More Socks

I know, it's been a little while since I last posted. I've been a little busy with school and have been a little lazy too. I have done some knitting, though not as much as I would have liked.

I made two pairs of little baby socks from the pattern over on Rachel's Ramblings. It is a really easy pattern, and knit up quickly (when I worked on them).

The pair to the right is the feather and fan following Rachel's pattern. The pair to the left is the blueberry waffles pattern which I found an easy pattern as well.

I used a skein of Bernat Sox (60% acrylic, 40% nylon) in the Crazy Hot colourway. I still have enough yarn left to make at least one more pair of baby socks, and possibly two. Not sure what pattern I will use for the next pair, but I'll have a look-see through the patterns I have and ones on the net to see if something strikes my fancy.



Off to do more homework - have three chapters to read, a small 2 page essay to write on the three chapters, an exercise for the TESL class (it's making up grammar sheets that could be used for a certain class level and can take awhile to do), some grammar work, a 6-10 sentence essay as well as read over several essays and do a critique/edit on one of them. Fun stuff, but it's interfering with my knitting time, LOL! Just kidding...sorta.

A New Addiction?

The problem with having an addictive personality is that when I find something I enjoy doing, it is very easy for me to get addicted. Such is the problem I am now facing. A new found addiction to making stitch markers. Sharon is so right, she said in the comment section of the previous post that it is addictive.

Here is more proof of my new addiction:


You might have to click on the picture to enlarge it so you can see them better. I made these last night, and I'm using one of the ones to the right on the current baby sock that I'm working on (should have the second one done tonight or tomorrow and have pics of it soon). The ones on the right are made with smaller rings, and I find they are a good size for the smaller dpn's used in the making of socks.

I need to find more creative ways of taking pictures of the markers (and my knitting things)...I wish I was more creative in a lot of things, but I'm not so my pictures and whatever will likely be boring - unless I "steal" ideas from others. I'd like to try to be original, but it doesn't always turn out. Oh well.

Here's the final picture, Kitten Yarns & Crafts resident kitty herself, Tinker Belle. As you can see she's not overly impressed here, for two reasons: 1. I interupted her bath time in the sunbeam, and 2. I wouldn't let her play with the stitch markers - not that she didn't try, because she did when I was trying to take pics. Silly kitty, those aren't play toys (at least for her)!

Stitch Markers

Ok, I have finally given into the hand made stitch marker craze. I admit, I was jealous of all those knitters and beaders out there who were making beautiful stitch markers. I wanted to belong (isn't that always the way?) so I Googled 'how to make sitch markers' and found some sites. The one I used was from Sheep In The City blog, with the link to her method of making stitch markers found here.

Now, keep in mind that this is my first attempt at making stitch markers, so they might not be as gorgeous or glamerous as more experienced stitch marker makers (say that ten times fast!). Yes, I know they aren't all uniform in length - a fact I only thought about after I finished making each individually and didn't think to measure the needle part first. Oh well, they varying lengths (though they aren't off by a whole lot) just add to creator uniqueness or something like that.

Ok, so to the right you will see the red ones (or would garnet be a better shade to call them?). I used a larger ring for those, but I think it would be better if I used a smaller ring (I only have two sizes really, and I wanted to have a variety of rings to be used on different size needles. The bigger rings could be used, I suppose on the larger needles. I used a 6.5mm bamboo needle to display them on, and there is plenty of room left over. I don't know if that would be too annoying to a knitter or not...I will let you know though.

To the left, you will see the other set of four I made. The rings on these are smaller and fit the 6.5mm bamboo needle fine. These would obviously not be able to be used on needles bigger than this size though, but I was thinking they might do for something like socks or mittens or lace scarves - some small project like that. Again, I have no idea but time will tell. Sorry that both of these pics are a little dark, but they were in shadow, and I didn't want to use the flash because I didn't want it to bounce off the window and create a glare or make it so the markers couldn't be seen so well. For the picture at the bottom I thought I would hold them up in the sun to make them look a little brighter.

I will be making some more of these (right now they are the only beads I have for making stitch markers) later today. Does anyone have any idea how many stitch markers are usually put into a set? The reason I ask, is that I want to make some to give away (along with some wool) as the September prize for the Knittin' Mittens KAL and I'm not sure how many to put as a set.

