I'm a negligent Blog-mom

Yep... It's true.  Time has escaped from me, and it's been over 2 years since I posted any new shenanigans with my knitting.
A year ago, I made a commitment to be healthier for myself and my children.  I have lost 30 lbs (60 from my absolute heaviest) and have been a ton more active, both cleaning and organizing my house, and volunteering at the kid's school.

How does this relate to my knitting, you ask?

Not at all, except the time spent away from the house is basically the time I would have spent knitting 2 years ago.

I did create a few patterns out of gift necessity over the holidays, which I will type out and post to ravelry the minute that I have time.

Until then , keep on knitting, mah knittas!

Peg-a-corn

I posted about this little guy earlier this week (maybe Sunday... who knows. It's been an insane week).  I love how she turned out!

A friend got me some metallic embroidery floss (on account of my insane week) and I held that together with the pink yarn for the sparkle in the horn.  I really like the way this turned out!

Last night, I spent a lot of time covered up with my new no-sew blankie (super warm.  I was grateful, on account of our furnace not working) and cruising softie patterns on Ravelry.

I found this designer, and immediately fell in love.  I want all of the patterns!  God bless this lady for putting them together into collections, so I can kill multiple birds with one stone... as the saying goes.

Toilet paper covers

My husband is a member of the Antioch Shrine temple here in Ohio.  He loves being a Shriner and regularly lists it as one of his most proud accomplishments.  He puts lots of time it, often saying things like, Our kids have it pretty good.  I feel like I should help kids that legitimately need it.

During our Shrine club meeting in November, one of the guys mentioned that they needed door prizes for the Christmas party the following month.  I quickly volunteered, remembering a pattern that I saw for fez  toilet paper roll cover.  I then contacted my friend Salli, to see if there was a way that she could embroider the shrine logo for me.  To simplify the process, I decided to have a mono-chromatic emblem, which made it easier for her, also.
Here is the result:

The pattern I found originally called for it to be knitted top down, which made me stabby, as it's difficult to size diameter of a knitted object on dpns.  So I bought (or, more accurately, made my husband buy)  a package of toilet paper, and then just did test covers until one fit properly without looking like a circa 1920's woman's hat instead of a fez.
So, in case you want to knit a toilet paper fez, here's how I do it! (measurements to fit the Angelsoft double rolls.)

You will need:
Sz 7 circular needles (16" cable)
Sz 7 dpns
row start stitch marker (I use the rad locking ones from Knitpicks)
scrap yarn for provisional cast-on
Tassle / floss to make tassle
 Embroidered emblem (optional)

What I did:
Provisionally cast on 63 stitches with the method of your choosing (I just do a long tail cast on with the scrap yarn, then cut it out later.  I'm not sure if it saves me any time in the long run, but there is something strangely cathartic about cutting out a provisional cast on.  Maybe I'm just weird)
row 1-5 -  knit
row 6  - purl
row 7-11 - knit
row 12 - Pick up stitch held by provisional cast on with left needle, then k2tog with stitch already on left needle.  Continue with all stitches
Next, knit for 4.5".
At this point, I start the decreases and switch to dpns.  I use 3 dpns, working 3 decrease repeats on each needle
row 1 - (k5, k2tog) x 9
row 2 - knit
row 3 - (k4, k2tog) x 9
row 4 - knit
row 5 - (k3, k2tog) x 9
row 6 - knit
row 7 - (k2, k2tog) x 9
row 8 - k
row 9 - (k1, k2tog) x9
row 10 - knit
row 11 - k2tog across

Cut yarn and draw thru remaining stitches and cinch shut.
Weave in ends
Cut out provisional cast on
Attach tassle to top and glue emblem (optional)

When I do these with emblems, I always use the liquid stitch stuff.  You know... in case of any unfortunate toilet accidents.

***As a random side note, I just ate an entire bag of Cashew Poppycock.  I'm embarrassed to say this is not the worst dietary decision that I have ever made.***

Shawls shawls and more shawls!

Shawl-a-polooza 2013 has been extended!

I can't help it.  I have the bug to make things that I can wear and show off.

Here's the shawl that I made from handspun yarn.  I love this one so bad!


