A LITTLE KNITTING

Here is a picture of my latest completed project, Wonderful wrist warmers that double as cuffs. I love, love, love them. The pattern is from a book by Annemor Sudbo called Invisible Threads. Quick and easy to knit and I love the way they feel and look. It continues to snow here, I can not remember a day with out it. These are perfect. I think the yarn is a Shetland Lace weight but that is anyones guess. More from the mysterious stash stuff. I usually just take a peek at what is there and perhaps burn a small sample to check fibers. I am sure you all know about the burn test but just in case you do not. It is an old way to check out natural versus synthetic fibers. You take a small piece and put a match to it. If the ash is soft you have a natural fiber, if you get a hard bead what you have is some sort of man made fiber. Now what man made would be anyones guess. Interesting enough when I was in college over 50+ years ago studying textiles, fibers and such things this was what we used as a test, still today it is the first test fiber folks use when they are wondering about the fiber content. Way back then we had few synthetic fibers now the world abounds with them. I found it interesting a few years ago when I had the honor of viewing textiles at the Vesterheim.info@vesterheim.org museum in Iowa and we were wondering about fiber content. The first test Laurann Gilbertson the textile curator used when we were curious about a pair of mittens fiber was the good old burn test. Naturally after that there are many others but what a great way to start the investigation.

Knit a pair for a little gift and enjoy.

SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR SOMEONE SPECIAL

I can tell you all now that the Mallory in the title of this blog now has a little brother Link. So I was prepared as I knew it would be a little boy. Here is the yellow sweater and hat I knit or him. The sweater is my own pattern, and the hat called "Kyle's Cap" from KNIT BABY HATS. I love this hat for a little boy. Yarn is from the stash who knows what it is but nice and soft and a lot of cotton in it I am sure. Perhaps we need to work on the blog title one of these days so he won't feel cheated when he gets older. I have more knitting in the works but this special baby deserves his own page. From one Nana to the other Nana. Now we are even a boy and a girl for each of us. More of that parallel lives thing we have going with each other.

A BUSY BUSY LIFE

I don't seem to be able to get to this blog as often as I think about it. I seem to be always in the midst of some project or other for a finished date. Pictures seem to be my problem. Here is what I have been working on: pair of cool socks, the valentine jacket for Lillie and pj's for Louis. In the midst of this I am making a quilt that needs to be finished in the next 10 days or so. I love making the little jackets from a sweat shirt. They are fairly fast and easy and I am reducing the stash of trimmings bit by bit. If you are 5 and in kindergarten you love clothes that show off the holidays. I may do St. Patrick's day next. Who knows. There is also another baby quilt to be done as well before spring. What is that old saying "never enough hours in the day". I also knit a moebius scarf and that was given away before I even did a photo. Rather fun but mostly not very exciting.

Today the local quilt shop was open and I purchased the batting, and backing so tomorrow I can start the lay out and decide what type of quilting design this little baby will get. I did something I don't hear mentioned on the quilting shows or sites. I used my serger. I had lots of strips to sew together and it was so slick. Each piece came out perfectly and I feel that as this will make many trips to the washer the secure seams are a great idea.

My knitting seems not all that exciting these days. I have a pair of angora/wool mittens to finish up and to be honest am fighting with myself to finish them just dull, dull, dull. Perhaps tonight as I watch "Project Runway" I will get the second one knit. Sort of like "second sock syndrome".

At any rate I am still around and working on the things I love to do.

WHERE TO FIND THE PATTERN AND MORE !

In answer to a question perhaps I should elaborate on the little pink sweater from my last post.

I have the habit of making a personal copy of patterns I really love and wish use again and again. This is one of my favorites. I make the copy and place it in a Journal I keep. Writing in the same Journal what I did that deviated from the original. In a hurry always to cast on I sometimes forget just where I found this gem. So I did my research and here you go. This wonderful sweater is by Irene Kubilus and is called "Baby Delight". It is found in issue #45 of Knitter's Magazine, winter 1996. (Yes I have every issue of this magazine from 1 to the present) Here I am a bit more organized and my magazines are kept in order believe that one or not. When Nancy Thomas was the editor they published an index to patterns. What a glorious idea, it covered issues from 1984 to 1998. Keep your eyes peeled for one of these for sale it is something I use often. But I digress. This darling little sweater pattern was also featured in the book published by XRX called "Babies and Toddlers a Knitters Dozen".

I used a DK yarn for the pink one, however it adapts easily to heavier yarn and a larger needle making a bigger sweater. How large you might ask, well here is the "knitty gritty". This little tutorial works for all sweaters. Many of you are experienced who read this so please disregard. It is something to always think about when casting on. The front of this sweater at the underarm has 27 stitches, the back 41, and the other front 27 making a total of 95.

The following numbers should help:

At 5 stitches per inch you have a chest of 19" = 18 month size

At 4.5 stitches per inch you have a chest of 21" = size 2

At 4 stitches per inch you have a chest of 23.75 " = size 4

Naturally as the size increases it is necessary to knit a longer sleeve and body length.

This is an easy way to decide just how large a sweater is going to be. The total body stitches divided by your gauge. I always use this little formula when making sweaters. Try it and you might find out a size small for women will run from 32" finished to 42 ", that is enough to make your head swim and I feel it accounts for so many sweaters you knit not being the size you thought it would be. When using this system be sure to check and re check your gauge. After all 200 stitches at 5 to the inch is a size 4o, but at 4 stitches to the inch you have a 50" chest. The more stitches on the needle the more critical this becomes. No wonder patterns stress check your gauge. Also be sure to count fractions of stitches per inch it makes a huge difference as well.