P.S. The Knittin' Mittens KAL is still open to all knitters, no matter your skill level. You still have a little over half the month to get your mittens/gloves in for the September draw. Also, the grand prize (a pattern, fleece and wool package to make thrummed mittens) requires that each knitter completes a pair of mittens or gloves for each month in order to get their name entered on this fabulous prize. If you don't want to enter the grand prize, but would just like to make mittens or glove a few times, that is fine as well because I plan on having a prize for each month as well.

Reid and Bess

Ok, I think at some point I promised to show pics of my progress on Reid and Bess so that is what this post is about. Let's start with Reid.

As you will remember I started Reid but it wasn't looking anything like the picture of the finished cardigan. I was assured that blocking would probably fix that, but in all honesty I just had a bad feeling it wouldn't.

I went and bought some Patons Grace (the kind used in the sample) and decided I would start over since I wasn't too far into it anyway. Just in case though, I left what I had on the needles. Here is what I've got thus far with the new venture in Reid:

This is about 38 or 40 rows of the back. I know the picture isn't all that great but I wanted to hold it up so you could see the "holes" of the lace. It's still kind of squished together because I didn't want the stitches to fall of the end of the needle. Here's a close up of the stitch (and please don't point out any mistakes - I know there are some in there but I can't figure out how to tell when I do make one (I know, that's what life lines are for, but at this point I wouldn't know how to begin fixing the mistake anyway being new to lace). The following picture is a close up of the stitches.

The colour is, I believe, lilac but here (at least on my screen) it is looking on the blueish side. Again, the stitches are somewhat scrunched up still because I didn't want them falling off the end of the needle. You can't even really see the pattern yet in the pic, but when you look at the real thing you do see more of the pattern there - a lot more - than last time.

And as for Dainty Bess, I found out what I was doing wrong! It was the yarn overs that had me thrown for a loop. I had done some blog surfing not long ago, and came across Heather's blog and saw that she was doing this same scarf. I had asked if she could show me a picture of her work on it so I could see if I was doing it right. Mine looked nothing like hers, so I knew I must be doing something wrong but had no idea what.

A few emails later she said she couldn't see my yarn overs, but they were there. It turns out that on the purling side I was purling it wrong. I tried the way she said it (in Reid) - at least I think I am doing it the right way because the holes are showing up.

However, I decided since I had about half of the length of the current picture above shows completed, I decided not to rip out and start over. I decided that I would just continue on my merry little way with what I was doing. At least there is some sort of diamondy looking pattern showing. I will do this pattern again, and the next time I will know how to do the yarn overs and my next attempt might turn out right.

In the mean time, I am renaming my version of Dainty Bess. With no disrespect to the author of the pattern, I am naming my version "Messy Bessy".

Hats Off To You...

Well, still taking a little break from the lace projects though to be honest, I am still doing work on them as well. One little project I knit up pretty much last evening was the hat in the pic below.

I made it with Lion Brand Suede (it's 100% polyester - but no polyesters were killed or injured in the making of the hat). I used size 5.5 mm needles and follwed the pattern from Knit It! which was displayed until April - didn't say which issue it was though, other than when to display it until.

The hat is called "Cloche Topper" and has a "flower" type thingy on the side. I didn't like the "flower", so I decided not to make it. The hat is looking kind of squarish - but that's because I have it hanging over the square post at the top of the stairs on the back deck. The colour is teal, but it looks a little bluer in this picture.

I ended up casting on a tad bit too tight and I think when I drew the end piece through the last few stitches before sewing up the seam, I pulled that a bit too tight. Other than that though it looks fine. Here is a close up of the stitches:

I will make this pattern again, but I might try it on 4.5 mm needles (the pattern calls for that but mine were in use so I used the 5.5 mm that the yarn wrapper calls for). Also, the needles I used were some "cheapish" plastic ones and I think if I had used aluminum needles it might have been a little better.

And finally, a picture of the cat in the hat...or cat under the hat...or maybe I should title the caption for this picture as "Tiny Cat; Giant Hat"...