I also decided to use a skein of Biggo in Dutchess heather that has been staring back at me from my stash for quite some time to knock out a cowl.
I just kind of winged it.

Needle sz 13 (24" circ)
Sz 15 needle tip for bind off
Large stitch marker
1 skein of Knit Picks Biggo yarn


C/O 130 stitches ( or any even # of stitches)

row 1-3 seed stitch
row 4 (yo, k2, pass yo over 2 knitted stitches) repeat til end
row 5 knit

Repeat rows 4 and 5 three more times

knit another 3 rows of seed stitch
B/O with sz 15 needle tip

Weave in ends

Block iffen you want.

New years resolutions

Every year I make New Years resolutions... Every year I resolve to change something major.  Eating habits, exercise... something that effects my day to day.  Every year it seems like my motivation melts away within days... sometimes hours.

This year, I am doing something similar.  First, with diet and exercise, I want to do better.  Not be perfect, not beat myself up for failing and having ice cream... just do better.  Make time for the treadmill, and not eat junk always.

Secondly, with knitting, I am resolving to knit 100 projects with my stashed yarn.  Part of me knows that I have enough for this and so much more.  Then the yarn buying addict whispers in my ear with "Maybe you should just place one more order with Knitpicks... just to be sure."

I am cheating just a little and counting the projects that I have started within the last month... all of which were started with stashed yarn.

1.  Of the Moon shawl

I love this pattern!  This makes project #3 using it.  This one I started a few days ago using some handspun yarn that I got from a craft swap earlier last year.  It's turning out so well that I'm knitting like mad to get it done so I can wash, block, and wear it show it off!

(pics to come once it's finished!)

2.  Pegacorn

This little cutie is going to be for my son's little girlfriend (best friend... they're 5).  She loves horses and unicorns and alacorns.  I think she might pee.  Pics to come.

3. Yet another shawl

I have 4 balls of Reverie worsted yarn in Gemstone from Knitpicks.com that were begging to be stuck with needles.  I started another Of the moon shawl, but I'm not sure how I feel about lacework with haloed alpaca. Pics to come once I decide what its going to be when it grows up.

4. Swiffer covers

I have cotton for days.  Seriously.  it's a sickness.
I wrote a super simple pattern for a cotton swiffer cover. It's cotton, so it's machine washable.  It's garter stitch, so it catches dust / dog hair / grossgrossness. 

C/O 40 stitches onto sz 9us needles with your favorite or leftover cotton.  Knit in garter stitch for 50 rows.  B/O.  Boom. Done.  Repeat until you have blisters on your fingas!!!

Another pair of Fingerless Mits

I'm kind of in love with fingerless mits right now. 

After creating this pattern, I decided that I wanted to make a pair with some awesome fingering weight sock yarn I bought from KnitPicks.

So, i knitted some gauge swatches and put my high school math classes to work!

Materials:
sz 3 US DPN (I used 4)

sz 2 US DPN for ribbing
3 stitch markers
stitch holder or scrap yarn
1- sz 4 needle for bind off
tapestry needle

Yarn:
1 ball Knitpicks Imagination Hand Painted Sock Yarn (I used Seven Dwarves)

Abbrev:
pm - place marker
sm - slip marker
rm - remove marker
ssk - sl 1 kwise, sl 1 pwise, insert L needle thru 2 sl stitches and knit together
k2tog - knit next 2 stitches together
m1R - lift the bar between stitches from back to front, knit thru the front of the stitch
m1L - lift the bar between stitches from front to back, knit thru the back off the stitch
(Here's a video)

Total stitches are listed at the end of decrease and increase rows in bold.

Make 2

C/O 60 stitches with sz 3 needles

Join in round without twisting. Place marker at start of round

Switch to sz 2 and k1, p1 rib for 1-1.5" (This is what I'm going to do with the next pair I make.  The first ones I used a Twisted German Cast On for the ones pictured.  Apparently it doesn't work as well for fingering weight yarn.  You could also start with 3-7 rows of purl stitch instead of ribbing if you're so inclined. If you wish to start with purl rows, stick with the sz 3 needle.)

