Monday, May 30, 2005

I had an idea

While I was crocheting on another little capelet like the black/red one an idea hit me to try something. I might later when things settle down around here, it's VBS this week and I'm helping in crafts (no surprise there). We were working with red clay today and that stuff was just about like going outside and finding a gravel pit and picking up a handful of that clay only this was redder. Our theme this year is Indian based so we were making clay bowls/cups/etc and this stuff gets everywhere. At least it washes right off and we had plastic aprons for the kids to wear over their clothes. Surprisingly there wasn't that big a mess made except on the kids' hands. Tomorrow we'll be making leather bracelets with their Indian names on them using colored Sharpies which should be fun. Later on in the week we'll be making salvation bracelets with colored pony beads and leather, decorating picture frames and making feather headbands. At least we got the messiest craft over with first. I'll have pictures later when I get all of them made. So far I've made two bowls and both bracelets.

If I get this capelet done I'll write it out and post it in my pattern blog.

Friday, May 27, 2005

Why socks?

For some reason I can hear non crochet/knitter/crafters asking this question. I can hear them asking "Why knit/crochet your own socks when it's probably cheaper to buy them?"

There are several reasons:

First: They're fun to do. I pick my color/s and start making my socks.

Second: While they're possibly more expensive than buying them I also feel that handmade socks are more durable than ready made socks. That's JMHO

Third: They're unique. My handmade socks don't look like anything you can buy off the shelf, they're made by me and are therefore unique. Unless someone else takes the same yarn, needles/hook and makes theirs exactly the same as I did. Then they're still unique because no two feet are exactly alike and you make your socks to fit your feet. Which brings me to...

Fourth: I find most store bought socks are too tight in the cuff and bind my ankle. I can make my cuffs a bit looser to not be so tight around my ankle. I make them to my specifications, not the specifications of Hanes, FOL or any other mass market sock maker out there.

Why am I even making this post? It's my blog and I can ramble about whatever I like in it, no one's forcing you to read it and if you don't want to read it you're free to click something else. Also I just thought someone should list some of the reasons they like making socks. I can probably think of some more but right now these four are enough and I'm going to make socks as long as I'm able to knit/crochet and if someone doesn't like it then they don't have to watch me now, do they?

Slipper sock

I know I said I was going to frog the slipper sock but I got to looking at it and I think I'll go ahead and finish it. I was at the toe decreases anyway so I wasn't far from finishing. I'll make another to go with it and have a nice warm pair of slipper socks for this winter. They won't be too awful big on me, my feet are a pretty good size, 9" long and on the wide side. I took a picture, almost done with the toe decreases now so you can see what it's going to look like. I didn't use a pattern, I'm just winging it with a basic pattern, going mostly by tutorials and instinct.

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I really like the colors, it's Caron SS in baby pastel shades, I forget what the actual name of it is but I do like it and if I have to I can get another one but I think I'll have enough left in the skein to get another sock.

Ok, I"m procrastinating but I wanted to finish the slipper sock before I left since I didn't have much left to do on it. I don't know why I've read that the kitchener stitch is so hard, I read the directions several times when I was reading about knit socks and I didn't even have to go back and read them again when I was weaving in the toe stitches. I think I did a pretty good job for my first knit sock on 2 circular needles, the top is a bit loose but that just means the sock will slouch, it's about crew length, a good length for slouching.

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Sock, sock, sock

Here I have 3 socks in various stages of completion. Beginning from the right: Two-tone crocheted ankle sock in two shades of leftover pink baby yarn, knit camo ankle sock in RHSS, knit lilac ankle sock in leftover lilac baby yarn.

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By the time cooler weather approaches Mississippi again I should have at least 3 more pairs of handmade socks to keep my feet warm. These are some small projects, along with the knit basketweave scarf, to go along with the 3 afghans I still have to finish.