Taking A Break

I've taken a break these past couple of days. I've taken a break from knitting lace. Why you may ask? Well, it's not because I'm not enjoing it (even though I've been doing it wrong), because I do like lace and I am liking it.

Since September has arrived, I wanted to get a pair of mittens done for my Knittin' Mittens KAL. So, I hauled out a skein/ball/whatever you want to call it of wool and got one of the patterns I have for a kids pair of mittens. Actually, the book is an old one that I borrowed from my friend Kristina and haven't given back yet because I wanted to learn how to do mittens on four needles. She'll get the book back eventually - especially if she asks for it LOL!

I do have more of the scarf done, and restarted the Reid sweater in the right kind of yarn - this time with more knowledge on how to do it. I have one set of the back section done and part way into the first repeat of it. No pictures yet though.

I'll work some more on the lace and get a pic of both the scarf and Reid up soon. But for now, click here to see my first pair of mittens made for 2006.

Oh, and for those interested, you can still join the KAL (it runs until March of next year) by sending me an e-mail to let me know. Details are on the Knittin' Mittens blog - the links are in red above. C'mon and join in the fun!

Dainty Bess Progress

Here is my progress thus far on Dainty Bess since the previous post:

Each section is 20 rows, and I have completed 4 of those (as well as 6 in the next repeat. I don't know if I have done 3 repeats, or if it is 4 (is it doing one set of 20 rows and 3 repeats, or do you count the first one as well?).

I took this picture at about 6:30pm tonight, so you see a bit of the sun shining through the deck and the tree in back of it. You can also faintly see the white thread I'm using as life lines. Though to be honest, I haven't used them yet. I have mistakes in there but I am not good at lace yet, so I have absolutely no idea where they are - even if I'm still on the same line. I know there are tons of experienced lace knitters out there who probably look at it and say "Boy, there is yet another mistake! Why on earth did she not tink back or rip back and fix it?" Well, I am just going to let my inexperience speak for itself on this one I'm afraid. I am not giving this away, since it's my first piece of real lace, so if people see the mistakes in it they will just have to deal with it LOL!

Here is another closeup of the lace that doesn't look like anything yet. I'm anxious to get it completed for Amazing Lace, and to see how it looks after it is all blocked.

I do have one question that I am hoping someone can answer for me. When using a circular needle and knitting lace (or anything for that matter), do you hold the needles so that the item you are knitting hangs in through the loop and the loop on the front, or do you have the knitting over the front and the loop hanging in the back? Does it even matter? When I first started knitting this, I was holding it so the lace was hanging in the loop and the loop was on the front, but about 10 rows or so ago, I changed to the other way. I'm not sure if I am seeing any difference or not and I just wanted to know the correct way to hold the circular needles (don't want a disaster like with my first pair of socks and holding the dpn's wrong).

I also bought some Paton's Grace yarn today for the Reid sweater for my friend's daughter. It's not the same colour as the Knit Picks Shine though. I was holding the two together, and Shine is a little bigger than Grace, but not by a whole lot. I think what I will do is at least finish the back of Reid and block it. That way I can see if it's going to look remotely like it should. If not I have the Grace to do it in. Though I'm thinking if it looks half decent anyway, I just might finish it up with the Shine and use the Grace to make one in a smaller size...we'll see. I haven't worked on Reid since my last post because I wanted to mull over what I should do with it. And also I wanted to work on the Dainty Bess as it is a quicker knit.

Off to go work on my lace! Happy knitting, and don't forget to sign up for the Knittin' Mittens KAL (leave a comment or email me)!

Holey Knitting Batman!

Note the way I spelled holey...so that should be an indication that I am talking about lace knitting! Yes, I have caved into the lace craze.

To be honest, I absollutely love the look of lace and I really admire those who can knit it so beautifully (and seemingly so quickly too). I have a total fear of lace - well, in knitting it. I don't know why but I just do.

Maybe this is the reason why I fear it... this my friends, is Reid from Knitty. It is so not looking like lace is it? I also goofed up a couple of places - but I have absolutely no clue where so I can't even rip back to it.

