tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85813319539057358182024-03-05T05:01:45.472-06:00another knitting blogA combined knitter suddenly obsessed with knitting again.vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-79145464891883626552009-12-17T01:52:00.002-06:002009-12-17T01:54:12.725-06:00Peace Out<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/4087704812/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2580/4087704812_853154cd0a_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a><br /><span style=" margin-top: 0px;font-size:0.9em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/4087704812/">peace out 1</a><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vampirefan/">vampirefan</a></span></div>So, I tried my hand at double knitting and it's so simple! I made a tardis pot holder to try the technique out and it was a breeze.<br /><br />So now, I'm making a scarf for my bff. I had some multicolored hacho yarn and after much searching, found some beautiful red yarn to make the contrast. The pattern I chose was a peace sign since she loves them. It came out a little more football shaped than round since I didn't want to make a sample from the peace sign chart I made. I really love the thickness.vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-41134113753155691892009-10-19T17:16:00.002-05:002009-10-19T17:23:31.330-05:00Double KnittingAlthough I did get a good start on a pair of socks during my trip, I got bored and decided to make a hat.<div><br /></div><div>I'm done with that now too and, because of a conversation with a friend, have revisted the mysterious Double Knitting I'd seen a couple of patterns of.</div><div><br /></div><div>Double Knitting is when you knit a two-sided item. Each side looks stitch knit, but it's not a tube. It's the way you alternate knitting/purling that creates this awesome effect.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, now I want to make a scarf - there seem to be very few patterns out there though. I found a Space Invaders one and a Peace sign one. I also found a nice Dr. Who chart (tardis, daleks). But, I'm finding that I'm not that enthusiastic about those designs. I might have to chart my own design - and I have no idea what that would even be yet.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have to practice a little to make sure I understand it, but it seems fairly simple and straightforward.</div><div><br /></div><div>Or damn. I guess I should really finish my bff's gloves - they've been languishing with just the fingers from one hand missing - for 2 years. doh!</div>vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-7509583435135091522009-09-28T11:43:00.004-05:002009-09-29T14:01:16.392-05:00Socks!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Well, knitting Commelina turns out to be a bust. The beautiful Somoko yarn completely overpowered the lace design. Furthermore, because of the lace pattern, the colors couldn't establish their own pattern and it just looked awful. see?</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap; font-size:13px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/3960022553/" title="sample by vampirefan, on Flickr"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2558/3960022553_66aa6c27a9_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="sample" /></span></a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, although I would still love to knit Commelina, I think I'll save it for a solid color or for a variegated yarn with much, much longer color sections.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Now, I've been thinking about what else I can do to take with me for my trip this weekend and I'm thinking I might start another pair of socks. I have all that sock yarn! Only problem is that I have most of it in skeins and not wound into balls. I either need to invest in a winder/swift or find someone who can do that for me.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In preparation, I've found the toe-up cast on I prefer, the Turkish caston. Now I need to find a good heel gusset method.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I'm pretty sure I'm making the toe-up Jaywalkers.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Links:</span></span></span></div><div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://misocrafty.squarespace.com/journal/2006/1/30/turkish-cast-on-tutorial.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Turkish Cast-On</span></span></a></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://azazello.org/nataliaknits/?p=36"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Toe-up Jaywalker</span></span></a></span></li></ul></div>vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-62227821582987376362009-09-24T15:06:00.005-05:002009-09-28T11:41:49.837-05:00Commelina ScarfNow that I'm done with the Leaf Lace Shawl, I'm trying to finish off a pair of socks I've been working on for a while.<div><br /></div><div>I may abandon it to start up on Commelina by Kelly McCraw. It's a beautiful lacy scarf. The only thing I have a problem with is that the instructions call for making 2 end pieces (each having some pretty pointy stitching at the ends) and knitting the center section, and then attaching the end pieces. Ugh. I <i>hate </i>sewing stuff! So I kept thinking about how I could avoid that. I kept thinking, well, I'll knit one piece and then pick up the stitches, knit the rest of the scarf, then continue with the end piece. But then I'd have a seam where I picked up the stitches on one end and it wouldn't look nice.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then, I was reading about provisional cast-on for socks and it hit me! I could do a provisional cast-on and knit one end piece, remove the provisional thread and then knit the rest of the scarf and it would all be one continuous piece! woo!</div><div><br /></div><div>So, that's what I'm gonna do. I think I'm going to use the pretty artisan yarn I posted about a while back. </div><div><br /></div><div>Also, I think I'm going to add some beads so I need to figure out what's going to look nice with this yarn and the placement so I can make sure I have enough.</div><div><br /></div><div>This will probably be my project for my trip to Portland next weekend. Awesome!</div><div><br /></div><div>Links</div><div><ul><li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/commelina">Commelina</a> (at Ravelry.com)</li><li><a href="http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHMP_enUS291US304&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=provisional+caston">Provisional Cast-on</a> (Google search)</li><li><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3188/2725752735_ab44a25177_b.jpg">Somoko Artisan Yarn</a> I plan on using</li></ul><div>ETA: um. yeah. this won't work after all since the end pieces are worked *sideways* as rectangles. then the stitches are picked up along the long side of the rectangle.</div></div>vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-53667233336866292042009-09-24T14:56:00.005-05:002009-09-24T15:03:07.430-05:00Leaf Lace Shawl - done!<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/3930556788/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2439/3930556788_2441ddd90c_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a><br /><span style=" margin-top: 0px;font-size:0.9em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/3930556788/">Leaf Lace Shawl</a><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vampirefan/">vampirefan</a></span></div>Finally! After a few months of mostly knitting during my commute (when I wasn't taking a break).