CRAYON BOX JACKET

I can not even remember when I started this little jacket it was so long ago. The pattern is Crayon Box Jacket from I think I started and frogged about 5 times. Then read Vivian Hoxboro's little book on Domino knitting and decided to make the little squares using her directions. I also was told by a friend that to use just garter stitch gives a nicer appearance. This makes sense as we all know garter stitch and stocking stitch provide two different gauges. With all this information the project was a delight to do.

Here is my hint if you wish to make one of these: 1. choose only garter stitch 2. do as Hoxboro suggests slip the first stitch of each row knit wise and purl the last stitch.

After I started using this system things rolled along quite nicely. I finished the jacket added the neck band, front borders, and bottom border. Knit up the sleeve gusset and here is where it all went "south" so to speak. The yarn I used for the borders and gusset was one I knew I had 3 or more balls of and I finished up one of these and then the hunt began for the remaining yarn. I hunted and hunted to no avail.

Next step clean out the yarn room. What a mess, I found things I had no idea I owned as well as a lot of yarn that made me question my sanity. Why or why would I keep all these bits and pieces. Also a few unfinished items that I did the "pull out the needle and dump" routine on. I have sorted and cataloged for nearly a full week. Still no yarn. Now keep in mind I am a protestant but I have heard of wonderful things from St. Anthony. He really came through on this one. I found the yarn yesterday slipped down behind a little chest that holds needles and the like. Many thanks St. Anthony who helps find lost items. Now I have finished the little jacket.

I love this and may just start another with something else. Great fun to work on once you get it down. I will admit some short 7" Signature needles made a huge difference. I dearly love the stiletto points and for modular work they are fantastic. I love the sock needles as well. Save your pennies and try a set.

Now I can return to finishing the last of the sorting and stash reduction. You know I had to quit that to finish the jacket. I think I shall add a pretty pink ribbon at the neck to tie a bow. I did not put buttons on because Miss Lillie moves so quickly the tie is much easier on her mom.

SOCKS AND MORE SOCKS

Right now it seems the only knitting I can really find time for are socks. It is the time of the year when all the tax stuff has to be gathered. It takes away from my knitting time. So socks it is. I dearly love to knit them and they seem to be a big favorite with the friends and family. I keep hearing "never enough socks". I finished one pair and am almost there with the second pair. I have lost a bit of my evening knitting as I am helping a friend with her knitting but that is pure pleasure for me. I would have the entire world knitting if I could. I think there would be less hatred and violence if everyone would just pick up needles and knit something.

This sock pattern is a favorite of mine, a pattern from Knit Picks quite a while back. The yarn for the completed pair is Opal from the stash. The unfinished pair are knit with yarn I purchased on Esty from Ruby Sapphire. I loved both yarns and find it so interesting to knit with different yarns. The loop stitch cuff is not nearly as difficult as it looks. You just follow the directions on the pattern. I did however find that the second time you knit the stitch after making the loop, it is easier to knit in the back of the stitch. Just a little hint here.

You can see my favorite sock needles in the picture. I know they are expensive but I dearly love the "stiletto point" from Signature Needles. Just amazing how wonderful I find them. They are not slippery but I would prefer to call them slick as the knitting just flows from these little beauties. I live the shorter needles 6" but you can order the length that makes you happy. I don't work for them or get any reward for telling you about these but they are wonderful.


Last year I joined a sock yarn club and I can not tell you how much fun it has been. The first shipment was "St. Valentine's Day" and now yesterday I got more from this club. I will wait a few days to post this picture as I am in love with what they are sending. Every two months another skein of special dye yarn. Great fun. If you love to knit socks, join one of these when the opportunity comes your way.

DID YOU SEE IT?

i just received my new issue of O magazine. There is quite an article on ways to cut down on stress in these difficult times. On page 124 in the "Mindwise section". I would like to quote the following: TAKE UP KNITTING" it goes on to say knitting can cause a "relaxation reflex" with a "calming and meditation like state". I have known this for a long time. Makes your blood pressure drop and the article further states that is reduces dementia. Now I like this but I think I have known this for a long long time.

I take my knitting to the Dr. office and naturally there is a bit of wait. I was told by one physician that I was the calmest person in the waiting room and would I teach the others out there to knit.

Nice to know there are studies to back up something as delightful to do as knitting.

Works in progress right now are the child's crayon box jacket and a pair of socks.

My motto today: TEACH SOMEONE TO KNIT

The Vera Update

For all you dog lovers out there we are home from the vet and she could find nothing wrong with Vera just the left over stomach uncomfortable from the bird seed episode.

STILL HERE!

Hard to believe it has been nearly a month since my last post. I sure have neglected my followers and for that I am most sorry.
I really have been knitting just omitted taking pictures. I finished at the last minute 4 pairs of Valentine socks for my daughter, her husband, and Louis and Lillie. I was racing again the clock with those and put them in the box sealed it up and sent it with hubby and thought OH NO! I forgot to take a picture. It was then tooo late. I did knit the face cloth pictured with some left over Louet fine linen. I really like this after it was machine washed and dried. Perhaps I shall get more and make more of these with a nice bar of soap it does make a sweet gift.