I'm using Knit Picks Shine Sport on size 3.50 mm needles, and as I said, it is not looking like lace to me. It started off with some pretty good diagonal diamond shape thingys, but after the first 16 rows somehow that stopped (I'm thinking it is somewhere around the second repeat that I made the goof ups). You can sort of see the diamond shapes if you look at it a certain way, but not as clearly. I am afraid that if I go up a needles size or two (to get the lace look) I will run out of yarn and if I order more, it won't be the same dye lot. I really don't know what to do except frog it and get a different yarn...I was trying to avoid the yarn called for in the pattern because I saw that it was hand wash and I don't think my friend would enjoy that (the sweater is for her daughter).

Ok. Here is where I conquored my fear of knitting lace. I started the Dainty Bess scarf (the green one) from the Elizabeth I patterns from Knit Picks and have finished the first 20 rows, about to start the first repeat - or is that the second?

The yarn is Alpaca Cloud in the Tidepool colourway on size 3.25 mm circular needles. I've not knit with something so fine, so that's a bit of a challenge.

It's looking like a loosely knit blob at present time but in some ways I can see a bit of a pattern, though mostly I don't. I am hoping that when I have finished it and blocked it that the pattern will show up better. In the picture given with the pattern, it looks like the yarn they used was a little thicker though and the pattern just jumps right out at you.

Oh, and this is also what I've accomplished for the Amazing Lace...not much I know, but I feared the lace and also I had to cut way back on my knitting this summer because of carpal tunnel. But, I've at least got some lace to show for it. Maybe I'll be really adventurous and get it all done by the closing date, September 1.

I guess I've got a lot to learn about lace knitting. Oh, and I do have a thread run through for a life line in case I mess up and have to rip back.

Also, for anyone wanting to join the Knittin' Mittens KAL, you still can. There are only about six of us so far, and all knitters are welcome. Click here to go to the Knittin' Mittens blog.

Starting a KAL?

Ok, so I want to start a KAL (a knit along). I've been thinking about it for awhile now. There are tons out there, but I want to have one. I'm selfish like that! LOL!

I'm not entirely sure of what to do or how to start it though. I also can't afford to supply prizes, so maybe there would be others willing to donate them. I also need to work through the little details of things like how long it will last, is it a one item per month (like the Sock a Month KAL does), is it a knit as many as you can each month, etc.

If anyone has experience with this sort of thing, maybe you can give me pointers in the comment section. Also, if there is anyone who is willing to donate prizes that would be fabulous too - yarn, stitch markers, or whatever.

I am also thinking of creating a blog for it so that all the members of the KAL will have access and can post pics of their completed items. That might be easier to do than have people post comments or send emails with links to their blogs for me to check out and post here. I would also need buttons made (I am not good at that) for people to put on their blogs.

So, please, leave me comments with suggestions, etc. I'll let everyone know what the KAL is for and the other details at a later point. Right now I'm in the thought/planning stage but would like to find more info on starting KAL's first.

Edited to add:

Ok, I have set up a blog for the KAL. It is to knit mittens and gloves, and the details (or most of them) are there. The name of the KAL and blog is Knittin' Mittens. Click here to go to the blog.

August Socks

Finally I have completed the pair of children's socks I have slowly been working on for awhile now. They've been one of those projects that you have to fall back on when you want to do mindless knitting or something small. I say mindless because it is just a basic simple pattern of knitting with no pattern in the stitches. Basically it's my default children's pattern - ok so it's been the only children's pattern I've used so far...

Anyway, these are my first entry for the Sock of the Month 2 KAL:

Here are the details:

Pattern: Basic simple pattern from the back of a yarn wrapper
Needle Size: 3.0 mm
Yarn: Patons Kroy
Colourway: Umm I think it was country something or other (I forget)
Sock Size: 2-4

And just because I haven't posted a picture of Kitten Yarns & Crafts resident cat herself, Tinker Belle, I will leave you with the latest picture I have taken of her:

My First Paid Work

Well, I finally got everything completed for the lady at work - you know, the set I have been talking about (like in the post before this one), the one with the sweater, hat, mittens, and booties? Done.

It's far from perfect, and I hope she and her daughter will like it. The baby isn't due until December and I informed her that the sweater is sized for 3 months because that was the smallest size available. The hat, mittens and booties are sized smaller than that (for a 10-12 lb baby) because that was the largest size available for those. She said that was fine though. I told her this before I was making it, while I was making it, and then yesterday before I was totally finished with it so she was well aware of it. She still said that was fine. The sweater was crocheted and the rest of the items were knit - which I informed her of well in advance and she was fine with that too. She is the one that chose all of the items.