<br /><br />I absolutely love this! It actually came out much bigger than I expected but it's a great size.<br /><br />I included beads on the eding and they look great. <div><br /></div><div>Now, on to the next project!</div><br /><div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/3930556798/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2424/3930556798_876ddf8622_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a><br /><span style=" margin-top: 0px;font-size:0.9em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/3930556798/">Leaf Lace Shawl - beads and blocking</a><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vampirefan/">vampirefan</a></span></div><br />The yarn looks much darker than it is, but the beads look pretty accurate.<br /><br />I was so glad I had decided to invest in some blocking wires. They helped tremendously!<br /><br />My mom loved it and she actually almost cried when I gave it to her.vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-37353798149675023922009-08-07T10:51:00.006-05:002009-08-07T11:31:07.475-05:00Ravelry members rock!Can't believe I'm almost done with the Leaf Lace Shawl I started back in April. I've been working on it during my commute to and from work - not every single day - but quite often. I can do about 3 to 4 rows each way of my commute if I start as soon as I get on the bus and I'm up to about 300 stitches per row. <div><br /></div><div>I had even gone so far as to buy the beads for the eding because I thought that I almost done and was going to have enough yarn with the 3 skiens I had in my stash. I finished the 12th repeat of the pattern and started the edging. But, looking at how much yarn was left and seeing that I was going to be knitting about 15 more rows I just knew it wasn't going to be enough.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was torn. Do I frog back to the 11th repeat and then do the edging? Do I just continue with the edging and and hope the yarn is just enough? I hated the thought of both. Undoing those 10 rows that took me about 2 to 3 hours worth of time to knit would take forever - frogging back would probably take at least an hour so that I could make sure I didn't screw up because of all the yarn overs and knit2 togethers. If I continued to knit and then turned out I didn't have enough for the edging, I would probably start crying like a baby since that would be about 3 to 4 hours worth of work.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then, I thought, I'll check on Ravelry.com. I'll see if anyone happens to have the same yarn in the same colorway and ask if they are willing to part with one skein. Then I'd have enough to do the 13th repeat and the edging.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, that's what I did. I checked and it turned out only 3 people on Ravelry had the same exact colorway. Each person had only about 1 skien each. So I private messaged them right away asking if they were willing to sell me their yarn. As I was writing the 3rd message, I got a response from one person saying they were willing to sell it. Awesome! And what's even better? Their asking price was completely reasonable! They were heading out to a knitting event so they told me that if I paid right away they would drop it in the mail that evening. Woo! Needless to say, I paid immediately and now have the yarn in my hands.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ravelry members rock big time.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-34020754129972421872009-06-15T16:23:00.004-05:002009-06-15T16:46:14.204-05:00Leaf Lace ShawlI started a new shawl a few weeks ago - the <a href="http://www.fibertrends.com/product/0/S2010/_/S2010_The_Leaf_Lace_Shawl_by_Evelyn_A._Clark">Leaf Lace Shawl</a> by Evelyn A. Clark. I couldn't keep track <a href="http://vampirefangrrl.blogspot.com/2008/08/heartland-lace-shawl.html">of the other one I stared a while back</a> 'cause I wasn't paying attention as closely as I needed to. The Leaf Lace Shawl, on the other hand, is so easy to follow and so well written. I'm using the same yarn, so I frogged the bit I had done.<div><br /></div><div>I found that in order not to mess up, I needed to count every pattern row. Every time I didn't, it turned out I was missing one or two stitches and would have to tink back a row which is so aggravating and would waste more time than just counting. By now though (on my 8th repeat of the pattern) I can pretty much tell if I messed up.</div><div><br /></div><div>I decided that I want to add beads to the edging and the pattern does show how to add a very minor beading detail to the tips of the edges. I'm thinking I would like to add a few more beads than that but first I needed to figure out what kind of beads I should be using.</div><div><br /></div><div>Knitty has <a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/FEATseducedbybeads.html">a great primer for beginners</a>. They explain the 2 basic methods for getting beads onto the yarn. I like the hook method better because it would be my luck that I'd string on the beads I need, only to have the yarn break and beads escaping everywhere! The article also explained how there are beads with bigger centers/holes so I'll need to find some of those. That knitty article also recommends an online store which sells some great beads. </div><div><br /></div><div>I did find a couple of great tips on getting beads onto the yarn using wire instead. <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Jennigma/beading-tool">This method is fantastic</a>, especially if I were to end up making another shawl where the beads are all over it (and not just on the ends), so I can carry beads with me without having to worry about trying to fish them out of a small container and dropping them.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, even though I have about 5 repeats to go, I need to figure out which beads will look good with the dark purple yarn. Maybe a clear crystal bead with silver lining? hmmm...</div><div><br /></div><div>Pattern Links:</div><div><ul><li><a href="http://www.fibertrends.com/product/0/S2010/_/S2010_The_Leaf_Lace_Shawl_by_Evelyn_A._Clark">Leaf Lace Shawl</a></li></ul><div><br /></div></div>vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-37154373404549334612008-11-12T12:07:00.007-06:002008-11-12T13:03:40.374-06:00Shedir hat and mittens<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2915852085/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3124/2915852085_6b43f09b49_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a><br /><span style=" margin-top: 0px;font-size:0.9em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2915852085/">hat_shedir_set</a><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vampirefan/">vampirefan</a></span></div>I really loved the Shedir hat pattern and the stash yarn I chose to make it with is so soft!<div><br /></div><div>I wanted a stretchy edge so it wouldn't be tight around my head and after much searching, found that the Twisted German Cast On would do the trick.<br /><br />When I was done I still had 2 balls left and thought it would be awesome to have some matching mittens. I looked around and didn't really find any Shedir inspired mittens so I decided to design them myself. <br /><br />I think they came out pretty good!