Oregon State Socks!!! Civil War Weekend!!!

So....if you are a Oregon Duck fan....move on to a different page. This is not the page for you. My husband came to me last week and asked for a pair of socks since his feet were freezing (our house can get so cold so layers are a necessity). Being that this was the first time he had ever really asked for me to knit him anything I was shocked. So I found a pattern by Knitting Pure and Simple "Men's Heavy Weight Boot Sock # 998" then changed the pattern slightly to have stripes at the top and orange heels and toes. Finally I decided to put a big orange "O" on each of the socks. Now I must be completely honest. I hate the "O" part and have threatened my husband's life if he even thinks of leaving the house in these things. They are doing their job by keeping his little toes warm but I do have to giggle when I see them on him. Oh well.....with each thing you knit you learn new things then move on (learning when to never do certain things ever again). Now that I look at the picture it kind of looks like his feet have mouths that are open, waiting to be fed. Civil War this weekend!!! Go Beavs!!!

I Love Getting Mail!

I am a eBay junkie. There....I finally admitted it. I search randomly throughout eBay looking for crazy things, that all in all I really don't need but kinda want. Well today, the coolest things I have ever bought on eBay arrived from England. Knitting patterns of Gromit and Shaun the Sheep from the Wallace and Gromit series. Ever since I saw the movie "Wallace and Gromit and the Curse of the Were-Rabbit" and saw Gromit knitting in the car while waiting for Wallace I have been hooked. I can't wait to get started on these!! I might even have to keep them for myself! Now if I could just find a pattern for Wallace.....

Looped Preemie Hat

The Looped Preemie Hat Pattern

This cute little preemie hat is adjustable for various sizes all by rolling up the brim. The yarn stripes as you work your way up to the top little loop to finish it off.
Perfect for a charity!

Materials:
Needles- Qty 4 Size 5 (3.75mm) Dbl pointed
Yarn-1 ball of Bernat Baby Jacquards (shown in Berries & Cream), or any other DK size yarn
Notions- 1 yarn needle

Pattern:
1. CO 48 sts
2. Divide between 3 needles
3. Rib 1x1 (K1, P1) for 1 inch
4. Knit 1 row, increasing 2 sts (1 stitch after 23rd and 47th stitches) (50 sts)
5. Knit 10 rounds
6. Round 12- *(K8, K2tog), *repeat 5 times (45 sts)
7. Knit 4 rounds
8. Round 17- *(K7, K2tog), *repeat 5 times (40 sts)
9. Knit 3 rounds
10. Round 21- *(K4, K2tog), *repeat 6 times, K2, K2tog (33sts)
11. Knit 2 rounds
12. Round 24- *(K3, K2tog), *repeat 6 times, K3 (28sts)
13. Knit 1 round
14. Round 26- K1*(K1, K2tog), *repeat 9 times (19sts)
15. Knit 1 round
16. Round 28- K1*(K2tog), *repeat 9 times (10 sts)
17. Round 29- *(K2tog), *repeat 5 times (5 sts)
18. Round 30- K2tog, K1, K2tog (3sts)
19. Put all stitches on one needle
20. Knit 1 1/2in I-cord, pulling yarn through stitches when completed
21. Sew I-cord end to top of hat to create loop

The Christmas Presents and My Aching Fingers

I could do it. I could be proactive and have all of my knitting projects that have been classified as "Christmas Gifts" done by let's say....June. I could wrap them up and put them away until the 25th of December, in the mean time enjoying each day baking cookies and working on the other projects that have been classified as "Just for the heck of it". But I, as many people, have decided to wait till the last minute, in which I must juggle history essays, work, sociology tests, and computer assignments all while squeezing in the occasional stitch. As I look at the project that I have torn apart three times, just to make sure I get it right since it is a present, I think "Maybe it would be a good birthday present next year...or maybe Christmas 2009!". Pathetic is another word that comes to mind in this moment of weakness but that's a whole other problem. So why is it that we wait, and wait, and wait? Do we enjoy the pressure of being up at 5am on Christmas day, stitching together those last few pieces of an afghan? Or is it just life and the ability to get up to our necks in "stuff"? We are the only ones to blame in this situation (even though most of us are in denial about it). So in this moment of pure irritation in realizing that if I don't stay up till the crack of dawn to knit this project it may never get done....I look to those who have the right idea.

Just sit back, relax, even take a nap with a buddy, and know that everything will eventually work itself out.....whether you like it or not.

