by Lucia Tedesco.

Well, it is supposed to be done with Opal, but I checked Kenai’s LYS and found they didn’t carry it - so I purchased another yarn that seems to be working up with the same gauge. It’s another self-patterning yarn - Moda-Dea’s Sassy Stripes in Spring (6983). It is working up very cute.

Nope - no intentional recipient for this sweater - I was just up for something new. Still have socks on needles and have not yet finished the scarf I started for a special project - it’s still on needles, but about to be frogged. I just don’t like how it is working up. I may choose something other than the suggested pattern.

Tis the season for Little League! I will be doing some benchwarming as I watch two granddaughters playing over the next couple of months. The project bag will go along with me and, hopefully, some projects will be completed.

I have a tendency to just flitter away to a new, brighter, fun-ner, project. My (now deceased) father-in-law (hubby’s step-dad) used to call me “butterfly” because “that girl just flits from here to there.” I’m not sure, but I think he meant it kindly - he was in the hospital at that point and I was only 16 and hubby and I weren’t married until we were 19.

See, I flit when I write, too.

Have a glorious Monday, everyone! The sun is shining brightly in Kenai, Alaska.

Just took the French market bag off the needles - I made some modifications to this one. I added a deeper blue, funky yarn, stripe to the body of the bag - and then added some of it to the handles as well. Also, I made the handles a bit longer - 15 rows - because I thought the last one’s handles just felt too short. We’ll see how this one works out.

here’s a shot of the bag with a book - Friday Night Knitting Club - on it to show you just how big these things are before felting.

I will probably not get to the felting part of the project until Saturday.

What’s YOUR next project?

[tags]felted bag, french market bag, friday night knitting club, book, finished project, knitting, felting

If you have an interest (in anything), there is generally a group that can make use of your interest. If you have a desire to help someone, there are plenty of folks out there who could use your help.

I was introduced to the Prayer Shawl ministry last year through a monthly meeting I attend as part of my job. Prayer shawls were introduced to our small town hospital by a group of loving auxiliary members.

Looks like this might be where it all started. I would encourage you to take a look at the site and see if your knitting or crochet skills might be put to use in such a ministry.

Is there a hospital or nursing home near you? Is there an orphanage or children’s home nearby? An oncology unit? A neonatal ICU? The uses for such are pretty much endless once you begin to think about it.

You might not even need to reach beyond your own family - or church family. It’s just one more way of giving back . . . or paying it forward.

prayer shawl, knitting, crochet, give back, pay it forward

Spiderman - the superhero - III at a theatre near you.

Are your kiddos clammering for something with Spidey knitted on it? I did a g-search to see what is out there and it looks like you are not the only one seeking such a thing.

How about these neat Spider socks? Info on how to purchase the pattern is there. The legs almost look like they’re beaded, don’t they?

Ooooh - here you go - A black Spiderman face - crochet pattern for sale at that e-place. Better hurry, though. You only have a couple more days on that auction.

This is very nice - crochet - Spider web afghan. And, the pattern is included.

Do your own g-search and see what else you can find to meet the needs and desires of your little guys who love Spiderman. Don’t forget - Christmas is ONLY 7 months away.

Have a great weekend, everyone. Hubby and I are headed out the door shortly to take our anniversary trip to Homer, Alaska. Maybe I’ll have a photo to share with you on Monday.

knitting, crochet, Spiderman, afghan, spiderman face, spider socks, fun

Off to a bit of a relaxed start today - I’ve taken the next few days off work to celebrate my anniversary. Today hubby and I have been married 38 years! Yeah, I’m amazed, too.

This morning I finished two more squares for the Hokie blankets -

Click photo to see larger version and other shots

You actually see three there - one of the white ones is the “moose” square. The black and the other white show an Alaska shadow (? it’s not really an outline, but you get the idea) and the letters AK. I hope to do a white and black from Ohio as well as that is my birthplace and where some of my family still lives.

Hubby and I are headed to Homer, Alaska tomorrow to spend the night and take in some of the Shorebird Festival activities. I will work on the Ohio squares while we are driving. (well, I will if he is driving, huh?)

Hokie healing, Go Hokies, Virginia Tech, Mosaic Yarn Shop, knitting, free patterns, charity, 8 inch squares, knit

Still working on squares for the Virginia Tech blankets. This turned out too big, so I am trying again with smaller needles - the width on the new one is correct, but I won’t know about the length until it is finished. I may send it regardless of the size, just because to me it says Camai from Alaska. (Camai - pronounced CHA-MY - is a native word for hello)

click for larger version

I will use this larger piece in an afghan. It’ll most likely be purple and white - befitting of the PurpleMoose, right? Right.

Pattern for the knitted moose here.

knit, knitted squares, knitting, pattern, Virginia Tech, Hokies, Go Hokies!, Alaska, Camai,

click for larger version.

Here is the finished French market bag I am pretty sure I have mistakes in it - for example, if you go to the link you will see the picture of theirs - and the handles are longer. I’m not sure where I went wrong there, but do like a longer handle. So, next time (of COURSE there will be a next time) I will work a few extra rows there.

And, I think that my bottom is longer than the original, too. I lost count a few times and so . . .

But, for my first felted project, I think I did okay. Someone at work had commented that she didn’t think felting would work in a front loader washer - well, too bad for that, because that is what I have. So, nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? Right. I used my front loader - it did take twice through (boy are those jeans clean now!) for it to felt as tightly as I wanted it.

All in all I am pleased.

But, being the perfectionist that I am, I imagine that I will be keeping this bag and making the next for the friend I had planned to gift with this. She deserves the perfect bag, you see.