So, here to the left is the completed set. The buttons weren't exactly evenly spaced. Or at least it seems that way. They aren't horribly placed though and they look fine to me; and I think it was just the way the buttons ended up being sewn on. It's passable though. I used larger buttons because I figured it might be easier for an adult to button instead of trying to get those tiny little buttons done up.


Since I've posted pictures of the sweater by itself, I've included a picture of the hat, mittens and booties by themselves as well. Too bad I didn't have a doll or a real baby to model the items...that would have been nice. But, since I don't the kitchen table will have to do.

Blogger is being a royal pain again and won't let me post a picture of Kitten Yarns & Crafts resident cat, Tinker Belle. So, that will have to wait until my next post - which hopefully won't be as long as it has been since I've posted the last post until now. So, with that, happy knitting!

A Whole Lotta Knittin' Not Goin' On...

Ok, well I've been doing some knitting but not a whole heck of a lot. I have the booties done for Wendy's outfit for her grandbaby but one of them is two or three rows too long/short (it's all sewn up), so I'll have to make another one. That's ok though because they don't take too long. I've also got one of the mittens done (they go very quickly) so I have the other mitten and the hat to do. I have decided to go with yellow buttons on the sweater and I am going to put them on so they are big enough for the parent/adult who has to button it, but they aren't overly large I don't think.

I've also got the second of sock of the child's pair nearly done and it shouldn't take long to finish it (I might work at it more tonight).

At work, on breaks, I was working on a scarf but I ended up making it too wide. When I cast on for it I never thought about it stretching and beoming wider. The result is fine, it's just that I am going to have to see if I can find another ball/skein of the same yarn, and chances are it is not going to be the same dye lot since I got this ball earlier in the spring/summer to make a scarf with. And I refuse to frog it it too! Oh well, something will work...I hope.

I am hoping to get the baby outfit and the sock done this weekend or early next week. I will definately get the sock done before the 31st though so that I can count it as my July Sock of the Month. I am hoping to have pics of these completed items as well to share.

In other news, for those of you who are aware of my writing blog Ink Scrawls, I have changed the template there this evening. I'm still trying to attempt my hand and tweeking it (like making the sidebar font and size a little smaller and different and I am thinking the background of the post itself is too white...maybe a pale pink would suffice?). Anyway, if you don't mind taking a moment to head over and let me know what you think, I would appreciate it.

There isn't much else in the line of news. I start flute lessons on Monday and I'm excited for that. I will probably be posting about it on my Confirm The Work of Our Hands blog that evening or within the next day or so and you can read all about it - or what I share about it - when it happens.

Until then, happy knitting!

An FO...Sorta!

Ok, well I finally have something finished - sorta. I just have 3 buttons to sew on the baby sweater that I made for the lady at work. Here's a pic of before I put it together.

It's crocheted though, and not knitted. The colour is white with tiny flecks of yellow, green, blue and mauve throughout, and it is acrylic yarn (I think Bernat).

Wendy wanted it to be neutral so that her grandbaby could wear it no matter if it is a boy or a girl. The pattern she chose from one of my baby sweater pattern books looked too girly so I adjusted it some. I didn't put the lacy part around the edges, nor did I tie it with a bow that has pom poms on it. To me, that screamed GIRL! Now, if she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt if the baby was going to be a girl, then I would have gone ahead and made it the way it was in the book.
Here is a close up of the pattern (single crochet, chain 1) and you can see the colour better too, though it doesn't really look white on my screen. That's probably because I took the pic outside in the shade about half an hour ago.

I added the bands for the buttons because in the pattern it is just tied up near the collar. I crocheted along the front sides and stopped a few inches from the top so that the collar could fold down a bit. It's not cooperating in the pic, so you can't really tell.

Now all I have left is to do the hat, booties and mittens to match using the same kind/colourway yarn. The only thing is, of which Wendy is aware, is that the patterns shoe chose for these items are knitted so they won't be a total match pattern wise. She didn't mind. She is just too excited that she is finally going to be a grandmother!