Remember Sammy and the sprained leg well my other sweet puppy Vera has been really sick. We have always fed the birds in the winter and I thought nothing of her outside sniffing around under the feeder. Well what ever you do stop this practice with your animals. She apparently ate this bird seed and the left over hulls. We were up several nights with lots of vomiting. She is still not back to normal and I have a Dr. appointment this morning for her. Seems this seed sits on the damp ground, ferments and collects bacteria like wild and it made her very sick. That part is over for now but she still has some stomach distress. I would not be a good friend if I did not share this news with you. According to our Vet this is something dogs love to do. I have now had a full week of being up every 2 hours every night. Does not make me very productive during the day. I will keep you all posted on Miss Vera.

I am helping a friend who has an estate to liquidate dispose of some of the items on ebay. She is always doing for others and I can do this for her. Goodness the time it takes but I soon shall be finished. It is not so much the money part but having these things go to a home where they are appreciated. This task has consumed many hours of my day. Answering the questions alone seems a full time job but most interesting.

I also have had company over night and that means you know do some serious cleaning around here. That being said the knitting has taken a back seat. I do have another pair of socks cast on and am working on a "Crayon box Jacket" for Lillie. I think I have started this a dozen times and never was really pleased with my results. After checking out Vivian Hoxboro on the subject I think I have solved what did not please me. I am now doing the following. All garter stitch squares, they fit together better, slipping the first stitch as if to knit of every row and purling the last. Now I am happy with how it looks. I know I get a bit fussy about these things but it looks as if now I shall finish this in time for spring. I also found the short 7" stiletto point needles from Signaature are just the ticket for this project. Expensive yes but absolutely wonderful to use.

This has brought about another project, I hate to even think how many pairs of needles, crochet hooks and other items associated with my passion have been dwelling in drawers and closets. I have now nearly completed the task of sorting and disposing of all the ones I will never ever use again. Each time something new comes on the market I think I need to try it but as with anything not one needle is right for every knitter. Each of us has favorites and at least I know a few more things about what I like to knit with.

Finished project

I have finished the "World Stripe Wrap" from the Rowan magazine. Just in time I might add. It is so light and soft and having it on my lap while knitting was just fantastic. Hard to believe something so light and soft can be so warm. If knitting this again I would add about 6 stitches to the pattern and keep the first and last 3 in garter stitch. Even after a good steam the edges still want to roll, this after 2 rows of crochet were added. The fringe takes care of the ends but you could start with a few rows of garter stitch here as well. If you were to not add the extra border stitches, I would then slip the 1st stitch of each row to make it so much easier to find where to crochet the edge. I knit in my ends as I changes colors, it really does not show on the wrong side and I can not imagine working in all those ends later. I think this gives the best look. I worked 2 full repeats of the rows as written in the pattern.

It is bitter cold here I hear the furnace running and when it does I know that dollars in the form of the gas bill go along with it. We are however so grateful to be warm. Hubby said this morning it was -16 and there has been little improvement since that. When I put Sam and Vera out the trip is sure fast, no sniffing all the snow drifts and the like. They know it is much nicer inside. This is about the only positive I can see with weather like this.

This is a large old house but we have worked hard to make it as energy efficient as we can, new windows, storm doors and a new fuel efficient furnace and still I could take a grand vacation on what the gas bill is each month. Lucky for us we have two zones in the house with two thermostats. One for the nice cozy family room in the basement. I call it my knitting workshop right now. Yesterday I sorted yarn found the unfinished items to be worked on and just enjoyed the coziness of the place. Looks like more of the same today.

Snow, snow, snow we seem each day to have more arriving, our bird feeders are loaded with birds and I know they depend on us this time of year. I particularly like the look of the cardinals their bright red against the snow. Several years ago I gave husband a brass snow gauge for the yard, we now have 2 feet and it continues to come down. Perfect knitting weather.

A MONKEY HAT?

Yes indeed a sock monkey hat. I have a wonderful son in law but he never seems to quite complete the "fix it things" around the house. I will say when we visit, "can you fix that?" His answer is "a trained monkey could do that". Well it has now become a wonderful family joke. We have started seeing that he gets little things as gifts and they all have the "trained monkey" involved. Always good for a laugh. When Susie alerted me to the Sock Monkey Hat on Knitty I knew I had to make it. I had hoped it would be for Christmas but alas as with lots of great plans. Part of the unfinished projects around here in bags and boxes. Now I am working hard to finish them. This weekend this was the finished project. It left in the mail today. I can hardly wait until he gets this one. It was a lot of fun to knit and best part of all I was able to use the stash. I just double some of the yarns, I keep thinking I will find more room in the yarn closet but so far it has not happened. I seem to be working from the baskets that litter the family room.