Hello, hello, again!

Alright, so stuff is going on in the knitting realm... and in the other realms affected by it. My progress on my dad's knucks is significant; I'm 5 rows away from actually beginning the body of the first one. I couldn't get a good pic, otherwise there would be one. My camera only takes good pictures in natural, outdoor lighting...and it's cold out there and may rain any second. I don't want to subjugate my knitting to that. No, really, I'm just lazy.

I've finally convinced my brother to stop borrowing my failed VW hat for when he goes out in the cold and to let me make him one. He wants one with a 'slime face' on it..... meaning, basically, a hat that looks like the slime I made before. See previous posts.

I theroughly enjoy all of the knitting blogs I read. I get to go through projects without actually making them, through the experiances of other knitters. A terrific learning experiance, if you ask me.

I have some Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted in gray heather that I want to use up. It's almost a full ball. I'm thinking of designing a nice cowl, but then again, Lamb's Pride is a bit scratchy for up close to the neck. I mean, usually I don't mind that, but I thinks something else may be in order. Perhaps a felting project? Probably not. I'm scared to death of felting!

Anyway, that's all for now...

Just Enough Mitts

This pattern I came up with when I was wondering what to do with a bit of o~wool in Willow that I had left over from making a cowl that I can't remember the name of at the moment!

These are attractive little mitts made for when it's just cold enough where you want something on your hands, but nothing to heavy. In other words, they're perfect for the typical winter weather of California!

The pattern is written for s/m ladies hands. The thumb gusset is roomy because I don't like tight thumbs! These can be easily adapted to a larger size if needed.

Just Enough Mitts

Materials:

*1 pair size 8 dpns
*tapestry needle
*heavy aran/worsted weight or light bulky weight yarn

Guage:
4 st 5 rows = 1 in

Mitt (make 2) :

Cast on 25st over 3 dpns (8, 8, 9)

Round 1: Join round by slipping the last cast-on stitch to the needle with the first stitch. Knit these two together. P1 "k1, p1" to end of round.

Round 2: "k1, p1" to end of round.

Repeat round 2 for 4 more rounds (6 rounds total from cast on)

Change to stockinette stitch and knit 4 rounds.

Thumb Gusset:

Round 1: k 11, kfb of next 2 st. k11

Round 2: k 11, kfb, k 2, kfb, k11

Round 3: k 11, kfb, k4, kfb, k11

Round 4: k

Round 5: k 11, kfb, k6, kfb, k 11

Round 6: k11, kfb, k8, kfb, k11

Round 7: k11, kfb, k10, kfb, k11

Round 8: k

Round 9: K 12, bind off next 12 st, k 12

Top edging:

Round 1: "k1, p1" to end of round

Round 2: "p1, k1" to end of round.

Continue rounds 10 and 11 (seed stitch) for 8 rounds (4 sets of seed stitch rounds)

Bind off in pattern; weave in ends.

Hello, hello!

Wow, it's been forever since I've posted! It's not like I have a crowd of devoted followers, so I don't feel too guilty... but it's there; the guilt is there...

Anyway, it isn't as though I haven't been knitting, because I have! Not only that, I've gotten my first knitting requests! Okay, so I got them a while back, but things have been hectic... here's the rundown:

knucks (1 pair for my dad, one for my mom)
3 Jaque Custou hats (Dad wanted 3 in each of the modeled colors, gray, brown, and green)
1 Give It A Swirl hat (for a family friend (I tested this pattern and this friend saw the result and loved it))

And I think that's it!

But that's not to say I haven't knit things for people. I have, and they've always liked what I made.

Anyway, am designing (sort of) a cable scarf... incredably simple, but I love it. I'm also thinking of designing and posting more patterns... I actually haven't been knitting enough, methinks. I can't seem to get past my love for making scarves... it was hats, but that's waining... now it's scarves... and cowls... I should get into socks because those are brilliantly portable and supposed to be fun, but I just can't get into making them since my first one failed! I couldn't bind off loose enough, so it wouldn't fit... Finances are an issue, so I can't do sweaters right now... or anything like that....

What I really want is a hood/scarf! I will make one, one day!

Oh, that's good enough for now!

