Cute Knitting: October 2008

I hope to have a non-stranded FO to show you this weekend.

It is already dark and stormy here this afternoon so I have just one more thing to say.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

time for tea cozies

It's that time of year ~ some new tea cozies can now be found in the Firefly Farm Shop.

"It is a token of healthy and gentle characteristics, when women of high thoughts and accomplishments love to sew; especially as they are never more at home with their own hearts than while so occupied."

Nathaniel Hawthorne ~ The Marble Faun

Instead of knitting, a little hand sewing with morning tea ~ nice and relaxing and not far from the warmth of the woodstove.

It's the very cute Little House ornament found here.

I just ordered about 10 more shades of Elann's Peruvian Highland sport weight to figure out the color combo I want to use for the Dale Whistler sweater. I know I am going to use Tapestry Blue for the main color but everything else is still up for grabs.

This Saturday, November 1st, from 10 am to 2 pm there will be a House Rabbit Society Adoptathon at the Albuquerque eastside Petco at 10700 Lomas. There will be zillions of spayed/neutered bunnies available for immediate adoption and experienced rabbit people to answer any questions. We're getting many more rabbits from the shelter lately and we have more bonded rabbit pairs like sisters Tiger and Snow seen below.

Bonding bunnies is a science (I definitely don't have the skill!) but fortunately we have some experienced rescuers who can help anyone bond two rabbits. In fact, they have been putting up Youtube videos HERE of their work with two of our former bunnies, Midnight and Luna, who are apparently in relationship therapy.

A Tiny Heart

Ok, so I was forced just absolutely forced..to take a small break from "The Dad Sweater" to do some quick knitting for the shop. Yea... Its been tough not working on that huge ribbed sweater because it's so exciting and stuff, but its a sacrifice that I will have to make.

I'll manage somehow.. I guess... :)

My first order of business was to quickly knit up this cute little heart which is the "Heart Pin" pattern from the book Closely Knit. This weekend Hannah Fettig is coming to the shop for a book signing and the owner of the shop is providing materials for everyone who comes to sit down and make this cute little heart.... Which by the way, Hannah offers the pattern for as a free download off of her blog.

I made a sample to find out exactly how much yarn it takes to make and also because its just so dang cute...

I have quite a few ideas for this little heart. How cute would it be pinned to my daughters denim jacket, or overalls? Or wouldn't it be so sweet attached to a handmade card for someone? I also thought of threading it on a ribbon and hanging it up somewhere... or I could make several and make a little crib mobile for a baby shower gift. Who knew a little knitted heart could have so many possibilities?

My daughter likes it as is.

She was really enjoying playing with it. I had to wrestle it away from her in order to take it to work with me and things got ugly and all tantrumy after that.

I think I ended up promising to knit up many more hearts to make up for it... I better get knitting.

I am always reluctant to show UFOs here but alas I haven't finished anything in a while. This is a sock for a friend (fortunately she only has size 6 feet!) - the pattern is the Noel Noel socks from Red Bird Knits.

I'll post our photos from our visit to Colorado later this week. It was nice to see friends but our main goal for our last trip was to bring back our baby seen below. We haven't had her in our possession for over 8 years. I was hoping we'd get to do some canoeing this month before it gets cold but DH has been taking his sweet time refinishing the oars.

finally finished

The picture below is from the Lion Brand yarn catalog. When I saw the pink and green Nancy Meier tea cosy I loved it, even though I would never have chosen these colors on my own. And, I sent for the pattern {here}...2 years ago...

So, I'm especially happy that it is finally finished and fits my 4 cup brown betty teapot perfectly...

Pattern::Nancy Meier's Tea Cosy from Lion Brand Yarn

Yarn Used::Lion Wool #132 Lemongrass & #140 Rose {1 skein each for 4 cup size}

Needles::Pair of size 5 {3.75mm} straight needles

Gauge::5.5 sts = 1 inch in stockinette stitch

Here's a new recipe I tried for Pumpkin Chip cookies ~ perfect with a cup of tea.

1 cup butter, softened::1 cup sugar::1 egg::1 tsp vanilla::1 cup canned pumpkin::2 cups flour::1 tsp baking powder::1 tsp baking soda::1 tsp cinnamon::1/2 tsp salt::1 cup dark chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar, mix in wet ingredients, mix in dry ingredients. Add chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonful onto baking sheet. Bake 10 - 12 minutes at 375 degrees.

artful blogging

In the midst of an unsettling week, that has probably given me more than a few gray hairs {and also includes a broken down washer}, the mailman brought me a little ray of sunshine ~ the Winter 2009 issue of Artful Blogging with an article on Homespun Living...

Many thanks to Staci Dumoski and all you readers who made it possible!!