So, tada! Here is the sweater minus the buttons:

Pattern from: Gifts from Heaven Baby Sweaters (American School of Needlework, booklet 2201)
Yarn: Bernat (one of the baby yarns)
Crochet Hook: size H/3 - 5.00 mm
Pattern size: 3 months

In other yarny news, I finished one of the children's socks that I had been working on and have about half a dozen rows of the cuff on the second one done. Now, to get some more FO's completed...

I also want to get started on the Reid pattern from Knitty soon so that it can be done for the fall. Hopefully they've adjusted things so that the size 6 isn't huge anymore. I've tried to contact the author of the pattern (left a couple of comments on her blog and I think I might have emailed her at one point), but she hasn't responded. Oh well, if it is still too big, maybe my friend's daughter will just grow into it. She's a petite girl though and by then she might not like the colours I chose anymore...oh well, we'll see.

Happy knitting!

Back In The Saddle Again

Well, not technically in the saddle since there are no horses around here. However, I have been getting a little knitting in.

Remember the Haiku sweater I started sometime back, though not too long ago? I've done a little on that - about 3 inches. I've also done some more on the crocheted baby sweater for the lady at work. I'm going to pull it out again in a little while and work on it some more. Haven't done any on the socks yet, though I hear them calling my name!

This past Monday was a holiday up here in Canada and a group of us from church got together at the cottage of one of the older couples from church. It was actually one of the lady's Sunday school classes that was getting together, and the cottage belongs to the co-teacher and her husband. I used to attend the class a few years ago before I started teaching the kids, and have been invited every year since. It's nice to be included.

Anyway, while there I - being the knitter that I am - brought some knitting along. Didn't know what I'd feel like working on, so I brought the sweater for the lady at work, a pair of socks (ok, it wasn't really a pair but the first sock that I've been working on with the Knit Picks Memories in Easter), and I brought a ball of the yarn I dyed with purple koolaid. I felt like doing some mindless knitting so that I could engage in conversations at the same time, so I started working on a new scarf. It's the Irish Hiking scarf pattern that I used back in February for the knitting olympics.

I got some nice compliments on my knitting, and they liked the colour of yarn so I explained that I dyed it with koolaid (though this particular ball was done with a no name brand) and vinegar. The pastor's wife was amazed at this and thought it was a cool idea and got me to tell a few of the ladies who wasn't around for the conversation, about the kool aid. They were amazed!
Remember this picture? It's the one I took of the yarn that I had dyed way back when (I think it was during the knitting olympics). The yarn I am using for the second of my Irish Hiking scarves is the purple one on the far right. It is knitting up nicely and the colour looks great. I am noticing a few odd spots so far of areas that didn't quite soak up enough of the mixture, but oh well, it adds character!

I am thinking that I will either make another scarf out of the other purple one on the left, or a hat - probably sized for a child since I only have one ball of it.

Well, I'm going to head out now and work on the baby sweater for the lady at work, and might get some other knitting on Haiku done as well. I also want to work some more at my writing, which I also did for two or three hours this afternoon.

Happy knitting!

Canada Day, Friday Feast, Frapper

Happy 139th Birthday Canada!!

Yes, today is Canada Day and many celebrations are taking place across this great nation. For those who don't know what Canada Day is, it's our birthday - this great nation consisting of 10 provinces and 2 territories (though Northwest Territories divided up and there is another 'territory' I guess you would call it. It's called...ummm, I don't know how to spell or pronounce it but it starts with the letter "I". You could always do a search in Google if ya want to find out ;o). Canada Day is our 'version' of the American's 4th of July.

I have started taking part in the Friday's Feast meme that was created some time ago - 100 weeks/feasts ago to be exact. If you are interested in mine, feel free to check out my writing blog, Ink Scrawls, to read my answers. I've taken part in two of these feasts so far (there is only one post separating them - I don't have much on that blog yet, nor do I get much traffic. How sad for me!), so please take pity and leave a comment hehehe.