The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread

Searching through one of my many knitting magazines, I found a small article about the newest way to block your projects. The Knitter's Block is a bag that carries multiple puzzle-like blocks that you lay out in the size of your project. The felt like blocks keep the project in place but there are also a small container of push pins if you ever have that project that just doesn't cooperate. Contained in the bag is also a soft piece of fabric, made of 100% Egyptian cotton can be used to either assist in drying the project or a barrier when you want to block by iron drying. There are two different sizes of Knitter's Block bags (the picture is of the smaller version), one small and one large. I recently used the Knitter's Block on one of my recent sweater projects and it was amazing the difference. I am so used to improvising when it comes to blocking. It was down to the point that I was using a large framed photo on top of the project to flatten it. Sounds weird? Well, you do what you have to....plus it worked! Anyway, the Knitter's Block is absolutely amazing and I would suggest it to any knitter. You can find the Knitter's Block at http://cocoknits.com/block/knittersblock.html

Star Jackets for Everyone!

One of my latest projects, a star jacket that I found in a older Noro book. Unfortunately the some of the yarn stated in the pattern was long discontinued so I substituted Lamb's Pride for the grey portions, and the stars are Noro Kureyon. Well, shortly after buying the Lamb's Pride color Silver Sliver I found out that it had been discontinued!! I was short 4 balls and no one in the area had any left. There seems to be something saying "Hey Lady....don't make this jacket!!", cause I couldn't be this lucky could I? After searching the Internet and running into other brick walls, I found a shop called Yarns By Design in Neenah, WI. Barb at the shop went out of her way to find me the right color. She even ordered the right color from a different shop and is going to ship it to me. It's people like Barb that remind me that there are wonderful people in the world, no matter how many horrible stories you hear on the news. Now, feeling much better about making this jacket. I had already had some apprehension to being with, being that this was the first larger project with fair aisle that I had done. It's actually not as bad as I had thought. With each passing project that comes out great I find myself with the inspiration to work on more projects with harder stitches or more color. The best part of knitting, the inspiration that comes with the passing time. If each aspect of our life had this much inspiration we might find ourselves enjoying life so much more, rather than focusing on things like the economic downfall and war across the water. Who needs a therapist when you have knitting?

The Magic Loop

After much debate I have started working on the magic loop socks that so many have talked about....but have been afraid to try. Is it hard? At first yes! While I have never tried the two needle method and went straight from double pointed to one continuous loop it was awkward to say the least. But once you get a couple rounds under your belt the rest is easy sailing. Granted....I have not finished them yet so my opinion might change slightly before I am done but I will have to say that seeing the two socks created at one time gives you a bit more determination to get them done. Working one sock at a time in the past, I have found that it will usually be at least 6 months before I do the other and create the pair. Doing the same thing that you just completed makes most cringe when as a knitter we are people that look forward to getting the project done and moving on to bigger and better things. Time will only tell how it goes but in the mean time...the magic loop continues.

Congratulations!

I would like to congratulate my mom, Linda Lou, on having the courage to pick up a knitting and crochet needles again! She even went to the knitting group in Bend with little knowledge of knitting and during the meeting picked it up again and was on her way to making a beautiful scarf. I hope she keeps it up cause I think she would continue to be great at it! She has also started crocheting again, which she just decided was more her thing. She finished her first purple scarf and it's beautiful.
Good job mom!

The Redmond Stitch n' B*tchers Have Arrived!

After much consideration, and some pushing by a few people, I decided to start a knitting group in my home town. While I love the group in the next town over....I keep finding it so hard to get over there while still trying to live my life of school and work. The ever rising costs of gas and the patience needed to get through traffic was enough to make it final. Now I am the only group member at this very moment but granted I have only started this 3 days ago on meetup.com and just put an announcement on craigslist.com last night. I do hope this works out because I would really like to knit along with others so much more than I am able to at this very moment but time is just not allowing it. We will see what happens. And if it doesn't work out?? I guess I can just always keep knitting along with myself and Tigger (the cat) who seems to enjoy sitting by me while I knit away on my many projects.

Missing the Butterflies

The cold has started to come and with each passing night I begin to see my beautiful flowers wilt. With the wilting flowers the butterflies that I enjoyed watching so much begin to dissappear, flying away to their winter homes hopefully somewhere warm. Waking up early in the morning to get ready to get to school only to find snow on the ground showed that I need to knit that much faster. The four sweaters that are all in the midst of being half way finished must be done soon I tell myself, cause if they aren't I'll just continue to put them off till the next winter. It's amazing how it sneaks up on you. It seemed like just yesterday that we were sitting on the deck on a humid summer night looking up at the brightly lit stars that illuminated the sky, hoping to see just one suddenly bolt across the deep midnight sky. Then I am suddenly sitting in a classroom, starting the school year once again. And now it's almost time for pumpkins and ghosts with little people running from door to door in hopes for mounds of candy. It's time to knit to stay warm and all I can think about it butterflies. Before we know it....there will be butterflies and we will be dreaming of snowflakes and sweaters.