In other news, a lady in church gave me a Mary Maxim catalogue and on the front is a knit poncho. it's made with 4 different knit blocks and I intend to see if I can replicate it. It's also on their website. If it's simple enough for a beginner to do I'm betting I can figure out how to do it and make my own. It won't be anytime soon but that's ok, as long as I have a picture to look at I should be ok. Click one of the sites to enter (I went into the American one) and click Poncho Gallery. It's on page 2, scroll down to the bottom, it's the Easy Blocks Poncho.

Anyway, I have work to do today, not much but it won't get done with me sitting my fat behind in front of this computer

Thursday, May 26, 2005

Ramblings

I think I'll keep the directions I wrote for the capelet I just did (see previous post) on my computer for reference for now until I'm sure I won't get into any trouble for posting it. I will definitely make more of them in other colors from my stash later when I get going on the roses afghan, I'll have quite a stash of leftovers from that when I'm through since I only need 8 roses of each color for the afghan then it won't take much more to do the border if she wants me to use each color in the border like she did with the other one. It doesn't take a lot of yarn to make the capelet, I'd wager about 3 ozs of each color you're holding and I just can't see paying $58 ($43 on sale) for something I can make myself.

The knit scarf is coming along nicely and works up incredibly fast, just like Drew said. You get 10 rows knit before you know it and it's time to reverse what you were doing. I really have to watch myself at this point so that I don't confuse myself over what I'm doing or I get funny looking basketweaves. I've just started the third weave, which is a repeat of the first, there's 10 rows one way and 10 the other way. I've only worked on it sporadically and still have 22 rows done on it.

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The sock I haven't picked back up, might do that today after I get back from cleaning pools. I hardly wear socks in the summertime anyway. This is probably the best time to knit them though, so I have them ready for when cold weather gets here so I probably better at least try to finish the ones I've started on.


Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Replicating

At Crochetville someone posted in Seeking Patterns a site selling Crocheted Capelets and wanted to make one. Looking at it, it's easy enough to figure out, you just need 2 strands of yarn and a really big hook. I used Red Heart SS in black and red with an N hook and I think I replicated it quite nicely.

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It fits me and I wear an 18 top so it should fit just about anyone. I wrote down how I did it in Notepad but I'm not sure I should post it anywhere. I don't want to get into trouble with anyone. I feel it's kind of like everyone copying Martha's poncho, I copied this capelet. If anyone knows if it would be safe to post my directions, let me know, please.

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

I'm going to knit for awhile

To rest my wrists. Knitting isn't nearly as hard on them as crocheting is. I still have some crochet projects I need to get out but I won't be in an insane hurry to get them done.

I have the roses afghan to complete
The 63 squares to get a move on
The pineapple shawl for my secret pal-I might swap this one and do a seraphina one instead, that is one gorgeous shawl.
I have a pair of socks I'm crocheting from leftover baby yarn
A pair of socks I'm knitting (see earlier post)

I think I'll frog the other knit sock I was working on and start it over, it's still too big and I want it to fit. Frogging's no big deal in this instance since it was an experiment and I expected to have to frog. At least the other one I started last week should fit, if my calculations were correct.

I've also started a knit scarf. Drew is making one for a Christmas gift for someone and has a link to the pattern. It's a basic basketweave pattern that works up fast. I like the garter st edge he's putting on his compared to no edge on the original so I'm putting a 3 garter st edge on mine as well. I'm doing mine in RHSS in Orchid, a very pretty color. I'm also slipping the first st of each row, that makes a neater edge than knitting the first st of each row.

That's about all for this post, see you next post.

Washed and ready to pack

I've finally finished the pineapple pillowghan and washed it. It wasn't hard, except on my wrists sometimes, I've got the beginnings of carpal tunnel I think.

Anyway it turned out really nice and soft after I dried it with some fabric softener sheets.

