February 26, 2015

LOTD: Ooh's and Aaah's

So I got on a kick and started bombing the Knittinfun Facebook Page and decided it was time for another LOTD post. There's just too many cute and nifty little things that I want to knit!
Oh! Don't worry! I am not starting anything new until I finish that sleeve and a half and collar on the boat sweater. (really! That's all I have left to do and won't do it!)

Maybe one of these patterns will motivate me enough to finish it so I can start a new project.

So Mom and baby can match
Maile Sweater
Maile Sweater All Grown Up

I know right! Wouldn't that be just too cute!

I think this would just be the perfect beach cover up!
Nante

Just because I love old fashioned non lacy shawls
Dawn to Dusk Shawl

And just because.......
Monster High Dress
Monster High Dress 2


Reversible
Cowl

Adorable
Pleated Skirt
You have to see this one! Just awwww!














A Mock Henley
Jade Pullover

So sweet!
Queen of Hearts Hat Pattern

That should give you something to ooh and aahhh about for today.
Maybe I will pull the boat sweater out after work and see if I can knock it on out. Besides, it's getting right on the edge of time to take the boat out. I need this sweater!

February 21, 2015

Giveaway #2

Ok, so no one wanted the last two magazines. 
I get that, they were pretty old. 
To the eBay pile they go. No problem.
Let's see if you are tempted by these two 

First up, Vogue Knitting Summer 2004

Fon's & Porter's Love of Knitting Fall 2008


The same rules apply. 
Comment below and winner announced next Saturday at the Knittinfun Facebook page 
Good luck!

February 17, 2015

Giveaway: two fer one


Yes I did that on purpose ;0)


This Leisure Arts booklet has 13 cute tank tops in It. 
I've made one of the tops, the patterns are well written and easy to follow.


Knit it! From Spring 2007 has some really cute patterns for sweaters babies and home.


If you would like these two simply comment below. 
I will draw a name from all the comments and post the drawing winner on the Knittinfun Facebook page Saturday morning. 
Don't forget to check on Saturday. These are outta here one way or the other Monday post. 
Good luck and keep checking back, I have three shelves full that have to go. I pay shipping media mail so it's a win for both of us. 

It's time to start giving it away

I was cleaning out one of the book shelves the other day and noticed I have WAY to many magazines and books that I don't use.
I was subbed to three magazines at one time for quite a while and though I enjoyed them all, there were very few items in them that fit my knitting criteria.
I think it's time to start getting rid of most of them. Let someone else enjoy them.
Most of them will have to be dusted off just to ship.
I will keep a few but the rest need to go.
I have quite a few books too.
When I get home today I will start digging them out.
I think, because I have so many, it will be a twice a week thing. Maybe every other week.
The only requirement will be that if you want it, you are going to have to comment under the post it is in, that's where the names will be drawn from. And then the winner posted at the Knittinfun Facebook Page so you might want to get over there and sign up.
I will pay media mail shipping so if you want it faster than a week you will have to let me know and we can discuss it.
Hopefully you can find something you would enjoy having, because what doesn't go is all going up on EBay and from there? The trash. I'm just tired of cleaning around them.
First post goes up later today so don't forget to check back soon.


February 13, 2015

LOTD:Because I Love You

I am not a big fan of Valentine's Day.
I know! The horror of it all! But I just am not a fan.

I don't eat chocolate, I don't like cut flowers and I would rather have DH tell me he loves me everyday then buy me gifts and cards once a year, and it's assumed the rest.

But I know allot of you love getting the gifts and candy and cards.
So my gift to you?
Some nifty, hearty, sweet patterns to add to your collection

 4 Embossed Hearts Cloth
 Anti-Stress Heart
From Norway With Love Hat
Heart Dishcloth/Blanket
Heart Kindle Cosy
Heart Warmer
Heartwarming Sweater
Love Rocks Mitered Heart Neck Garland
Love Me Knot Illusion Socks
Magnolia Heart Hat 
Piece Of My Heart Dishcloth and Towel
Watercolor Heart Pillow

Have a wonderful Valentine's Day! I hope you receive all your heart's desires!



               Little Hearts Pattern

February 9, 2015

Boat Sweater Is a Sweater!

Once I got past the fiddley row by row instructions things started moving pretty quickly. Well, as quickly as 14 inches of stst can go.





It is absolutely what I wanted this sweater to be so far.
Just a big, warm, comfy, over sized sweater that will be absolutely perfect for throwing over whatever I am wearing when I get too cool at night, or on the water. 
The design came out fairly well considering how many times I had to rip it out. And blocking, I think, will make it pop even more. 
So now it's on to the sleeves, the neck and then done. 
I didn't see anyone complaining about the written sleeve pattern, so maybe this part will go off without a hitch.
 
And no, I am not as big as that picture makes me look! 
At least I don't think I am...................