Switch back to sz 3 needles

Row#1 - k30, pm, k to end

Row#2 - k all

Row#3 - k to 4 stitches before m, ssk, k2, sm, k2, k2tog, k to end (58)

Row#4-10 - k all

Row#11 - Same as #3 (56)

Row#12-18 - k all

Row#19 - Same as #3 (54)

Row#20-26 - k all

Row#27 - Same as #3 (52)

Row#28 - 34 - k all

Row#35 - Same as #3 (50)

Row#36 - 42 - k all

Row#43 - Same as #3 (48)

Row#44 - 47 - k all

Row#48 -k1, m1L, k22, pm, m1R, k2, m1L, pm, k22, m1R, k1 (52)

Row#49-51 - k all

Row#52 k to m, sm, m1R, k to m, m1L, sm, k to end (54)

Row#53 - 55 - k all

Row#56 - Same as #52 (56)

Row#57-59 - k all

Row#60 - Same as #52 (58)

Row#61-63 - k all

Row#64 - Same as #52 (60)

Row#65-67 - k all

Row#68 - Same as #52 (62)

Row#69-71 - k all

Row#72 - Same as #52 (64)

Row#73-75 - k all

Row#76 - Same as #52 (66)

Row#77-79 - k all

Row#80 - k to m, rm, slip next 18 stitches onto waste yarn or stitch holder, rm, k to end (48)

Row#81-92 k all

Row#93-94 - p all

B/O with sz 4 needle

Thumb

Pick up stitches from waste yarn / holder onto 3 sz 3 dpn (6 ea)

Leave 12-18" tail for sewing up the hole between thumb and hand

k 5 rows

p 2 rows

B/O with sz 4 needles

Weave in all ends and gently block if you so desire

I love these!  They are super warm and cozy!  

Dryer Balls

Discussion about these little things was met with a million jokes at my husband's expense.

I only heard of these a few days ago.  Upon researching them, apparently they can decrease dry time by 25-50% (which is rad, cause our dryer has to cycle twice to dry clothes right now) and they can also soften clothes without the use of chemicals, which is pretty awesome also.  We don't have anyone with perfume allergies over here, but if it saves me having to buy dryer sheets, I'm all for it!

So... instead of following all of the tutorials I found to make these little gems, I went to Ravelry to see what kind of patterns were on there.

There were 2.

So... not to be discouraged, I decided to write a pattern.  How tough could it be, right?

I totally did it backwards.  I started by making balls of scrap acrylic yarn, thinking I'd just knit a little wool "jacket" for them.  The pattern came second... I had to knit a cover based on the size of my pre-existing ... -ahem-  balls.
So... here's the pattern that I did.  I knitted them flat, then stitched them around the ... -ahem- balls. (You must know that I am a 12 year old boy from the eyebrows up... so I giggle even to type the word.)

Materials -
sz 7 needles
Tapestry needle

Yarn -
I used Full O' Sheep in Little Lamb, tho any 100% wool (except superwash) will do.
Scrap Acrylic Yarn

Abbrv -
kfb - knit into the front and the back of the stitch
k2tog  - knit the next 2 stitches together
( ) - repeat inside the parenthesis the amount of times indicated

C/O 6 stitches (I used this method)
Row#1 kfb all
Row#2 (and all even rows) purl all
Row#3 (kfb, k1) x6
Row#5 (kfb, k2) x6
Row#7 (kfb, k3) x6
Row#9 (kfb, k4) x6
Row#11 (kfb, k5) x6
Row#13 (k2tog, k5) x6
Row#15 (k2tog, k4) x6
Row#17 (k2tog, k3) x6
Row#19 (k2tog, k2) x6
Row#21 (k2tog, k1) x6
Row#23 (k2tog) x6
Cut yarn (leave about a 12" tail for sewing piece together) and thread thru stitches on needle, starting with the one furthest away from needle tip.  This creates a little drawstring.
Wind scrap acrylic yarn for core (You can use wool for this too if you'd like), then wind wool over top until the ball is the right size for your little wool "jacket".

Repeat as many times as you'd like.  I made 6.

Felt balls using the method of your choosing.  We don't have an agitator in our washing machine anymore (top loader high efficiency) so I used a scrubber sponge on the outside of them until they were fuzzy, then boiled them for about 10 minutes, then into the dryer for a few cycles on the hottest setting.  Mine are still a little damp, but I cannot wait to try them out!