Here's the pic:

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Thursday, May 19, 2005

Trying it again

I'm not going to allow knitted socks to defeat me, I've almost finished one I'm trying on 2 circular needles and although it'll be a bit big I can wear them for slipper socks when I make the other one. I'm at the toe decreases now and since it's kind of one that I'm winging and not following a pattern I'm doing the decreases the way I want, it's practice, so I'll find out what works and what doesn't.

Today I went to my LYS and bought a set of dpn in size 3 which is the largest size recommended for socks. They're bamboo from Clover and I wish I hadn't wanted them now, I could have ordered the same thing from Herrschners for about half the price and waited about a week to get them in. I might do that from now on, this LYS is pretty pricey on everything. Their wool/nylon sock yarn is almost $9 per 50g ball and I can get wool/nylon sock yarn from Herrschnerrs for less than half that for a 50g ball-in fact, I could buy 4 balls from Herrschners for that same $9 my LYS wants for 1 ball. Sure, it's a different brand but I've never had my head turned by brands, if the yarn is the same fiber content then I will buy the lower priced one. Maybe my SIL will take the broad hint I just gave him and remember to send me some for Christmas *crosses fingers*

Anyway, this time I'm not going to let knitting socks on dpn defeat me. Right now I'm practicing on some leftover baby yarn since it's the same weight as sock yarn and maybe by the time I can get some sock yarn I will have mastered the knit sock-either on dpn, circular or both.

The knitted sock will fall to me!!

Thursday, May 12, 2005

Homespun Hat

I have about a skein and a half of the Homespun I used to make my Pineapple Shawl so I decided to make a hat to go with it I'm using a pattern from the Lion Brand website that uses Homespun so it should go pretty well.

Beret/scarf set

I've finished the crown, the rest will have to wait, getting dinner ready and have other things to do before we go to Wesson on Saturday for my son's graduation from the community college and to see my Mom and Dad, who should be there late that same afternoon.

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

Homespun Pineapple Shawl

Finished my shawl and it's sooooooooo snuggly. I used Lion Brand Homespun in Metropolis and a K hook. It'll be really comfy in late fall/early winter or if the a/c in church is cooling a little too well.

Here it is, I had to put something light under it so that you could see the pattern better:





I'm going to make one more that I know of, for my secret pal for her birthday. It's not till August so I have plenty of time.

Now to get back to the pillowghan.

Monday, May 09, 2005

I talked myself into it

I'm making myself a pineapple shawl, I'm already up to row 9.

The yarn is Lion Brand Homespun in Metropolis, it's a black/white twist and the look is a black/white tweed that's very soft and snuggly feeling. I think this is going to be one lovely shawl. I originally got the yarn intending to do a cocoon sweater but I think I want this shawl now.

Pics will come in a few days when I'm done.

Sweater Reborn

After I finished frogging the cardigan and rolling all the yarn I had to try out the pineapple shawl that I saw at Crochetville.

The pattern can be found here. There are some corrections that need to be made if it's to work out right:

On row 1 you only need 16 dc, including the beg ch-3

On row 3 you should have 34 dc, including the beg ch-3

Hopefully you can work the rest out.

Yes, it is a doily pattern. When you work it in worsted weight yarn and a K hook you also get a beautiful shawl. It wraps around me pretty well and I'm a pretty good sized woman so it'll probably fit up to a x-large, at least.

It took almost every scrap of yarn I frogged out of that sweater to make the shawl and I only had enough to do the first round of the edging. I still think it looks fine with only that. I toyed with the idea of maybe using the fringe I frogged off the sweater front on the shawl but decided against it, I think fringe would take away from the simplicity and beauty that is already there.

I'm giving it to my mom, it'll be her Mother's Day gift albeit a little late but they'll be coming down to visit next week so I'm sure she won't mind getting it a little late.

Anyway, here it is:

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Friday, May 06, 2005

Loads of yarn

I've frogged 3 sweaters so far.

I don't think I'll ever try to frog chenille again, it's a pain in the hiney. I did get some very pretty rust red and black yarn, not a whole lot, it was really thin. I had to be really careful because it hung up easily and if you tugged very hard it would snap.