I've also added a link on the sidebar to my Frapper (which stands for Friends Mapper or something like that). Lots of people have those on their blogs, and I had it on my Confirm The Work of Our Hands blog for awhile. Only 15 people (including myself) are listed so far...take pity on me and add your marker with your name and a little message :o). I have been trying to figure out how to create a separate map for each of my blogs, but I couldn't; so I decided to put the link to the same map on all.

I hope you are all having a "knittacular" weekend! I'm going to try to get some work done on the socks and hopefully do some crocheting on the little sweater for the woman at work. Happy knitting!

Who Are The People In Your Neighbourhood?

Remember that song from Sesame Street? It's one of those catchy little tunes that get stuck in your head and you just can't get it out.

Who are the people in your neighbourhood, in your neighbourhood, in your neighbourhood; Oh who are the people in your neighbourhood? The people that you meet each day!

Well, that has absoloutely nothing to do with knitting or with this post, but I just thought I'd put a post up so you didn't think the rapture came and I was taken and you weren't...lol. No, I wanted to share this with you because I'm a little instigator and I wanted you to get the song stuck in your head!!! Mwwaahhhaahahahahaaaa!

I haven't been doing much knitting the last little while because of my wrists - still trying to keep them rested for a little while. I won't be getting any socks done for the June Sock A Month KAL and that breaks my heart. I did get some done on the first child's sock though (I wasn't as far head on it as I thought I was - was doing the heel flap), but now I am nearly to the decreasing at the toe area. However, if that were the second sock, I probably would push myself and finish it; but since it's the first one, I'll just wait and do it up for July. Oh well, thems the breaks I guess.

Anyway, I'm going to head out and rest my wrists some more. I'll probably do some reading for awhile before bed, or maybe I'll get a bit of inspiration and do some writing (I'll write it long hand so my wrists wont be as aggrivated for typing all day at work tomorrow). Hopefully I'll get some knitting done and post some pics soon. I'll leave you with the latest Tinker Belle pic though, just to make the post interesting. This was taken a few days ago, and she is looking out the back screen door onto the patio.

Where's The Knitting?

That is what I am asking myself...where is the knitting?

My wrists have been bothering me this last week, what with sitting at the computer all day typing at work. I still haven't located my wrist thing-a-majigs - maybe I need to look a little harder or just go to Wal-Mart and get new ones. I've been trying to cut back on the knitting and computer time and that has helped some. More than anything, my wrists feel tired but not overly 'sore'. Last Friday though, one of them did feel a little like the numbness would come back if I didn't stop the typing. Thankfully it was at the end of the work day and I was able to rest my wrists over the weekend.

I've done some knitting and crocheting, but not a whole heck of a lot. Not much has been done on the baby sweater for the lady at work, but it's getting there. She doesn't need it until December, though she was thinking of having it by the end of October. I'll get it done before then though.

On the Easter colourway socks I am on the gusset part of the first sock, and have not touched the other ones. June is almost over - only 10 more days and I don't think I'll get these ones done to count for my June socks for the Sock a Month KAL. I think I'll have to pull out the children's socks I had started a couple of months ago and finish those. I should be able to get them done on time as I was on the foot part I think of the first one, and they are only a size 2-4 and they knit up fairly quickly. But, if my wrists bother me too much I just might have to let this month slide by. Keeping my wrists 'healthy' is more important than finishing a pair of socks for the KAL (though that runs a close second).

I've also been working on my writing some. I've got tonight and tomorrow night to finish my short story for the writer's challenge over at Faith Writers. I haven't entered the challenge for several weeks now because I haven't been able to come up with anything for the topics. Hopefully this one I'm working on will see completion and I can enter it.

Anyway, off to work on that and maybe do some sock knitting if my wrists are feeling fine.

Happy knitting!

I've been doing a little knitting and crocheting lately, but not too much. My neck and shoulder have been feeling better and I think the little break has helped some. I've got two pairs of socks started as well as the little sweater for the lady at work (which is being done in crochet). For all of them I don't have much done. The sweater is generally only worked on at work during breaks and lunch, but it goes fast. I started one of the pairs of socks the other day, and the other one a couple weeks back but was working on finishing the socks in the previous post.

The socks to the left are being done with Knit Picks "Dancing" in the ballet colourway. I am either done with the cuff, or just have a few more rows to go. The socks with this yarn will be from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks, and the pattern is Child's French Sock.