<br /><br />I'm putting the pattern together (and making a new, clean chart) so I hope to post it soon. <div><div><br /></div><div>Pattern Link:</div><div><ul><li><a href="http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall04/knittyF04surp.pdf">Shedir Hat</a> (pdf)<br /></li></ul><div>Caston:</div><div><ul><li><a href="http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHMP_enUS291&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=twisted+german+cast+on">Twisted German Cast On</a> (google search - there are hundres of youtube videos and photo tutorials.)</li></ul></div></div></div></div>vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-30134783522602490642008-09-02T21:33:00.004-05:002009-06-15T16:22:23.622-05:00Pirate Mittens<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2819947908/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3203/2819947908_154e218ff4_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a><br /><span style=" margin-top: 0px;font-size:0.9em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2819947908/">pirate mittens</a><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vampirefan/">vampirefan</a></span></div>Yay! I finished them! I think they came out pretty snazzy and I used way less yarn than I thought I would so there's still a lot of this salmony/pinkish yarn left over.<br /><br />I then decided that I had to start another project so I cast on a hat. I learned a new cast-on method because I wanted something that was stretchy. After searching around quite a bit, it seemed that the Twisted German Cast On seemed to be the one people most suggested for stretchyness. I cast on the recommended 128 stitches 'cause I hate swatching and that turned out to be too much, so after a couple of rows, I frogged it and started over with fewer stitches - 116.<br /><br />I guess that my thumb does a lot more work for this cast on 'cause the next day the area around my left thumb was killing me! It would cramp up and I had to keep massaging it to stop the pain.<br /><br />I'm loving the hat though and the edge is definitely stretchy.vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-64376193108744690092008-08-20T10:32:00.004-05:002008-08-20T10:47:01.797-05:00Mittens<p class="mobile-photo">A while back I promised my friend I'd make her Pirate Mittens. I finally started them the other day. I'm done with one mitten and have started the second, although I haven't taken more pictures yet.<br /></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK738Fq2Thg-AWwTJ0YViGmIeEaD7BNvJAXWQt41COQhqgVrqz63NqkPwzHgaohiwDxc_tMTE6lAP6W3Wrp3Xph0cnb5scU_w6rLaACPilo8PuRku9BaNBQUJL7mF0b9cKE88Lv2ySDSQd/s1600-h/bm-image-788619.jpe"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK738Fq2Thg-AWwTJ0YViGmIeEaD7BNvJAXWQt41COQhqgVrqz63NqkPwzHgaohiwDxc_tMTE6lAP6W3Wrp3Xph0cnb5scU_w6rLaACPilo8PuRku9BaNBQUJL7mF0b9cKE88Lv2ySDSQd/s320/bm-image-788619.jpe" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236622938938288626" border="0" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo">When I told my best friend, she thought the mittens were really cool - and then she asked me: "What about MY (her) gloves?" Oops! I'm almost done with them. Really! Well, I've been almost done with them since December... I just need to make the fingers on the second glove. So after these mittens are done, I'll be finishing up her gloves. Then I can continue with my mom's shawl...and maybe start something else.</p><p class="mobile-photo"><br /></p><p class="mobile-photo">Pattern Link:</p><ul><li> <a href="http://www.helloyarn.com/piratemittens.htm">Pirate Mittens</a><br /></li></ul><p class="mobile-photo"><br /></p>vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-9483900917941908872008-08-05T22:39:00.003-05:002008-09-03T23:09:29.518-05:00Heartland - first section<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2737669452/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3209/2737669452_19e705eb1e_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" /></a><br /><span style="margin-top: 0px;font-size:0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2737669452/">Heartland Lace Shawl </a><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vampirefan/">vampirefan</a></span></div>Here's the first photo!<br /><br />I learned a new thing. Apparently, when you have a garter stitch edging, the best way to start out a shawl is by making a "tab".<br /><br />In this case, I had to cast on 2 stitches, then knit 7 rows of garter stitch (that's knitting every row). Then, I turn the piece of knitting on it's side and pick up 3 stitches (one in each purl row) and then 2 in the 2 original stitches - making up a total of 7 stitches.<br /><br />At first, when I read this explanation, I was a little confused and couldn't visualize it so I made one on some practice yarn and it was simple to understand once I followed the steps.<br /><br />So far, I've only had to tink back 2 rows when I missed some YOs.<br /><br />One thing that I realized almost immediately was that I cannot do this and talk or watch tv or whatever. I have to concentrate on the directions so no taking this to knit night or to work on while commuting.<br /><br />Also, during my research, I noticed that many people talked about "life lines". This is a thin length of string (or someone even recommended dental floss) that you thread through the loops of one of the purl rows. You do this every few rows and can remove the prior one when adding a new one, if you prefer, always making sure to note which row you have lifelined. The purpose of it is to save yourself a ton of aggravation if you have to frog back some rows. Since the lace pattern will have many YOs and SSKs/K2TOG, it's really hard to keep track if you have to frog. With the lifeline, you simply rip back up to the lifeline and thread your needle back in and then start again from there without having to worry about dropped stitches.<br /><br />I'll probably not work on this again until next week.vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-86828791758625347912008-08-05T10:34:00.003-05:002008-08-05T10:36:02.345-05:00Heartland ShawlI decided! I'm making the Heartland Lace Shawl. I cast it on last night and knit up the first section. I started out with 2 stitches and I'm up to 59.<br /><br />I'm going to try to document my progress so photos will be coming soon.vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-48307374254550291872008-08-04T23:08:00.007-05:002008-08-05T00:47:07.513-05:00My first shawlOk... this is it. I decided about 2 months ago that I wanted to make a shawl for my mom. I know I would most likely never wear one - well, maybe I would, with a dress... but I hardly wear dresses. I do know that my mom would wear a shawl. She has made a couple for herself (she crochets).