Knit poncho

I don't know if I wrote about this here or not but last weekend I started knitting a poncho out of Bernat Frenzy. I had picked up a bunch of it at W-M last year when they had it on clearance for $2 a ball, I guess they were discontinuing it.

Anyway, I'm knitting the Easy Poncho, I found the link to the pattern at Knitting Pattern Central

I really like how it's turning out, I've finished the first rectangle-done in four different colors. It took durn near a whole ball to do each color block and I had just enough left to bind off the last color. There's 68 garter ridges instead of 66-I did 17 ridges in each color. I'll put up a picture soon, I don't have my camera with me, it's at home and I'm not.

Now I can't wait for colder weather so I can wear it and show it off after I finish it ;)

Tilli Tomas Yarn

Sarah's Yarns: Tilli Tomas Conclusion

I'd never even heard of this yarn before I checked the Knitting community at my LJ. Now that I've read the full story-this link is the conclusion-I won't be buying this yarn-not that I can afford to buy any high-end yarn except on rare occasions.

Their comment about Lion Brand really set me off-Lion Brand makes some very nice yarns-in fact, I just made myself a guitar strap with their Suede that I absolutely love. I still have to frog it back a little and redo it since I didn't account enough for the stretch but I like it otherwise. I'll post a picture as soon as I get it the way I like it.

I think I'll also give Sarah's website a look-see as soon as I have time-the new season of CSI:Miami is starting ;)

More on the guitar strap

I got two balls of Lion Suede in ecru and am about halfway through with the strap. It's a bit wider than my leather strap but I like them wide. I don't think I'm going to need to line it, I'm crocheting it holding two strands together and using an I hook so there's very little give in it.

I also got one of those fleece things that wraps around your car's shoulder belt-it's just the right size. I won't be using it for this, though, Ricky said he wants this strap for the acoustic bass and it isn't that heavy. He can use the fleece on one of his other leather straps on one of the heavier guitars he has. All three of his electric guitars are heavy because they're also old-from at least 1972-1978 when they made guitars to last. Being as heavy as they are, at least 50# each, if you don't have a wide leather, cushioned strap it would be almost impossible to play the guitar for any length of time standing up-the stress on your shoulder would be enormous.

I'm liking how this color is doing, it would go with just about anything but you could choose from any color in Suede that you liked, as long as you used two strands held together.

Look for the pattern when I have time to write it down and perfect it.

An anniversary gift

I saw this while browsing around Knitting Pattern Central the other day and I got to thinking. Ricky needs a new strap because he has more guitars than he does straps. The problem is, he's a plain, country type of guy and I don't think he would like a fur-trimmed strap.

What he actually wants, and can't find anymore (and probably couldn't afford it if he found it), is a wide leather one with a fleece lining. He has one that he's had for longer than we've been married (and we're coming up on 28 years) and I started thinking. I can use it for sort of a template and use Lion Suede and get some fleece polishing cloths from the automotive department. All in all, I don't think it would be too bad of a deal. I'm also going to crochet it instead of knit-I think it'll be sturdier that way. The fleece lining will give it some stability against any stretching as well. I don't think the suede will stretch as much as regular yarn anyway.

Anyway, I need to make a trip to W-M and see if they're still carrying Lion Suede, maybe later today, while Ricky is resting-he hates going into W-M because for some reason whenever he goes in there he ends up getting sick.

If it turns out then I might post my instructions in my Original Patterns blog since I haven't seen any crocheted guitar straps.