The sock to the right is with Knit Pick's Memories in the Easter colourway. I really like the bright colours on this one. The pattern is just a simple basic sock from Patons. It is from one of those free little pattern sheets you can get, but I've also seen it online. However, as I said, it is a basic pattern so you can pretty much find those everywhere.

I was thinking of using the blueberry waffles pattern or the haystacks pattern for the Memories socks, but one of them said I'd need three balls of yarn and I only have two. The other one I either figured that I might not have enough yarn, or it too called for three balls. I think I was afraid of running out of yarn, and it seems to me that the Easter colourway of this yarn isn't being sold anymore...at least in their catalogue and online they aren't showing it. Maybe it's only offered in the Spring...I don't know.

You'd think when I had the camera out that I would have taken a picture of the baby sweater I'm crocheting, but I honestly never thought to. You'll have to wait for another time to see it. It's the white baby yarn that has those small splotches of colour throughout it, and it's looking cute. I showed what I have done of it to Wendy (the one who requested it), and she loved it. I also told her that I wasn't going to put the edging around it because that would make it look too girly, and she's wanting something pretty neutral for a boy or a girl. She was fine with that though.

I have also been working on some writing lately, and you can read about it on my newest blog (hey now, I only have 3 of them...sheesh! I'm not a blogging addict or anything...yet. Just wanted to keep things seperate.) which is called Ink Scrawls. You can click the link to take you there, where you can play a little hangman on the sidebar, or leave a comment - I love comments). I'm slowly working on a novel, and I've got an idea for a short story for the latest writer's challenge over at Faith Writers. I haven't entered the challenge for a little while, so I'd really like to get one done up to submit.

So, I'm going to head off now and do an update (maybe) on one or both of the other blogs and get back to knitting and crocheting. Going to also try to get some more writing done this afternoon or this evening as well.

Happy Knitting!

Finished Sock

Well, I finally finished my next pair of socks. This pair will be my May entry for the Sock A Month Kal - am getting it in just under the wire (It's 9:52pm Atlantic time, 8:52pm Eastern).

I used the Lichen Ribbed Sock pattern from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks (pg. 26-28). I pretty much stuck to the pattern, except for the toe area which I did as I have done in my other sock patterns. I think it's a standard decreasing pattern. I nearly ran out of yarn for both of the socks, and when I was doing the decreasing in the toe area it didn't turn out quite right because I had adjusted the stitches on the needle as it had for the book. The result was that it was more of a "pointed" toe look which makes my big toes look really long and pointy. Trust me when I say they aren't. I have short stubby toes...Also, the socks are a little tight on my feet so they would probably fit someone with size 7 or 7 1/2 feet better. I will wash these up and put them on the mitten tree at church this Christmas.

Pattern: Lichen Ribbed Sock
From: Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush
Needles: 2.75 mm aluminum dpn's
Yarn: Knit Picks Parade
Colourway: Gumball

Commissioned

One of the ladies where I work during the summer found out last weekend that she is going to be a grandmother. This will be the first grandchild for her and her husband. Needless to say, she is quite excited.

Yesterday, she asked me if I would be willing to be commissioned to do up a little layette ensemble. She wants a little sweater, a hat, pair of baby mittens (with no thumb of course) and pair of booties. She asked if I would have enough time. I should have...'should' being the key word here.

She has picked out the pattern from one of the baby pattern booklets I had in my knitting/crocheting bag, so I know which one it is. I've worked on it before, and just have to sew the arms on and do the edging. Wendy isn't sure what colour she wants though, since they don't know the gender of the baby. She is leaning towards white, but is going to ask some others what they think is an OK colour other than white. I said the typical gender neutral colours seem to be white, yellow, or green.

I'm not sure what to charge for this. I know I need to take into consideration what I pay for the yarn (unless she gets it), and I need to include my time as well. I have never made anything for payment before, so I have absolutely no idea what prices to charge - what is reasonable.

So, does anyone have any idea what a reasonable price to charge would be - especially in Canadian dollars (don't want to say $30 if it is in American, because for Canadian it would be more)...if that makes sense. So, let me know what you think I should charge for a baby's sweater, hat, mittens, and booties set.