Have a wonderful Monday, everone!

french market bag, knitty, knitted, felted, felting, bags

No, not the Rachel Ray stuffed green pepper “stoup” - I’m, of course, talking about leftover yarns. Everyone has a stash of yarn - bought too much (just to make sure you had enough). Bought what the pattern said - still have a ball or two left over . . . what to do with the leftovers?

Well, here is one thought for using your leftover wool . . . cellphone covers! Less had sent me to Yarn Over Lounge to see her versions, but Lee was not very happy and decided to blenderize them. lol.

I have some leftovers from my bag project (note to self - TAKE PICTURES!) so maybe I should make a cellphone cover to match . . . maybe - maybe not. We’ll see.

NOTE: daughter Lessa MADE the hearty bell pepper stoup and it was delicious! Thanks for sharing, kiddo!

knitting, knitted bags, felted cell phone covers, Rachel Ray, stoup, blenderize, stash, leftovers

click for larger view.

Wish I could show it to you on the baby’s head, but she is up in Anchor-town - about 150 miles away. I will wrap and mail today..

Here’s the link to the pattern again - in case you missed it. My two new knitters helped me pick out the ribbon. I must say they are a bit more adventurous than I. I would have picked a paler pink or white - they said NO! it must be the brighter pink. So, there you have it. They are a lot closer to the age of the new little one than I am so I will take their expertise.

Still working on the felted bag - and must get back to the scarf for the WWIi vet project.

WIP, project completed, knitting, knit baby bonnet, bonnet, baby hat, knitted hat, baby pink

Business associates of ours have just had a tiny addition to their family - a little girl. I’ve been looking for a knitted hat pattern - something simple, yet somthing they would enjoy. Knitted somethings even in the spring are welcome in Alaska where it can be chilly into late spring.

There are a LOT of patterns out there in the great blue ether, friends! But, I clicked on a link over there to the right - Arabian Knits and from there found a link to Antique Knitting Patterns. Being that I’m a bit of an antique myself, this intrigued me, so of course I had to go and check it out. I found a sweet little hat that I am going to make.

Then I went peeking through some of the other links - oh, my this just reminds me of when I was a small girl: sizes 3-5 years girls knit coat and hat. Says the pattern is taken from Juvenile Styles 1943. I think it is the hat! Definitely the hat.

And just look at the Shirley Temple curls on THIS model! also from Juvenile Styles 1943.

okay - I am off here to go and start that little hat. I’ll post pics as I finish - and, I know, I know -

I owe you a pic of the felted bag I’m working on. I took it to church last night to show my friend - wanted to make sure I was doing it right. Some of the kids (teens) wanted to know if it was a hat - well, sure - if you want it - lol. my friend even modeled it, haha

Thanks to the commenters from the last couple of posts. Nice to see you here.

nostalgia knitting, old fashioned knitting patterns, knitting patterns, knitting, knitted hats, baby hats, free patterns, Shirley Temple curls

With apologies to the song writer (knees up Mother Brown . . .)

I have begun my first pair of toes up socks. Oh, my!!! Getting started was quite (QUITE!) interesting. I think I had several false starts before getting the stitches onto the needles and getting the first row done. But, finally got it done and have now gotten past the toe increases.

So far, so good. I had help from two web sources:

Knitty.com to the rescue for the “magic” cast on approach. Whew! Great pics - and, really, once you get the hang of it, it works like a charm!

The pattern is from knitty.com as well - Widdershins. I’m doing the plain sock this time. Maybe I will advance to the cabled sock next time - once I get both socks under my belt - get both cast on correctly this time - maybe then I can move on to the cabled sock. It IS pretty, though I think I would stick to a non-patterned yarn like pictured. I think the pattern in the yarn I’m using right now (Supersocke 100 from Turkey) would be competing too heavily if I tried the cable with it.

I’ll share pics tomorrow of my sis receiving her socks for her birthday. Happy, happy, joy, joy. She is looking forward to her feet staying warm in her apartment.

Also working on the scarf for the veterans page I shared last. How are you all coming on yours?

toes up socks, knitted sock patterns, free patterns, warm feet

Looking for a way to give back? - me, too. I will be sharing sites from time to time that you may like to help with also.

I receive newsletters from Bobby Matela who is the editor of Creative Knitting magazine. Today’s newsletter featured a way to help veterans:

The Museum reports that it received over 600 hand-knitted and crocheted scarves from 38 different states since October 2006. The scarves were distributed to V.A. Hospitals and other Veteran’s organizations. Since the scarves are still coming in at a good rate, the Museum has committed to continuing the distribution through 2007. Lauren Handley, the education programs coordinator, introduced this program to show WW ll veterans appreciation for their service.

This goes to my heart as my dad was a WWII vet - he died in 1966 in the Vet’s hospital in Dayton, Ohio. When I was small there were also a lot of WWI vets in my home town. You may not believe this, but there were even vets from before that war. (They were incredibly old to my young eyes, of course).

If you will check out the link to the National World War II Museum you will find a link to a free pattern (it’s a pdf) that you can download and use to make one (or several) scarves for veterans. There’s an address to send the completed scarf to.

There is also a map showing which states have contributed so far. I’m ashamed to see that Alaska is one of the ones that has NOT contributed. I am heading out to check my stash and take care of that problem tonight.

from the site:
How to Participate

Please include your mailing address, so we can recognize your generosity by sending you a certificate of participation and let the veterans know where the scarf has come from.

(there is also a link to a pattern for crochet)

I hope you will consider adding to the knitting circle of care as we warm up our vets.

Have a great weekend, everyone! Knit on!
><

knitting, charity, wwii vets, warmth, love, free pattern, knitting circle, share the love people