Happy New Year (belatedly),and Happy Knitting!

Favorite Mitts

Favorite Mitts Pattern

Materials:1 skein of worsted/heavy worsted weight yarn. Fiber content doesn't matter; it's up to you!

1 pair size 7 straight needles (or size needed to get gauge)

1 pair size 7 double-pointed needles (or size needed to get gauge) (optional; for thumb)

1 tapestry needle (or a crochet hook if you slip-stitch the seams closed)

Sizes:
S/M (L)

Gauge: 16 stitches, 21 rows = 4 inches (gauge is not CRITICAL in this pattern, but try to get close!)

Pattern:
Cast on 30 (34) stitches using preferred method

Row 1: k

Row 2: k2, p 22 (26), k6

Repeat these two rows until mitt measures about 8 inches. Bind off.
Repeat for second mitt.

Fishing:
Fold one mitt in half, right sides facing in. Sew up seam for 4 (4.5) inches. Skip 1.5 inches, sew up remaining 1.5 inches. Repeat for other mitt.

Optional Thumb:
After the mitt is sewn up, pick up ten stitches around the thumb hole (or number of stitches necessary to make about 2.5 inches AROUND), starting at the top. Knit in the round:

Round 1: k4, kfb twice, k4

Round 2: k

FOR SIZE L ONLY: k 4, kfb, k2, kfb, k4

Continue knitting for about 1.5 inches, or desired length.

Bind off; weave in ends.

Note:

These can be embellished in any way you wish, from adding buttons, embroidery, or bead work before sewing them up, to adding bobbles and cables as you knit them. This is just a basic pattern - perfect for beginners, by the way.

You can do whatever you wish with this pattern, except sell it. If you decide to use it as a learning tool for a class, or you want to distribute it from your yarn shop, then I would just die of delight! In other words, please let me know; I won't stop you, but I'd love to know that my simple pattern was worthy of such enjoyment!
Happy Knitting!

Here are the mitts 'unmodeled'

Here is the size comparison. Large is on the left, small/medium on the right.

I hope you enjoy this pattern; I'd love to see variations on it!

What's This?

Well, it has been a while since I posted here! Time for updates, although since it's so late, I'm so tired, and the lighting is bad--no pretty pictures.

I can say this: I haven't been knitting for a few months. *insert collective gasp here*. Why? Well, because I got distracted, that's why! I'm back 'in the groove' now. I've got 1 hat, 1 pair of mitts (both for bro), another hat (for me), a neckwarmer (also for me), and at least 1 scarf (mine) in the works. I've got 3 hats pending for Dad and a Clapotis for Mom, who 'test drove' mine and really liked it. Also, mitts. I've got to make mitts for Dad and Mom. Promises are promises, after all! Shouldn't be too difficult.

This should be a pretty fun week, wouldn't you say so?

Oh! And I'm going to be posting my Very First Design on Ravelry! Probably either at the end of this week, or mid-week. I'm testing it myself, first. I'm afraid to get testers, haha. The pattern will be free, posted here, and linked from Ravelry to here. Say, maybe I'll get a few more readers, eh? (yeah, right :P )

Anyway, my eyelids are sagging and I've got a bit of studying to do before I go to bed, so Ta Ta For Now!

Nope, no pix

Okay, so, despite the lack of visual aid, I thought it would be wise to update my knitting activities--and revive my nearly-dying blog spirit. Hah.

Okay, so as far as knitting goes, I've finally gotten some Noro to work with, and I love it! One skein was Aran/Worsted weight and I made a hat out of it (have I posted about this before, I don't know) which I love! The sock yarn, I'm doing the same thing, except on US 3 needles, so the going is slow.

I'm using some surprisingly soft acrylic to make the VW hat (check it out on Rav) for my bro. I made one already--which turned out too big (my first real lesson in gauge), so I had to size down 2 needle sizes--I'm working on 5's now, which still doesn't get gauge, so I have to watch it. I'm adjusting the size as I go.

Also on the needles is the slouchy hat bag (which you can also Rav), which I am making out of Suri Dream yarn from KnitPicks. I like the yarn, but I should have realized how "Chrismas-y" the colors would look--green and red, can you imagine?. The bag is going to be both of those colors, so I don't know what I'm going to do about that.