<br /><br />I wanted to start with something pretty, yet very simple for my first shawl. There are tons of finished shawls on Ravlery and that's where I was able to see the many different yarns, colors and sizes many different shawls. Anyway, after much browsing and researching, I narrowed down the choices to 2 simple shawls by the same designer. Since a lot of people use Flickr to post their images on Ravelry, I did a search on them and here are the Flickr results: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=heartland%20shawl&w=all">Heartland Shawls</a> and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=swallowtail+shawl&m=text">Swallowtail Shawls</a>. <br /><br /><div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2725741227/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3235/2725741227_a8fee8456b_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" /></a><br /><span style="margin-top: 0px;font-size:0;" ><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2725741227/">Fleece Artist Somoko Yarn</a><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vampirefan/">vampirefan</a></span></div>Then, the other day when I went into my LYS because of a 40% off moving sale (they are relocating to about 1 block away and say that with the sale, they won't have to lug so much stuff to the new store) I found some beautiful yarn. There was only one skein and it was beautifully hand painted. Amid the other sale choices, I decided that this yarn was PERFECT. In fact, I loved it so much that I PAID FULL PRICE: $25 for the one skein. I was a little freaked out. I really hate buying anything for full price, let alone one measly skein of yarn.<br /><br />Isn't it pretty?<br /><br /><div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2725752735/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3188/2725752735_ab44a25177_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" /></a><br /><span style="margin-top: 0px;font-size:0;" ><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2725752735/">Fleece Artist Somoko #2</a><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vampirefan/">vampirefan</a></span></div>I got home, excited about this yarn 'cause I knew that I would get a great pattern of colors only to find it's not enough yarn!!! Argh!!<br /><br />I still can't make myself return it though, so I'll have to see what else I can make.<br /><br />*sigh*<br /><br />===<br /><br />Pattern Links:<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.evelynclarkdesigns.com/portfolio.html#gypsy">Swallowtail Lace Shawl</a></li><li><a href="http://www.evelynclarkdesigns.com/portfolio.html#heartland">Heartland Lace Shawl</a></li></ul>vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-38077425092304053972008-08-04T14:30:00.006-05:002008-08-05T09:30:15.312-05:00Still knitting along...<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="margin-top: 0px;font-size:0;" ><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vampirefan/"></a></span></div>I'm still knitting! I thought maybe I would stop, that it would be another fad. After all, I knit a whole bunch a long time ago and the stopped... But I think I have learned a whole lot more this time around: the fact that I knit "combined" which is why my decreases were not coming out the way they should have and various techniques like how to knit in the round, Magic Loop and some different cast-ons and bind-offs. I knit my first pair of socks. So I'm a lot more conscious of the various elements of knitting.<br /><br />There are so many resources on the web, it's incredible!<br /><br /><div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2727131472/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3175/2727131472_ed4c678a58_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" /></a><br /><span style="margin-top: 0px;font-size:0;" ><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2727131472/">Baby Kimono</a><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vampirefan/">vampirefan</a></span></div> Lately, I seemed to be stuck on repeat. I knit 5 Jayne hats for our Can't Stop the Serenity screening here in Chicago and they were well received, which was gratifying. I also made about 9 miniature Jayne hats with pins on the back. Those all sold, albeit slowly, but by the end of the night they were all gone.<br /><br /><div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="margin-top: 0px;font-size:0;" ><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vampirefan/"></a></span></div><div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2727129190/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3154/2727129190_fba9f38912_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" /></a><br /><span style="margin-top: 0px;font-size:0;" ><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2727129190/">Saartje's Baby Booties - with Mary Jane strap mod</a></span><br /></div><span style="margin-top: 0px;font-size:0;" >Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vampirefan/">vampirefan</a></span></div>S<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="margin-top: 0px;font-size:0;" ><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vampirefan/"></a></span></div>o, I have finally been able to get back to my regular stuff. I started a baby kimono back in January in anticipation of my new niece, who should be arriving in September. I just about finished it. Just need to add on the ties. I also knit some matching baby booties and those just need for me to sew on the buttons and button loop. I knit them in the round per a helpful mod pattern and knit with Mary Jane straps according to another pattern mod.<br /><br />Pattern Links:<br /><a href="http://www.saartjeknits.nl/">Saartje's Bootees</a> (Look for the link on the right-hand side of her blog.)<br /><a href="http://fortheloveofyarn.com/Issues/07Winter/patterns/winter07_kimono.shtml">Sachiko Kimono Sweater</a>vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-49383438339144321332008-04-14T11:35:00.004-05:002008-04-14T12:35:20.305-05:00Too much yarn!I've been buying more and more yarn lately. Loopy Yarns had a great clearance sale recently. They said they were sick of looking at the 60% off yarn already and to please come take it away for $1 a skein! Needless to say, I went as soon as I could and made away with a nice amount of yarn. I was able to find 12 skeins in one color so I gave those to my Mom. I've just updated my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/vampirefan/stash">Stash page at Ravelry</a> and now I have 55 skiens and still need to enter a few more.<br /><br />Some of the clearance yarn is made up of only 1 skien of the particular type and/or color and some were 3 or 4 skiens of the same yarn but all different colors. I figure I use the different colors to knit a striped item, or use them for color work.<br /><br />I also picked up a slightly tangled skien of sock yarn and I plan on using it to practice various sock toe up methods as well as some heel methods. I'm still a bit confused about short row heels and toes. They seem to be a great way to make a toe-up instead of starting with, say, a figure 8, and having to increase. I always get these ugly bumps with doing the increases. There are so many short row methods out there and I have to say that I became more and more confused. It seems that all the instructions assume you know how to get to the these things called wraps, and maybe it's easy, but I couldn't quite get a handle on it. I'm still searching around and now that I have fast internet at home, I can watch the videos about it.<br /><br />Meanwhile I have 4 works in progress and need to finish them before I start another one with the new yarn.<br /><br />I also ordered some circular needles recently and I'm really happy with them. They are bamboo and 40" long and very flexible. I've learned to do the Magic Loop method so they are perfect and the set of 15 cost me about $30 which is not bad at all.