stitch markers

I have a confession... I have become such a multitasker that I cannot stand just sitting there watching TV or in the passenger seat on any driving trip of length. In those times, I normally knit or crochet. Smaller projects as I do not have the attention span for bigger ones? I recently scored on some Rowan Big Wool yarn for a great price (in a not so hot pink color, but hey... it was a great deal). I have always been a big fan of Wen Lan Chia's Twinkle patterns, but never had the huge yarn. I was so excited I could finally do something. But - that yarn is the huge super bulky weight (but nice and light still, which is why I love it). So, it was off to ebay to order a set of size 36 circulars, when I realized that I had no stitch marker even close to being big enough... And that I didnt' want to spend anymore at this point. And so... I made some up - I had all these supplies left over from my early years in scrapbooking when metal was all the rage... While I do sometimes make jewelry now, I usually use better materials, and so this older stuff has just been sitting around. Heh. Not anymore. It was perfect....

For my size 17 circulars


For my size 36

And here they are in action...

(I love these twinkle patterns b/c they're HUGE and so, it takes about the same number of physical stitches as, say, a baby sweater. I also like it b/c it looks so different than anything else out there). Hopefully I can finish this one soon. The one time I tried to make a non-kid sized sweater with a size 8 needle - i was still knitting 6 mos into it and I was bored out of my mind...

baby shower

Its a big baby year in our extended family. My cousins are having their first baby - a boy to my son's everlasting happiness (we are a family of girls).... The baby shower was a blast. I made a card using the BoBunny Calypso line, and a stamp from Rubber Romance - it really kind of looks like my cousin A:

And here is the gift - another pair of pocket swaddlers for the baby, wrapping a cute doggie stuffed animal. These are fun to make.
TFL! Wendy

universal knit skull cap pattern

Having made a few of these caps at this point, I've realized that many of the patterns follow a similar basic form. Since I've been using different yarns from my stash (using only nonwools and very soft ones b/c these are chemo caps), I've adapted to the diff. gauges of the yarns, and thought I'd share.

Choose the recommended needle size for your yarn - you need a circular needle and a set of double pointed needles in the same size.

Cast on the circular needles enough stitches to fit the circumference of the head you are making the hat for (note there will be some give in your band and so, stretch your cast on line a little as you measure for the circumference (esp if you cast on like I do with very tight very close together stitches).

knit back and forth on your circular needle (unjoined) with a basic stitch for the brim. This can be a rib (K2P2) or a garter (just knit back and forth) or a moss stitch (K1P1) or anything you want. You have a long thin rectangle going at this point.

When your brim reaches approximately 2", join your knitting and continue knitting in the round until your knitted piece reaches 6" from your cast on row (or 7" or 8" if you're working with bigger heads). (NOTE: most patterns say put a sitch marker to mark the beginning of the row here, moving the marker up each time you start a new row. But I realized I always joined 2" above where I initially cast on - where there was always an unwoven in tail , I had a natural built in marker so I don't add another. But if it helps you, by all means, add the marker before you join). I normally use stockinette stitch here, but again, anything would work... Just keep it in a pattern that would stretch a bit. (a rib works well too). Since you're knitting in the round at this point, stockinette is just straight knit stitches and it is a very nice "I don't have to think too much about it" knitting.

Once you get to the 6" (or 7" or 8"...) transfer your project to double pointed needles, evenly distributed among the needles. Now you start to decrease (and form the top of the hat). Knitting in the round:

[K8, K2Tog]. repeat til end.
[K7, K2Tog] repeat til end
[K6, K2Tog] repeat til end
[K5, K2Tog] repeat til end
[K4, K2Tog] repeat til end
[K3, K2Tog] repeat til end
[K2, K2Tog] repeat til end
[K1, K2Tog] repeat til end
K2Tog, repeat til end

Now, cut the yarn from the skein, giving yourself about a 8" tail. Thread a needle through the end, and then run that needle through all the remaining stitches on your needles, pulling tight.

You're done. Join the loose ends of your brim, add a flower, a button, etc. Weave in all yarn tails.

Here are three more that I just finished for a very special little girl. That's five total, as a girl cannot have too many choices, eh? The pinks are cotton; the white is microspun with yellow crochet thread accent for a butter yellow hat. TFL. Wendy

fabric goodness

Taking a quick detour from my papercrafts to show you this beautiful stack of fabric that came in the mail yesterday. SIGH. It just makes me HAPPY looking at it. I need to make some pillows and after coveting the beauty of the textiles at antropologie's home section, I headed over to sew mama sew (my favorite online fabric place - all my favorite fabric designers and pattern makers). (How I love the jennifer paganelli .) Lucky for me, Joann's has its pillow forms on sale this week. Now, if I can only find some time to be able to cut and assemble...

cool hat

I found this awesome pattern for a hat that had an opening for a ponytail... I thought I'd give super nice wool a shot and i must have been raised in a barn, because while I liked it, will I defer only to using this $16/skein yarn instead of my beloved simply soft heather ($2.50?) - probably not. With my lifestyle and with active kids, the ease of the wash and wear of the simply soft is really welcome.

inspired

my ode to our new president... I started this the day after the inauguration, I was so inspired. I finally finished it. I need to work on eyes... they always come out a bit crooked.... TFL. Wendy

this uses (my favorite) distressed dots stamp from Unity Stamp Company

a baby gift

I went to a baby shower for my cousin on saturday. Being still in my handmade mode b/c of circumstances, I made a pair of baby swaddlers. I always struggled with my babies always kicking off the swaddle, but they were always so comforted by it. With a screaming baby, I never mastered the art of folding a huge receiving blanket just so - and quickly enough to calm the baby.

I wanted something easy to wrap, quick to use, and something non-kickable. A search on the net yielded this cool "pocket" swaddler - the baby goes in the pocket, and then it (a large oval) wraps with no folding, and closes quickly with adjustable velcro. Double layered flannel to ensure just enough warmth during the warming spring (when baby will be born). I made a pair - one and a spare.... Oh how I wish I had something like this back in the day.... TFL. Wendy

more christmas gifts...

Sharing some more gifts that I made for Christmas...

for my mom, a tool kit for her jewelry making tools - this is something I made up inspired by my friend Lisa's crayon holder..... the actual gift was filled with actual new pliers and stuff...




and some painted canvasas, inspired by Kelly Rae Roberts. Sorry for the slight blur on them. I was rushing to make it to the post office for one of them, and just snapped the pix very quickly - so quickly that I missed one completely ..... I didn't make too many....








TFL. Wendy

christmas gifts 1

Finishing up on gifts ....

these are sleeping bag/pillows for American Girl dolls - for two of my nieces