Happy Knitting to All

I have also thought of converting those lace panels in the sweater to cables and it would be fantastic for a little guy.

KNITTING

I survived the holiday season and now it is back to more normal things. I am expecting to need a couple of baby gifts in the next two months, so no time like the present to get things going. How blessed I am to have this wonderful stash. Our weather is dreadful very cold below zero and wind my goodness a smaller body than mine would blow away. So here is what I have been working on.

I love knitting the little pink outfit knit from some Patons Simply soft. The pattern from an old "Knitters". One of my favorite ones to knit. Top down and fun to make. I did make a couple of changes. I Slipped the first stitch of each row to achieve a chain stitch edge on the front borders. Knit the sleeves in the round, and when the body was finished did my favorite flat bind off. You slip the first stitch as if to purl, bind off until 2 stitches remain and knit 2 together and bind off. Nice square corners! On the hat I began with a waste yarn cast on and then just wove the live stitches together. Means no seam when baby is placed on its back. My other hint is for the ties. The pattern calls for crochet. I don't like the way they curl, or if you make more than one row they tend to be stiff. I cast on the number of stitches called for for the tie, knit across these stitches, knit up stitches across the back and then cast on for the other sided and knit a few rows and bind off. Yup no sewing here at all.....

My favorite cast on these days is where you place a slip knot on a crochet hook, hold it above the knitting needle, wrap the yarn around the knitting needle and make a slip stitch, when you are one short of what you need, place the loop on the crochet hook onto your knitting needle. What I love about this is that the cast on and bind off look exactly the same.

When I need a waste yarn cast on I use the same system with scrap cotton yarn. When I have all the stitches cast on, I place the loop that remains on the crochet hook on a coiless pin and pin to the edge. Now when it is time to remove the waste yarn, unpin this loop and it will zip right out to leave you wonderful live stitches.

DONE ! FINISHED ! READY TO ENJOY!!

I keep thinking there is something important I have forgotten. Well I even had time for a bit of a nap this afternoon. That should tell all of you I am at last ready for Christmas. Everything is finished, wrapped and ready to load up in the morning. We are off to enjoy the holiday with the rest of our little family. Usually at this time I am still in a fluff about finishing things, wrapping, baking and the like.

Yesterday I was on the receiving end of "a random act of kindness". I was visiting our local animal shelter to drop off a few things. A check as well. I only wish I had more to give to the wonderful animals. Their sad lot in life is none of their doing. People who acted thoughtlessly put them there. I try to help in some small way. OK I digress, one of the helpers at the facility came in and asked if the grey car was mine. Yes indeed, well I had a tire about to be big time flat. This nice young man directed me to a very close garage. ( had no idea there was one where he sent me). In fast fashion the tire was up and the other ones checked. I had out my wallet and offered to pay. NO indeed I was wished a Merry Christmas. This is how life should be. Find someone and do something nice. The joy you will find inside is amazing. It need not be much, perhaps just "would you like to be in front of me in the line?.

My wish for all of you is the very best. If we are warm and fed and most important of all healthy what more can we ask. MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Camera is on the charger so the computer took this in my little office. My travel project. A new pair of socks.......

BIG TIME KNITTING AND CHRISTMAS PREPARATION

My how time does fly. I find it hard to believe it has been almost a month since my last post. Well here is my dirty little secret. I have been sewing big time and knitting my fingers to the bone as well. The count to date is: 6 of those fun scarves called either marshmallow or pom pom depending on which brand you purchase. The purple one in the photo is the marshmallow...It is the more expensive of the yarns. Yet still a knitted gift for $10.00 or less and only a few hours of knitting time. It does not get any better. Then there is the soft and cozy brown scarf. That is from "mini mochi " from Crystal Palace. I love this yarn. Here is the wonderful old standby pattern feather and fan over 43 stitches. Great how this yarn shaded and it made a nice long scarf with 2 balls of yarn.

On to the socks. The bright green is called "Irish Spring" for my Irish friend. I got this as part of my sock of the month club membership. The pretty deep blue came from there as well. Then the beaded socks for the little grand daughter. The yarn and beads from my stash and the pattern from the book "Knitting a Kiss in Every Stitch". I only did the beads for half of the ribbed cuff then did a turning ridge and turned the cuff down. I like it better. Straight cuffs don't stay up on my little granddaughter.

Then there is the sewing. A night gown for same little grand daughter, and matching pj's for the big brother.

Here is a hint for all of you who sew. When I make elastic waist pants for the grandchildren I use a piece of twill tape in a square at the center back. Makes it so easy for them to put them on the right way.

A Christmas jacket made from a sweatshirt for Lillie. Just cut off the ribbings open up the front and decorate your heart out. I used a ton of hot glue on crystals for stars and tree decorations. Plain old ribbon for the back and the rick rack candy cane.

Then there were 5 fancy chiffon embroidered tutu's for the ballet class. No pictures they have already left here.

Plus 20 little polar fleece hats with the Charlie Brown print for the entire kindergarten as well as the teacher and two helpers.

I am now down to the wire with only the one little sock to finish, and a pair of fingerless gloves. The cookie baking has also started. I may just make it this year.

No matter what holiday you celebrate may yours be very special.