<br /><br />I'll probably be getting rid of my Boye interchangeable needles which have very stiff cables.vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-11605195718557306532008-01-30T15:40:00.000-06:002008-01-31T15:23:43.132-06:00Yarn and projects<div style="float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 5px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2214634144/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2267/2214634144_c61c9c4053_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" /></a><br /><span style="margin-top: 0px;font-size:0;" > Jayne Hat<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vampirefan/"></a> </span></div> The yarn came in from yarn.com and all of it was lovely! I also hit Loopy Yarns (a LYS) and took advantage of their January 40% 0ff sale and got a bunch of great yarn, including some yarn to be used to make a couple of Jayne hats for the annual Can't Stop the Serenity Charity screening we have started to host. I've already made one so far and I used much less yarn than I thought I would so I think I can make at least 2 more.<br /><br /><div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 5px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2213841663/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2393/2213841663_009cda8486_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" /></a><br /><span style="margin-top: 0px;font-size:0;" >My Boring Hat<br /></span></div> I've also made a few other things yet still haven't finished T's gloves! I made my sister a blue My Boring Hat, which she loves and I made another Grrr washcloth in red and gave it to another friend. I named it Jubal Early.<br /><br /><div style="float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 5px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2192831168/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2186/2192831168_3588186fbf_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" /></a><span style="margin-top: 0px;font-size:0;" ><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span> Grrr - Jubal Early version</span></div>My SIL is knocked up, and coincidentally, I had picked up some cotton yarn in pastel colors, so I've started a simple baby kimono for the baby (pattern found on Ravlery). I have a lot of time to make it, but it's really the easiest to knit while on the train while on my to and from work.<br /><br />I'm planning on making some pirate mittens for a friend and I have a couple of different yarns to make socks with (although they scare me a bit since the recipes call for size 2US and 3US needles!<br /><br />I still have a bunch of yarn I really don't know what to do with - yet.vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-87430357145729250762008-01-16T22:00:00.003-06:002009-09-24T15:05:51.043-05:00Diamond GlovesI finally wrote up the pattern for some gloves I made. I actually finished these around Dec 12, 2007.<br /><br /><div style="float: right; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 15px;"><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2133507460/"><img style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2197/2133507460_2b77592c8a_m.jpg" /></a></div>I wanted to make some gloves but didn't want anything too complicated, yet I wanted to make one that involved creating a thumb gusset so I could see how it worked. I loved the straightforward pattern for <a href="http://woolyheaded-housegloves.blogspot.com/">Hogwarts House Gloves</a>. Its overall construction was similar to other glove patterns but seemed to be explained in a much simpler manner.<br /><br />(One of the gloves in the picture is inside out to show how the inside looks.)<br /><br />I started out and caught on quickly. Very soon, I made modifications to the pattern so that it would fit my hand better and deviated even more from the original directions. I decided I had to have <strong><em>something</em></strong> on the gloves to break up the plainness, but didn't want to do the finger color changes since I didn't have any matching yarn anyways. It wouldn't make any sense using other colors.<br /><br />I have a sock book from the library and it has a few stitch patterns at the end and I liked the diamond pattern but it was multiples of 6 and wouldn't fit properly on my 44 stitches. So, I modified the pattern to become a 4 stitch repeat. I think it worked out pretty good!<br /><br /><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-right: 15px;"><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2133507460/"><img style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2087/2102827337_9cb22ff9d9_m.jpg" /></a></div><p>The bad thing was that I had not done any real colorwork before - at least, nothing that met up in the round - so I had no idea that there was a simple trick to keeping the rows even. Since I didn't know yet, my rows ended up not meeting up.<br /><br /><br /></p><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-right: 15px;"><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2133507460/"><img style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2096/2103606400_2139392ff1_m.jpg" /></a></div><p>It didn't look terrible, but still, it would look much nicer if the rows were even. Despite this, I completed both gloves and they look nice. After I was done with them I researched on the web and due to some great help at Knitting on LiveJournal.com, found out that I needed to "jog my stitches".<br /><br />I then made a matching hat and the diamond pattern matches up in the round really nicely!<br /><br />Because of the modifications I made, I've written up the new pattern.<br /><br />=====<br /><strong>Diamond Gloves</strong><br />Inspired by <a href="http://woolyheaded-housegloves.blogspot.com/">Hogwarts House Gloves</a><br /><br /><strong>Size:</strong> Adult Medium<br /><br /><strong>Supplies needed</strong><br />- 1 skien of Worsted Yarn [ I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease Solids in Wheat ]<br />- About 10 Yards of contrast color [ I used Red Heart Solids in Dark Brown ]<br />- US #5 dpns<br />- Stitch markers<br />- Stitch holders (3) [ or 2 holders and a length of waste yarn ]<br />- Yarn/tapestry needle<br /><br /><strong>Gauge:</strong> 6 stitches = 1 inch<br /><br /><strong>Abbreviations</strong><br />ss = stockinette stitch<br />ssk = slip, slip, knit (right-leaning decrease) [see Note ]<br />k2tog = knit 2 together (left-leaning decrease) [see Note ]<br />m1l = make 1 left<br />m1r = make 1 right<br />mc = main color<br />cc = contrast color<br />pm = place marker<br /><br /><strong><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 51);">NOTE: I knit combined, so if you don't, you will need to work the opposite decrease. i.e.:<br />~ instead of ssk, work a k2tog or whatever will result in a right-leaning decrease.<br />~ instead of k2tog, work a ssk or whatever will result in a left-leaning decrease.</span></strong><br /><a href="http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/decreases">Visit KnittingHelp.com for a better explanation about what a right-leaning decrease is</a>.<br /><br /><strong>Directions</strong><br /><br />- Cable Cast On (or the cast on of your choice) 44 stitches in mc. Arrange stitches on dpns and join. <strong>IMPORTANT: Pm to mark the beginning of the row.</strong><br />- Knit the wrist ribbing: k2,p2 all the way around until cuff is about 2” (or as long as you prefer).<br />- Knit one row in ss, increasing 1 stitch along the way. You should now have 45 stitches.<br />- Knit one row in ss.