Deb

NeverNotKnitting Podcast : Episode 8 : Facing The Felt

Shownotes:

"The Dad Sweater" pattern

Striped Baby Berets

Evangeline Fingerless Gloves

RYC Natural Silk Aran

Classic Knits

Mary's Garden Socks

Audknits.com

Puttermeister On Ravelry

Puttermeister's Blog

NeverNotKnitting Ravelry Group

Episode 7 Drawing Winners:

1st place: Denise/CT wins Amelie sock pattern

2nd place: Ikkinlala wins Vogue Magazine

3rd place Tied: BethanyG wins Knitters Magazine

3rd place Tied: Prof. Askey wins Amelie sock pattern

Thanks Everyone! Congratulations!

Subscribe with iTunes or RSS

Naked knitting

Carol Hummel's artists
Nancy Mellon

This was meant to be my new weekly slot/ from now it will be but if I'm not quick this weeks slot will be next weeks.

Its title will be, well for the moment Google image, knit hit;-)
(Any suggestions welcomed)

My inspiration for this new idea came when a few weeks back I Googled "Men knitting" I got so many excellent images (tough to choose)

So I had the idea that each week ill Google Image something funny/random to to with knitting or crochet and then post pic's with text. Naked knitting- of course, there where a few adult type! shall we say hits, but also some funny one's and some nothing really to do with Naked unless bare as in bare tree!. I have to limit to a few pictures and these are the ones that I chose.

ENJOY

Sabbatical

Sabbatical-- Any extended period of leave from one's customary work, esp. for rest, to acquire new skills or training, etc.

Hi All-I'm still here, but not a lot of blogging is happening (obviously). The next topic is to be garment shaping, but it's such a large topic that it's hard to tell where to begin. There have been several false starts, but no approach has yet proved satisfactory.

In the meanwhile, however, it has been fun working on projects. There's been a knitting drought for several years at ChezTECH as the blog has been all-consuming. Now it is as if a dam had burst, and I am churning out projects. It is fun knitting with yarn again, rather than pixels.

Evidently, TECHknitting is now officially on a sort of a sabbatical break--a substantial period of time off while my thoughts get reorganized and fresh energy is generated to post further. Sorry to have been incommunicado for so long, but TECHkntting will be back--eventually--and I really hope to tackle garment shaping at that time.

Thanks for your continued patience, and we'll hopefully meet again in the not-too-distant future.

--TECHknitter

I just received my new computer so I've been swamped transferring photos, installing software, etc. I can't believe how much time all this is taking.

DH has a new FO. It doesn't really look that exciting though.

It is a cold frame for growing greens in winter. I can't believe I found all these plants at Home Depot in the middle of October.

I planted Romaine, cilantro, and parsley for Bubbles. I also added collard greens and spinach for myself. I am so excited about harvesting salads in the middle of winter!

Yellow daisy buttons

Perfect buttons for my new grass effect bag.

A shop in Odenplan called Dolly's at 1kr a button, Bargain

lay
Not quiet at the Fin part but I'm getting their. I prefer this way of lettering to my original idea, it's going to take a while but it will be worth it!

The Dad Sweater That Just Wont Quit...

Ahh.. The Endless Ribbing...

I have been faithfully working on just my Dad's sweater now for over a week. I did waver once when I started a hat for my daughter but have since ripped that out and its probably for the best. I need to finish this sweater!!! Its getting colder and colder outside and there is my Dad all "handknit-sweater-less" and I feel a twinge of guilt every time I see him!

The pocket is a nice detail, eh?

Did I mention? This sweater is taking forever!!!!!

This week..........

Eye Cord Mania
Here's my new project, it's a take on Raverlys Blankie Mania. My version is a spiral rug. Use what yarns you like,odds or new and so in the end you will have rainbow of colour and texture rug. Eventually;-)

Eye cord on my new size 12 needles.

Finley round three, trying yet another idea! If all else fails at least I'll have a few to choose from for his Christmas gift.

Gelfling

I found an image of a Gelfling just in case that you where unaware of the film The Dark Crystal.
My felted Lotrrh would have fitted her perfectly;-)

dale of norway whistler hat

Here's the Whistler 2005 hat with the embedded maple leaf design from the new Dale of Norway Commemorative Collection full of Canadian designs. (Woolybaabaa, Kirtland's Yarn Barn, Bea Ellis Knitwear, and Allegro Yarns now carry the pattern booklet.) I used Elann's Peruvian Highland sport weight wool yarn in six colors but the contrast colors aren't showing up well enough in real life so it is back to the drawing board. I went up a needle size to accommodate the lighter weight yarn and my row gauge is off. Because I have to order more yarn to experiment with I have put off the estimated date of completion of the Whistler sweater until after the holidays.

I'm getting a great deal of knitting done during the baseball playoffs but it certainly isn't low-stress. Tonight's last ALCS game especially should be a nail-biter! Next up - a holiday sock for a deserving friend and some Dale snowflake mittens in alpaca.

This week I have been mostly

The dress is all in one piece so I find it easier to crochet the sleeves actually on the mannequin.

