TUESDAY PRESENTS!!

When I was first married nearly 50 years ago and we were struggling like most young couples at that time. I would go to the mail box every so often and find an envelope. I would open it and inside would be a nice crisp $100.00 bill. Now in the 60's that was a huge amount. Inside was the sweetest note and it said" "buy something you want but don't need, happy Tuesday". It was from a dear man by the name of Louis who was like an adopted father to me. It started a bit of a tradition in our family. Sometimes in my family we just send little gifts to people and we call them Tuesday gifts no matter what day it is. Is it any wonder my darling grandson is named Louis. Wish he were around today to meet his namesake.

For me yesterday was Tuesday. I received from dear Susie the greatest keeper for my yarn, tools and such you ever saw. Up on a stand (Sammy can't get near the yarn there). I spent the evening getting a bit more organized. How nice. Thanks a million.

I am sharing this because I think it is a wonderful thing to do. Something like the "random acts of kindness thing" There it is for all of you to just pass it on.

FIND A CURE

October is breast cancer awareness month. Working for ChiaoGoo I was inspired to create a special dish cloth pattern. Here it is free to copy and share. It goes with the special find a cure needles we make. Make one or more and give as a gift.

1 ball cotton dishcloth yarn.

“Find A Cure” needles. (by ChiaoGoo) size 6

Cast on 40 stitches

Knit 6 rows in garter stitch. (knit every row)

Row 1: Knit

Row 2: Knit 5, Purl to the last 5 stitches, Knit 5.

Repeat these two rows 20 times more.

Knit 6 rows, bind off.

Knit ribbon as follows:

Cast on 1 stitch, knit in the front and back of this stitch (2 stitches). Turn, knit in the front and back of the first stitch, knit 1. (3 stitches), Turn. Knit 3. Turn, knit in the front and back of first stitch knit 3 (4 stitches). Knit 56 rows. Knit 2 together, knit 2. Turn, knit across. Knit 2 together, knit 1. Turn knit 1 and fasten off.

Work in ends by separating the yarn in half. Fold ribbon as shown in the picture. Sew down in corner of cloth using the yarn split in half to make sewing easier.

PROBLEM SOLVED !

If any of you remember the "Crayon Box" jacket I posted about 3-19-09 you will remember I was most unhappy with the sleeve. There is a large "gusset" that runs up the underarm. Well lots of thinking and talking with a knitting friend Katie. I have a solution. I waited until the finished sweater to tell all of you. It worked so well. I now want at some point to make an adult version of this jacket. But that must wait until after Christmas. So here now are the instructions for the sleeve for these jackets.

I did not make the sleeve and then sew it in. I started at the first square at the under arm and knit a 17 stitch module as all the body modules are 17 stitches. I worked one square just as on the body up and over the shoulder and down the other side. All these squares of the same size. Then here is the "secret". The secret to row 2 going down the sleeve is to decrease the sleeve modules on this row to 15 stitches. Very easy to do just cast on one less stitch to start and pick up one less on the first square of row 1. That is all there is to it. Each time you need a new row of module squares you will have one less stitch. My final row had only 11 stitches in each row. Then sew up the under arm sleeve and there you have it. I then picked up around the cuff area with double pointed needles worked a bit of garter stitch and bound off. Happy to say the least.

A NEW SHAWL !

I think this deserves two pictures. The first one is the completed shawl and the second one a close up so you can see the "delicious yarn"

From that wonderful yarn I told you about a few weeks ago here is a shawl. My most favorite pattern to knit. It just seems to flow off the needles. Feather and Fan or old shale what ever name you choose to call it. I used the yarn I got in Buffalo at the Knitting Guild convention. It was one I could not wait to knit. Now it is cold I have a new shawl. I used Cheryl Oberle's pattern from Folk Shawls. I love what the colors did for this. I think if I made it again I would make it wider and shorter but that is neither here or there. Just thought you would like to take a look.