I'm in the midst of designing a black-and-red stripped hoodie vest for myself. It's pretty much improvise-as-you-go, and I'm not taking any notes, so it's not going to be posted anywhere or anything. Aside from pix here when it's done!

The socks are still a WPI, as are the gray mittens. There are a couple of other very minor projects which I won't dare mention, but that's about it for now!

Happy Knitting!

What is the Average Flight Speed of an Unladen Swallow?

Why, yes, I do have trouble thinking of headings sometimes! How'd you guess?

Anyway, on with the Gallery Tour.

Below, you will see an anatomically correct (crocheted) sculpture of the legendary Dragon Warrior 1 Slime. In case you don't know about Dragon Warrior, it's a series of RPGs (role playing/adventure games) for the Nintendo consoles. In Dragon Warrior 1, the Blue Slime is the first monster that the main character (you, since it's an RPG) fights. They're harmless, not-so-powerful creatures, but awfully cute, don't you think? My brothers, who have beaten the Dragon Warrior games, were enthralled by this. I told them that they couldn't have it. He's mine.


And this little number below, the hat with the 3-column-raglan shaping, is one of my favorite hats in the whole world. It's roomy, comfortable, warm, and one of my favorite colors--purple.

Actually, it was also the first hat I ever made...ever...I'm pretty sure, at any rate. I didn't really know exactly what I was doing--I didn't follow a pattern since, quite frankly, I was afraid to. I figured out how many stitches would fit my (larger than average female) head on size 10 dpns. I commenced to knit. No, there isn't any ribbing; I wanted a slightly roll brim. So I knit until I liked the length. Then, the decreases. I wasn't sure about those. So, for the first round (so it seems), I did a k2tog 3 times on each needle--beginning, middle, and end. From then on, I'm pretty sure I just did 2 decreases per needles--beginning and end--until I had probably about 4-8 stitches left. Then I finished off. It's made in worsted weight and knits up very quickly, in case you'd like to have one.


And this below is my favorite scarf, knitted not so long ago as the hat above (the hat was knit about 4 years ago, I'd say). The scarf was knit just over a year ago, I think, in Sheep Shop Yarn Sheep 3. I'm not sure of the color, but it's the sky blue looking one. (I have the label...somewhere). I used about 2/3 of a skein and so the scarf didn't come out as long as I normally make them. But I love it all the same. I wore it every day that I could for as long as I could.



And this, below, is the first full sweater I knit. I designed it myself. I used measurements. I used acrylic yarn which, in my humble opinion, should be used for hats, gloves, bags, toys, whatever, but not full garments. It's not "flow-ey" enough, I guess. Well, this is the sweater. It was knitted from the top down. It's lumpy. It looks 'homey' in a bad sort of way. Some have asked why I don't wear it. I don't because I don't like it, really.




This is my second sweater. The Spring Green sweater on my rav project page. This one, I love. It's soft, it's comfy. I used the formula pattern found in one of the knitty issues--I think it was called Knitting With Numbers or Knitting By Numbers or something like that. It's not hard to find and it makes a great first sweater. This one I made with 3/4 sleeves because I didn't want 'puffy' sleeves around my wrists. Since you double the sleeve stitches after you're done working the ribbing for the sleeve, it's a little puffy.

Admittedly, it's probably not going to last that long because I used size 8 needles with an Aran weight yarn. I thought it was worsted. As a matter of fact, I thought it was a little thin for worsted. But, oh well. It doesn't matter; I can make a new one when this one wears out. But I love this one. You can tell by how much I rambled about it.


And that's all for now. I might actually post again later today to show my progress on my Clapotis (over half way done! Looking beautiful) and the crocheted vest/hoodie that I made a couple of years ago. I'm actually quite proud of it because it turned out so well and, once again, I didn't follow a pattern! I just measured here and there. Granted, there's hardly any shaping, but it's somehow a little fitted anyway--in a good way. I wish I could remember exactly what I did, though... meh.

Oh well. Anyway, that's all for now.

--NerdyNunchucks/NoobyKnitter