This week I have been mostly crocheting sleeves. And not my usual signature sleeve which are always two different. So far it's a new thing for me design wise I'm making both at the same time and they are currently the same.

'Familiar Quotations'

Today was the Fall library book sale. I never know what treasures I may find ~ almost without fail something good awaits.

Today I found Familiar Quotations by John Bartlett...

Here is one of the first quotes I came across; it's giving me a lot to think about...

To live content with small means;

to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion;

to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich;

to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly;

to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart;

to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never.

In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common.

This is to be my symphony.

"My Symphony" by William Henry Channing

Lotrrh

Teeny tiny- Gelfling dress;-)

Felted big time!

"Lord of the Rings" meets "Robin hood"
My inspiration was the beautiful Liv Tyler.
This dress has history and was precious to me, It was the fantasy one that helped me to get noticed with my dresses.

I decided to give it a wash and hope that it would pull back into shape etc
I also didn't realise that the yarn that I once referred to as Wotsits
(An English baby crisp) was in fact 100% wool!

Also un-aware the rented house I live in, the washing machine that came with it. That could almost be described as a museum piece.
This is the funny part....... it has no heat limit!
So my 30% wash was more likely a boil wash;-)

Not to be horrified with the results!

I guess a new title is needed, another fantasy film that I like is called
The Dark Crystal so this will now be refereed to as the Gelfling dress.

A Gelfling could be best described as part fairy part Liv Tyler (L,O,T,R character)

The bin makes a good reference for size, for the dress that once fitted a 5ft mannequin.

dried tomatoes in olive oil...

The garden here is done for the year, but I found some nice tomatoes cheap at the produce store recently. I decided to dry them in my food dehydrator {a Nesco American Harvest)...

According to the user/recipe guide that came with it, the Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil "taste better than the expensive 'sun-dried' ones at the supermarket"...I had to try it.

Here's what I did:

After the tomato slices are dehydrated, dip the slices in white wine vinegar, shake off excess, and place them in a pint jar. Then, cover them with extra light olive oil. These need to set 1 month before using, and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

Mid-November I will let you know how they are.

Deb

Round two!

Still not their yet, I spent an hour looking through the knit lab library
(No such thing as crochet lettering)
From "Vintage" to "Crochet for dummy's", no knitted letters any where to be found.
Along came karin, she worked out my problem is 5 minutes.
I guess that's 50 years of experience for you'-)

So I'm now attempting my third go!

Finlay

My new nephew and I thought it would be nice to make him a name blanket!

Here is my 2nd attempt this time I am crocheting with the two yarns at once for the lettering leaving the yellow attached. I think this will too flop/ be frogged as the letters look more like graffiti bubble than cute baby!

My 1st I rejoined the yarn for each letter that had an even messier effect.

At the Hurtigs knit cafe last night, the others told me of a Swedish saying that means at least four times and then it works..........so two to go and I will be their.

Hopefully

Evening Stockings

I finished them!!!

I started these stockings in July and just now got them finished!!!

The pattern is called Evening Stockings For a Young Lady out of the book Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush.

I just love them! I think that they turned out so cute! They will be extra warm to wear under pants in the cold weather, but stylish enough to wear with a skirt.

Like most knitters on Ravelry, I made some modifications to this pattern. I was surprised by how short the socks were in the original pattern. They weren't knee-high at all! I had to add 8 extra pattern repeats to get them the right length. Also the heel flap was really really long for some reason, so I shortened the heel by 10 rows. I also worked a standard toe. I am really happy with how they turned out. The modifications that I made worked perfectly for the shape of my foot.

I worked these stockings up with US size 1 needles, and it took a little over 2 skeins of Panda Silk to complete the pair. I was surprised by how far just one skein went! One skein made almost one entire sock, I just had to finish up the end of the toe with another skein.

I also love the way that these stockings look with shoes!!!

Wow that was a lot of pictures! I just couldn't decide which ones to put up, so I used them all!!!

Thankyou to my Sister In Law, Malaree for helping me take them today!

Men's Norwegian Mittens

Ahh the joys of technology! In the last five days my computer died, our electricity was out for almost two days due to a windstorm (I missed two MLB playoff games!), my MP3 player died, my scanner refuses to be hooked up to the new computer (actually a used model from the computer guy DH works with) and I think something is now wrong with my camera. I did learn one valuable thing though - it is mind-boggling how much more knitting I get done without a computer.

Here are the Men's Norwegian mittens. Info on the pattern can be found HERE on Ravelry or on page 38 of the Japanese booklet from Yesasia.com titled either Northern European Knitted Accessories or Scandinavian Knitted Accessories.

I really like the unusual pattern on the front. I used Cascade 220 and size 4 dpns and DH says he likes them.

I also made some mindless 2 strand thick socks on 32 sts trying to use up various purple odds and ends from my stash.

I'm off now to try to find some sort of battery-operated light bright enough for stranded color knitting during power outages.