<br />[<em>Suggestion</em>: During the knitting of the Thumb Gusset, arrange the stitches on your dpns as follows:<br />3 dpn: n1=18, n2=8(increases will occur on this needle), n3=18<br />4 dpn: n1=10, n2=10, n3=6(increases will occurr on this needle), n4=19]<br /><br /><strong>Thumb Gusset</strong><br />- Knit 22 stitches, pm, m1l, k1, m1r, pm, knit 22 stitches. You should now have 47 stitches<br />- Increase Rows: Knit to marker, slip marker, mil, knit to marker, m1r, slip marker, knit to end. You will be increasing 2 stitches in each increase row.<br />- Knit 3 rows of ss.<br />- Continue repeating the last 2 instructions (1 increase row, 3 ss rows = 4 rows) ending when you have 13 stitches between the markers (In other words, do not knit 3 rows of ss after you have done the increase which brings you up to 13 stitches).<br />- Knit to 1st gusset marker. Place the stitches between the markers (13 stitches) on a stitch holder or on waste yarn. Remove the markers used to mark the gusset increases. Knit to end. You should now have 44 stitches on your needles.<br />- Knit 1 row in ss.<br /></p><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-right: 15px;"><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2133507460/"><img style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2174/2163824638_f36e06ae36_o.gif" /></a></div><p><strong>Diamond Pattern</strong><br />- Attach cc and follow chart for Diamond stitch pattern. (7 rows.) White boxes = mc. Brown boxes = cc. [NOTE: If you work the pattern by slipping the first stitch of the new color on each row in order to make your color rows meet evenly, the beginning of your row will shift by 7 stitches by the time you are done with the pattern. Make sure to keep the original marker you placed on needles to keep track of the beginning of the row. This will ensure that when you start your Little Finger, it will be opposite the thumb.]<br /><br />The rest of the glove will use your mc only.<br /><br />- Continuing from where your shifted rows ended up, complete the row in ss.<br />- Knit 1 row in ss.<br />- The body of the glove should be about 3½”, not including the ribbing. At the very least, it should reach the knuckle of your little finger. If not, knit a couple of more rows until it does.<br /><br /><strong>Little Finger </strong>(arrange stitches on your needles as evenly as possible)<br />- Starting with stitch after your original marker, begining-of-row marker, knit 5 stitches.<br />- Place 34 stitches on 2 stitch holders (divide evenly).<br />- Cast on 1 stitch by doing a Backwards Loop Cast on.<br />- Knit the last 5 stitches. You should have 11 stitches total.<br />- Knit in ss until the finger measures about 2” (or until the tip of the finger)<br />- K2tog all the way around, ending with either k3tog or just knitting the last stitch by itself. Cut yarn. Thread tail through remaining loops, pull tight and weave in.<br /><br />Attach yarn at base of little finger. Knit 1 row in ss knitting all the stitches that are on stitch holders. You should have 34 stitches on your needles.<br /><br /><strong>Ring Finger </strong>(arrange stitches on your needles as evenly as possible)<br />- Attach yarn at base of Little Finger.<br />- Knit the 1st 5 stitches.<br />- Place all but last 5 stitches on stitch holders. Put these last 5 stitches on a dpn.<br />- Cast on 1 stitch by doing a Backwards Loop Cast on.<br />- Knit the last 5 stitches<br />- Pick up one stitch at base of Little Finger (between the little finger and the ring finger).<br />- You should now have 12 stitches.<br />- Knit in ss until the finger measures about 2½” (or until the tip of the finger)<br />- K2tog all the way around. Cut yarn. Thread tail through remaining loops, pull tight and weave in.<br /><br /><strong>Middle Finger</strong> (arrange stitches on your needles as evenly as possible)<br />- Attach yarn at base of Little Finger.<br />- Knit the 1st 6 stitches that are on the stitch holder.<br />- Leave all but the last 6 stitches on stitch holders. Put these last 6 stitches on a dpn.<br />- Cast on 1 stitch by doing a Backwards Loop Cast on.<br />- Knit the last 6 stitches<br />- Pick up one stitch at base of Ring Finger (between the ring finger and the middle finger).<br />- You should now have 14 stitches.<br />- Knit in ss until the finger measures about 2¾” (or until the tip of the finger)<br />- K2tog all the way around. Cut yarn. Thread tail through remaining loops, pull tight and weave in<br /><br /><strong>Index Finger</strong> (arrange stitches on your needles as evenly as possible)<br />- Attach yarn at base of Middle Finger and pick up 1 stitch.<br />- Knit the remaining 12 stitches.<br />- Pick up 1 stitch at the end of the row at the base of Middle Finger (between the middle finger and the index finger).<br />- You should now have 14 stitches.<br />- Knit in ss until the finger measures about 2½” (or until the tip of the finger)<br />- K2tog all the way around. Cut yarn. Thread tail through remaining loops, pull tight and weave in.<br /><br /><strong>Thumb</strong> (arrange stitches on your needles as evenly as possible)<br />- Place the 13 stitches from the thumb gusset on your dpns.<br />- Attach yarn and knit the 13 stitches, picking up 2 stitches at the end of the row from the top of the gusset hole.<br />- You should now have 15 stitches.<br />- Knit in ss until the thumb measures about 1¾” (or until the tip of the thumb)<br />- K2tog all the way around. Cut yarn. Thread tail through remaining loops, pull tight and weave in.<br /><br />Knit another glove.<br />======<br /><br />I gave these gloves to my dad for christmas and he really liked them.</p><p>======</p><p>This pattern is available as a <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/laura-barba-vampirefan">FREE download in PDF format</a>, from the pattern store at Ravelry. (You must be a registered member of Ravelry to access it)<br /></p>vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-46379166425974596462007-12-30T11:57:00.000-06:002008-01-02T12:20:33.852-06:00Grrr<div style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px; MARGIN-LEFT: 15px"><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2151823439/"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2248/2151823439_c8207965e4_m.jpg" /></a></div>Isn't this washcloth fucking adorable?!<br /><br />I found it while looking through patterns on Ravlery 'cause I had been to Walmart and bought a bunch of worsted weight cotton yarn. The skiens were only $1.27 each so i couldn't pass it up and figured I could make something out of them. I figured maybe I could make a couple of toys. I searched around Ravelry via the knifly yarn search engine to see what other people were using similar yarn for and found that the majority seem to be making dishcloths and washcloths. Grrr was so adorable that I had to make one.<br /><br /><div style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 15px"><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2151823439/"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2005/2151823299_f508cea50f_m.jpg" /></a></div>I made this other dishcloth (or washcloth - I haven't decided what to use it for) by just knitting up a square using a knit/purl stitch pattern from a sock book. I actually made this one before I made Grrr. I really love the way the color striped.<br /><br />Now, I'm making the Ballband discloth (or washcloth) and then I'm going to make another Grrr. He'll be red this time and I'll name him Jubal Early.