The first one I frogged was a blue acrylic, looks like it's pretty lightweight, maybe sport. I'm not exactly sure yet what I want to do with it but I didn't lose a whole lot of it except at the shoulders where the seams were serged.

The one I just finished frogging is a 55% ramie/45% acrylic in a very pretty light peach. I will be doing this I think. I saved the fringe that was on the front of the sweater and I might use it on the shawl, if there's enough. I know it won't take all the yarn to make, I'm not going to use a N hook, I'll be using a K.

I don't think I'll be frogging any more sweaters right now, I don't have much time to haunt garage sales and the thrift stores have put out their summer stuff, I might find some cotton sweaters if I'm lucky but I might have to wait till fall to start haunting the thrift stores again.

Anyway, soon as I get all my yarn balled up nicely I'll post a pic of all I got, and it was all free cause it was either sweaters that Jen left after she got married and one that someone had given me that I don't wear.

Free yarn is always nice.

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

Frogging the first sweater

I got the sweaters washed and took a look at the blue one to see about getting it apart. It looked like the sides were chain-stitched together and all I had to do was find the right end and start unraveling. The only obstacle I've found is that the neckline and sleeve tops have been serged so I cut just below the serge and get that part off then start frogging until I find the end I need. The rest goes pretty fast, frog it all out and start rolling it up. I have 2 softball size balls of beautiful light blue yarn so far just from the sleeves, I'm about to go after the front and back. I think I'll just let the neck ribbing go, it doesn't look like I'll get much out of it anyway.

So what am I going to make with it? Well there's a pattern here that makes a lovely shawl when done in yarn. I'll have to see if I have enough after frogging the front and back of the sweater to make one. There's a pink one here which was done with a N hook and worsted weight yarn. The yarn in this sweater looks more like sport weight yarn so I won't be using that big of a hook, I'll just have to experiment and see what looks best.

We'll see if I even have enough yarn from the sweater first.

Frogging sweaters

I've been reading at Crochetville about people buying sweaters at thrift stores for practically nothing and then frogging them for the yarn. My daughter left a couple of sweaters here after she got married and the seams aren't serged so I think I'll wash them to get the musty smell out (they've been in her room a couple of years now) and try to frog them. They're both 100% acrylic, one is a pretty blue and the other is an orangy red and black chenille-feeling one. I hope I can get the yarn out of them, I might try to make a couple of tank tops with the yarn. I guess we'll find out when they come out of the dryer, I had a load I needed to wash anyway so it did double duty, I'll have clean clothes and a couple of nice smelling sweaters to frog.

Will keep you updated on whether the frogging was successful.

I'm also going to hit my local Salvation Army sometime and see if there are any treasures there waiting to be discovered.

WIP Wednsday

I've been keeping up with mine in the WIP thread at Crochetville but haven't been putting it here so here's my first WIP report for my blogger. It's just a C & P from that post.

I've finished the baby set for the baby shower.

Now working on the pineapple pillowghan, got 3 more squares done, need 9 more to finish.

Have the yarn I need (I hope) to finish the cocoon sweater-I think I'm giving that to my mom for Mother's day, it's a bit tight on me and she isn't quite as big as I am, I think she'll like it too.

Finished a pair of socks from sock yarn and a basic pattern the other day, love them.

That's all I'm owning up to right now.

Tuesday, May 03, 2005

Finished the baby set

I finished the babyghan this morning so the whole set is ready to box and wrap. The shower is less than 2 weeks away so I had plenty of time, if I hadn't had the pineapple pillowghan to complete and send off. Now I have to finish that, hopefully this week so I can send it and it'll get there before the 17th.

Here's the baby set:


Monday, May 02, 2005

Finished socks

I finished the socks from the Bernat Sox yarn my fairy sent me. They're warm and comfy and I'm wearing them right now.



They really brighten up the feet, don't they?