February 8, 2015

I went to a Mardi Gras Parade: and you think that has nothing to do with knitting

Or at the most I'm talking about some awesome handknit garments I may have seen.
Scarves? Hats? Warm,cozy gloves?
No.

Actually, I had a corn dog.

Wait!     What?!?

I was hungry so when we passed one of the many concession stands I stopped for something that would be easy to carry and eat at a crowded parade. A corn dog, perfect! I'll take two. 

As we ate them I noticed how nice and thick the sticks were. Not those flimsy things you get with store bought corn dogs you bring home and hand out to all those grand brats. A nice thick stick and looky here!!!
 They have points!

As you can imagine I received "the stank eye" when I told PB not to throw his away. They would make great knitting needles. 

I don't have one of those needle gauge thingys but I am pretty sure they would be around a size 9. So I figure with a little sanding and sharpening they would end up around an eight. 

When I get them ready, I figure a nice swatch (yeah I said it) would help me figure out the size.

February 6, 2015

The Boat Sweater: A test of will

I am going to be honest, I love this sweater, I really do. But (you knew it was coming) the pattern is a tad difficult to follow in the beginning.

Just to get to this point, I started over three times.
I blamed myself the first two times, misreading a line, not paying close enough attention to what I was doing. By the time I got to the third try, ok, maybe it isn't me. 
I eventually had to move my BOR marker to make it coincide with the pattern. That seemed to straighten out my problem. Though now I wonder if that was the best idea. Is this going to throw off my short rows I did across the back for added length? They were written into the pattern, maybe since I had to move my beginning marker, somewhere in the pattern this compensation is correct for the shaping in the back. 
I decided to just keep going and see what comes out in the end.
 
I am not a great knitter. I don't get into the technicalities of knitting. Especially if I have a pattern to follow. I just blindly follow and if I like it enough to make another one, then I start thinking about what I will change. A different cuff, more length, that kind of thing. But the first go round, strictly line for line. 
As you can see from the picture below, my beginning stages are quite sloppy looking.
No fancy markers or cutesie pics with the cat. Just a big old round mess that surprises me every time it turns into exactly what I wanted.

Here is the beginning of my next problem with the pattern.
The King Charles Brocade, which is the whole reason I purchased the pattern. The way the designer incorporated it into the sweater, IMHO, is what make this an awesome, comfy looking sweater.
I am not going to lie, I hate charts so it was with great pleasure that I realized the author had also written out the instructions for this part.
I pulled out my trusty little green notebook and pen and started on what I think is the best part of this pattern. 







 This is just a few rounds in, it looks great! The pattern is snapping together perfectly. I am getting super excited about it at this point.


Then we get to around center part of the brocade pattern.
I was buzzing right along, completely amazed with myself being able to keep the pattern straight, tick the rows off in my book and watch t.v. the whole time. I was on a role, and the small snag at the beginning of the pattern was turning into just that. A snag that can be revised with a quick go round after this sweater is through.
Then I get to row 14 or 15, I can't remember exactly which.
It was late, I had been knitting for over four hours. Hmm.... I missed something somewhere. It's not matching up anymore. My knit stitches were going into knit stitches and purls into purls. That doesn't feel right.
Damn! I have got to stop watching t.v. when I am following a pattern.
So I rip out the whole row, (the front side matched up, making it doubly frustrating because I was half way through the round before I realized I had screwed something up), and started over.
Ignoring the television and concentrating on every stitch.
On the second go round, in the middle of the back section, there it was again, my stitches were lining up again. Dang it! I must have added another stitch somewhere.
I was so frustrated with myself at that point, I put all my knitting things away and went to bed.
The next day I picked it up, ripped out two rounds back because I apparently had added an extra stitch somewhere. So I decided to rip back to my last known good row.
The first round went on perfectly and I was paying extreme attention to every stitch and pattern detail I was following.
The second round and the same thing happens again.
Ok, maybe it isn't me. Maybe there is a problem with the pattern, at least the written version.
I did end up going to the projects page on Ravelry and found out that quite a few people had commented on the difficulty of reading this pattern.
Someone said that they had ripped back and followed the chart instead of the written directions and it all worked out.
So that's what I did.
Finally!!! Success!
I had decided that when I was finished knitting this I would go back and write out the chart directions myself so I could compare it to the author's and, if I could find the problem, just drop the author a little note.

Once I got past that big snafu, the pattern becomes very easy to follow and written just the way I like it. Simple and straight forward.

As you can see from the picture I am well on my way past the charted part of the pattern.
8" of the 14" of stst.

The author saw my Ravelry posts and asked me what had happened. Which I thought was very sweet.
I am still going to go back over the chart and write it out, I am curious to see if, maybe it was just me, and I kept screwing up until I sat down and read the chart.
With me, it could happen that way!
And if you are wondering, YES! I so think this sweater is going to be worth it!

Getting back in the groove

It's been so long since I have wanted to knit anything.  I knit so many socks when I started knitting back in '99 that I was comp...