<br /><br />Patterns:<br /><a href="http://knitty.com/ISSUEsummer07/PATTgrrr.html">Grrr</a><br /><a href="http://www.canadianliving.com/crafts/knitting/knit_a_ballband_dishcloth.php">Ballband</a>vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-22000239399856999662007-12-27T10:38:00.000-06:002007-12-27T11:16:35.040-06:00Yarn, yarn, yarn!I've been wanting to buy yarn that is not acrylic or an acrylic blend to make some gloves and/or socks with some kind of stranding design. I've seen a few on ravelry.com that I like a lot but they called for either dk, sport or sock yarn.<br /><br />Now, I'm not sure how well I'll like knitting with teeny tiny needles (read: anything under size 5). I am so impatient and feel like knitting with those skinny needles will take <span style="font-weight: bold;">forever</span>! I didn't want to spend a lot of money on some thinner yarn in case I didn't like working with it. I would hate to have spent $15 for a hank of yarn that would end up sitting around. I decided I would check out online sellers because the local yarn stores (LYS) would probably not have much of a discount, if any. And, while I'm all for supporting local businesses, I still didn't want spend too much on something I may not like working with.<br /><br />Coincidentally, a friend gave me a knitting book for my birthday, and inside there was a coupon for free shipping from yarn.com so I decided to check out the site. They have a yearly clearance sale going on right now and I found some 100% wool dk weight yarn on clearance for only $1.49 a skein! There was another multi-colored sock yarn that I really liked that was only about $2.99 a skein, but by the time I ordered today it was all gone! *sigh*<br /><br />So, I'm waiting for my stash of yarn to arrive soon and then I think I'll try to make the "We Call Them Pirates" hat... or maybe something else.vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-61829289072283981382007-12-26T16:51:00.001-06:002008-08-04T11:34:27.177-05:00Hat with ear flaps<div style="float: right; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 15px;"><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2090806157/"><img style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2116/2151823613_5e7a961453_m.jpg" /></a></div>I founds some awesome bulky yarn on clearance for 99 cents a skien (regularly $7.00!) and I liked it for a hat for myself. Finally I was going to do something I would keep!<br /><br />I searched around and found this pattern. I decided to make it but without the stranding pattern since the multi colored yarn I bought didn't seem like it would lend itself to showing off a nice pattern.<br /><br />I ended up reducing the amount of stitches in the hat because it was huge on me, and I'm pretty happy about the way it turned out.<br /><br />The only problem I had was the whole casting on with the earflaps on the needle. The pattern didn't explain how to cast onto my right needle after having knitted the earflap stitches onto my needle. I finally figured out that I had to do a backward loop cast on, so it all worked out but I was pretty frustrated there for a while until then.<br /><br /><div style="float: right; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 15px;"><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2090806157/"><img style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2287/2132731269_448a89f777_m.jpg" /></a></div><p>I also ended up moving the earflaps a little closer toward the back so that they would center on my ears. I did that 'cause of a tip I read on Ravelry and it worked out a much better fit. </p><p>Now, I'm trying to decide what kind of cord I want. I think I'm going to attach and knit a couple of 3 stitch i-cords long enough to tie them together under my chin.<br /><br />Pattern: <a href="http://studiomarlowe.com/?page_id=15">Nordic Earflap Hat</a><br />Yarn: Yarn Been Mosaic Twist, Color: Tangy Clay<br />Needles: #9US circular and dpns </p>vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-35730155175065406682007-12-22T19:25:00.000-06:002008-01-02T14:39:42.008-06:00The boring hat without a frog<div style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px; MARGIN-LEFT: 15px"><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2133508016/"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 2px solid" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2014/2133508016_dca51d10e3_m.jpg" /></a><br /></div>On Dec 21st I decided I had to make a hat for my best friend's girlfriend. I searched around but couldn't find exactly what I wanted so I worked up my own pattern. Then I decided that I wanted to add a little accent to it by purling a pattern to resemble a frog. I worked up the chart and knitted the hat.<br /><br />But, when I was done, I really looked at it and realized that you couldn't tell there was supposed to be anything there. The texture of the yarn didn't lend itself to the pattern, plus, I think that just purling really wouldn't do the trick, at least with this size needles. *sigh* Live and learn.<br /><br /><div style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 15px"><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2132730847/"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 2px solid" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2012/2132730847_7e0b8a9423_m.jpg" /></a><br /></div>See what I mean? It just looks like a blob of purled stitches (forgot to take a picture before I undid the top) and it really didn't look good at all. Instead of undoing the whole thing, I decided that I would "repair" the area with the blob/frog. I undid the top of the hat, moved the stitches onto circular needles and stitch holders and then, column by column, I undid the stitches and then using a crochet hook, I re-knit them all as knit stitches. Took me about an hour or so to do that. Then, I started in on the decreases and worked on finishing the hat.<br /><br /><div style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px; MARGIN-LEFT: 15px"><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2133507740/"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 2px solid" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2340/2133507740_dc28cabaff_m.jpg" /></a><br /></div><p>Now, I've finished up the boring hat without a frog and it doesn't look too bad. It did come out a little bigger than I anticipated but it still fits pretty good. </p><p><br />======<br /><strong>My Boring Hat</strong><br /><br /><strong>Size:</strong> Adult (22")<br /><br /><strong>Supplies needed:</strong><br />- 1 skien of Bulky Yarn [I used about 1/2 of a 6 oz/185 yd skien of Lion Brand Homespun in Apple Green]<br />- US #9 dpns (if they are 7" dpns, make sure you have a set of 5 'cause all the stitches wont fit on just 3 dpns)<br />- US #9 circular needles, 16" cable (you can do the hat just on dpns, but the circular makes it so much easier!)<br />- Stitch markers<br />- Yarn/tapestry needle<br /><br /><strong>Gauge:</strong> 7 stitches = 2 inches<br /><br /><strong>Abbreviations:</strong><br />k = knit stitch<br />ssk = slip, slip, knit (right-leaning decrease)<br />pm = place marker<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#ffcc66;">NOTE: I knit combined, so if you don't, instead of ssk, work a k2tog=knit 2 together or whatever will result in a right-leaning decrease.</span></strong> <a href="http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/decreases">Visit KnittingHelp.com for a better explanation about what a right-leaning decrease is</a>.<br /><br /><strong>Directions:</strong><br />- Cast on 81 stitches and join in the round by knitting the first stitch and the last stitch together (It makes a better join... really! or if you are a join-master, just knit 80 stitches and join as you usually would.) Pm to mark the start of your rows.