Today was a grand day. I made a sales call in Warren, Pa and met up with two knitting friends from long ago. It was as if Pam and Steph and I had been together daily for all these years. A wonderful lunch, good conversation and a visit to a yarn shop. We had fun talking about the dish rag tag. We are all on different teams. Great contest. It is moving along nicely. I love my team members and I love our name. KNITTING FOOLS. That sure describes me.

We met at Tybout house of crafts is most interesting. Where I stopped to see Pricilla and show her the new items you will shortly be seeing in your yarn shops and here as well. I only wish I had more time to wander about and money to spend. Nice place to stop and see. Cookies, something to drink and just enjoy the company. Absolutely charming.

Now tomorrow I am off to see the grandchildren. One of my great delights in life. I will also be visiting at least 3 more yarn shops. I have some interesting things to show them. Later on I shall share with all of you. ChiaoGoo has new things for knitters and what a treat they are. Always reasonable in price. I like having something so nice to sell to shop owners.

Naturally I am taking along a lot of knitting. We shall see just how much I can get done.

Answers today but no pictures

I received a question today about "what is a module". It is a small section of knitting joined to another thus making a larger item. I don't know if this is the right word for everyone but it is what I call things made in this manner. As to where to get the directions. Well the small strip of left over sock yarn which at some point and don't be in a hurry for this. Will be a stole/shawl. I will be writing up some directions before long. Just not this week or next. To much to do around here. The little jacket is my variation of Chris Bysma's pattern "Crayon Box Jacket" I started with the basic directions and will happily tell you what and how I changed it. Almost finished so please be patient. I will also be letting you all know where and when to find out just what I did that made it a bit different. I have not posted a pattern in a long time so I think soon I shall do this. I am off on a sales trip on Saturday. I will however have computer access will try and work on some patterns for all of you who asked. Keep checking here for the updates.

DISH RAG TAG THE SEQUEL!

Oh how I have waited for today. The box arrived from Emily for the start of its journey to the rest of the team. Knitting Fools we have named ourselves. I was getting a bit anxious when our always on time mail man was running a bit late. He arrived and so did the box. The box was a joy to open I found wonderful goodies inside. From dear Emily some beautiful patchwork hand made coasters, and candy. I sat right down with the ball of yarn she included, fixed a cup of coffee and began to knit. I loved every minute of it. Ate candy, drank coffee and knit. A great way to spend the morning. Then it was off to the post office and it is on its way to Martha in Virginia. I included a couple of things for her to enjoy. The box is quite small this year and you really have to squeeze things in but I did it and now I get to sit back and wait and watch the progress. I still do not have it figured out as to how to put the progress "thingie" on this blog but if you check out Yarn Miracle you will find our progress. I shall keep all of you who read this posted.

NEW AND EXCITING KNITTING STUFF

At last a few minutes for an update on what is on the needles here. I am absolutely thrilled with the latest from ChiaoGoo, last June at TNNA I put in a request for 7" long straight needles with good points to knit the latest thing I love. MODULES! Imagine how thrilled I was when someone listened to an old knitter. They have arrived! So now I have a couple of new projects in the works. First all those balls of sock yarn left over and what to do with them. Well I took the needles in size 2. (they come in size 1 up to a 10). I cast on 31 stitches and made the first square. Wonderful. Now I will continue to add squares with all the left over sock yarn and I shall have a "sock yarn stole" at some point. Might even write a pattern at some point as I progress. The needles make knitting these little squares pure joy. Light in weight, good balance and nice sharp but not to sharp points. I liked them so much I even have a back up set in case I loose one in my travels. Thank you ChiaoGoo. All this praise from me who owns no straight needles before this with the exception of double points. I am a big fan of circular needles normally.

I am also working on another project but since it is nearly finished will save it for another day.

I have had little time to knit this past week as my sweet grand daughter Lillie has been here and we have been very busy going out to tea. Swimming and eating I lost count of the happy meals. We return her to home tomorrow so she can start kindergarten.

Have a wonderful week end and watch out the dish rag tag boxes hit the mail tomorrow. I can hardly wait.