Sunday, October 12, 2008

OCDK-


OCDK
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Knitting. There! I’ve said it. I have a problem, the first step is always admitting to your self that you have a problem. Is there a 12-step program for knitters? Enough! My obsession has always been those beautiful self-stripping yarns and how to match perfectly the strips on two separate feet. I love knitting my sock ‘toe up, two at once’ and being able to finish both socks at the same time. The trick has always been how to get the ball of yarn to tell us when we’re at the halfway point. I will admit to cheating….here’s how:
Years ago I purchased an "incredible sweater machine’ and I’ve found the perfect use for it, well, OK, it became a part of my OCD. My therapist says I’ve got to stop ‘justifying my actions.’ Anyway, take out the sweater machine, or whatever brand knitting machine you’ve got. Now cast on about 56-60 stitches with waste yarn and then start with your self-striping sock yarn. Add some more waste yarn and start then next ball of self-striping sock yarn (because you KNOW that you have at least 10 in the stash) that’s right keep going. Why not knit them all up while you got the knitting machine out and dusted off. Put about 5-10 rows of waste yarn between each section of good sock yarn and remove from the knitting machine. Now you have this HUGH scarf looking thing. Snip about half way though the section of waste yarn and unravel, separating the sections of sock yarn. You can now see the color rotation and exactly how many sections of the color strip you have in that ball of yarn. If you count 17 sections of yellow/red/green you know that you can start your toe at yellow and knit eight sections per sock. You can also snip and unravel to separate the scarf into two sections and knit your sock at the same time from the two, now separated scarves. Keep in mind, the scarf will only unravel in one direction, you will KNOW if your going from the wrong way because you’ll only get to unravel one row at a time before you have to untie the knot.
And that is my secret to these PERFECTLY matched heels….TA DA!!!!!



Sunday, October 5, 2008

Cuff 2 Cuff


Finished the 'Sideways' cardi by Judith Shangold, yarn was Jo-Ann Sensations Rainbow Boucle in the pink/white as you can see. Already had a co-worker put in a request for one for Christmas..... hmmm

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Christmas in July













Well, not really Christmas in July, but I'm getting SO many Christmas gifts done and tucked away..... This is a great hat pattern from CBKnits. I used two balls of Patons SWS in the Natural Blue colorway. LOVELY!!! Now lets see.... who's it gonna be for.....???




Hat's for the boys! Yarn is Laces Shepherd Sock and the pattern is from "knitting from the top down" by Barbara Walker, highly recommend this book!





Socks for some girls at the office.

Fidget in Debbie Bliss Baby cashmerino

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Long Cabled Vest by Gayle Bunn

Yarn was Filatura Di Crosa Zarella in a discontinued color, purchased at the now closed Carma's Needlecraft in Louisville, Ky.
Pattern can be found here
With my dread of sewing pieces together, I’m knited this in the round to the armhole shaping. I really liked this pattern, very well written.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Icelandic Lace Shawl




Finially finished this lovely shawl. I ordered yarn as a kit from Sarah's. Started knitting in February and just got it blocked out this week. Lovely! Still haven't decided who will receive it.
I can tell you now, my friend Patty R. has retired from our Department and received her shawl...couldn't have anyone spoiling the surprise.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Mom's Sweater



Finished mom's mother's/birthday gift and got it off in the mail to Mississippi. .
This pattern is so simple and easy to follow, if you've not knitted a top down, this is the one for you!!!
Found the yarn at my local, and now closed yarn store, it's Filatura Di Crosa Zarella in a discontinued color. I just loved that discount bin, and now it's gone...

Monday, May 5, 2008

My soapbox....

I've finished one sweater....and a pair of socks... and working on another sweater vest... and will try to post pictures this weekend.
But that's not what I want to talk about, I want to comment on THANKING. We as a knitting community take SO MUCH for granted. The hard work and time and expense that designers put into these wonderful patterns, and do we ever take a few minutes to ‘thank’ them? Now you know that if we find one single error, we hunt them down and point out their mistakes, bad mouth them as if we could have done the job perfectly, like any of us are perfect and never make mistakes. Those patterns are knitted, test knitted, over and over and things slip by, we are human. But my point is, do we ever hunt them down and say…”Hey, I loved making this, I get comments every time I wear it, everyone loves it, it was so cool to make”, etc… You know what I’m talking about. And with Ravelry, finding our favorite designers is easier then every. After I finished LL Swing Coat by Annie Modesitt I was able to email her and tell her what a wonderful pattern she had made. I wasn’t expecting to hear back from her, but the lady is a class act and replied to me.

So before I get off my soapbox, let me just say “THANK YOU” to all you wonderful designers who publish and share your work with the world.