<br />- Knit 8 rows of the rib of your choice (you can do 2k & 2p all the way around, or 3k & 1p, or garter stitch, or whatever tickles your fancy) for the edge of the hat.<br />- K every round until your hat measures about 5 1/2" from the bottom, including the ribbing.<br />- *k 14, ssk, pm*, repeat from * to * until the end of the row. (You should have 5 markers on your needles, including your original marker. You should also now have 75 stitches)<br />- Decrease Row: *k until 2 stitches before the marker, ssk, slip marker*, repeat from * to * until end of row. (You will be decreasing 5 stitches on each round.)<br />- Continue repeating the Decrease Row for 12 more rows, until you have 10 stitches left on your needles, moving your hat to the dpns when they can no longer be worked on the circular needles.<br />- Cut yarn leaving about a 6 inch length. Using the yarn needle, thread the yarn through those last 10 stitches and pull tight. Push the yarn needle through the little center hole and then weave the rest of the yarn into the hat.<br />========<br /><br />I really hope my best friend's girlfriend likes the hat! And since I have so much yarn left over, I've decided I'll make her some boring mittens to go along with her hat. I'll post when I've made them.<br /><br />A few days later, I showed the hat to my mom and she loved it! So, I decided that I had to make her one too. Started it last night and should be done today.<br /><br />eta: They liked the hats! yay! </p>vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-73967981464859116172007-12-21T13:19:00.001-06:002008-08-05T10:32:50.665-05:00My New Knitting BlogSo, I've been thinking about how to use this blog and I finally know!! I'm making this my Official Knitting Blog!<br /><br />I've suddenly rediscovered my love of knitting and just this month of December, I've finished about 9 projects (wristwarmers, hats, gloves and a scarf).<br /><br />I made a pair of wrist warmers with some grey yarn I've had for about 8 years and loved them 'cause I happened to see mention of wrist warmers during some random surfing. So, I made another pair...then I made my first pair of socks...and I'm looking for more stuff to make.<br /><br />I learned how to crochet and then to knit while i lived in Mexico during my teens. I crocheted doilies and other things that were all the rage at the time. Then I got into knitting. I did a few things, but never finished any big project. I found that knitting smaller things made me happy because I could actually finish them fairly quickly. So, I made baby booties and barbie clothes. I also learned how to knit on a manual, mechanical knitting machine. I actually made a mini-dress. um...not something i would wear these days though! I visited a real yarn store for the first time on <st1:date year="2007" day="2" month="12">Dec 2, 2007</st1:date> and I loved it! So many yarns types! So many colors! My only real experience had been using Red Heart acrylic yarn. Also, I've just learned that I knit combined - although none of my stitches come out twisted - and I have to knit any ssk/k2tog the opposite to get the right result.<br /><br />[ NOTE: I'm going to be posting all my current knitting stuff here, backdating to the dates I posted them originally. I'll get this bad boy organized eventually!]vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-70797005340339717792007-12-05T10:43:00.000-06:002008-01-03T13:27:03.295-06:00My first pair of socks! Go me!<div style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px; MARGIN-LEFT: 15px"><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2090806157/"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2050/2091589234_59e00a527f_m.jpg" /></a></div>I knitted my first pair of socks!<br /><br />I know! They *do* look huge! I followed <a href="http://www.cometosilver.com/socks/">Silver's Sock Class</a> basic sock guide, using the instructions for the smallest size. But since I used larger needles and worsted weight yarn, I did expect them to come out bigger than the directions called for.<br /><br />But you know what? Turns out they fit my feet, but without any real stretch. I'm a size 8 in shoes, so I suspect they will fit someone with larger feet much better.<br /><br /><p></p><div style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 15px"><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2091589202/"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2285/2091589202_7af8a3bdc6_m.jpg" /></a><br /></div>On the toes, though, one came out more angled than the other. Here's more of a close up. The more angled one has better reductions. The more round toe has badly done reductions on one side. I had worked on the sock on the right first, before I realized (per the helpful members of a knitting community on LiveJournal.com) that i seem to knit combined. Although i have to say that while combined seems to be identified by the fact that the knit stitches end up with their right leg begind the needle, and the purls end up with their right leg in front on the needle, I don't do that. All of my stitches come out with the right leg behind the needle. (Which is still apparently the opposite of the majority whose right leg comes out in front of the needle.) I hope that made sense.<br /><br /><div style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 15px; MARGIN-LEFT: 15px"><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vampirefan/2090806157/"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2239/2090806157_4d3b220648_m.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />...and here they are on my feet.<br /><br />knitted on US #8 dpns<br />yarn: red heart super saver acrylic<br />yarncolor: camouflage<br /><br />Now I want to knit more socks!vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-84782438904080960022007-11-08T14:27:00.000-06:002008-01-02T12:17:31.861-06:00Irish Hiking Wrist Warmers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://pics.livejournal.com/vampirefan/pic/00081t8f/s320x240"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/vampirefan/pic/00081t8f/s320x240" border="0" /></a>My first knitting project after many years!<br /><br />I made these wrist warmers. Took me about 8 hours to make the pair.<br /><br />I saw the wrist warmers while randomly surfing the net and deciding i wanted to make them right away...and I used old yarn i've had around for about 8 years. lol!<br /><br /><a href="http://wineandneedles.blogspot.com/2004/12/wrist-warmer-pattern.html">Here's the pattern I used</a>.<br /><br />Now i want to make another set, with less bulky yarn. Not that this yarn was <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">that </span>bulky. <a href="http://cidermoon.com/cm0125.html">I really like this one</a> but it's knitting in the round, which i've never done before - and which means that i'd have to buy either double-ended needles or needles with the connecting wire.vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581331953905735818.post-55336799765306531102007-09-03T22:43:00.000-05:002007-09-03T22:48:34.406-05:00not after all...i'll be posting my travel stuff at <a href="http://www.travelpod.com/members/vampirefan">travelpod</a> instead.<br /><br />so back to the drawing board about what exactly, if anything, this blog will be used for.vampirefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14713009751272650913noreply@blogger.com0