Create, CReate CREate CREAte CREATe CREATE!!!!

And I have been doing just that!!  Amazing!!

I want to mention a few other things in this post as well.

I have a pattern for an infinity scarf!!  HOORAY!! 

But first, I found this amazing site!!!  I am a godmother x3 - I have my godson, and my two goddaughters and I can NEVER find anything during the holidays or birthdays that says or shows godmother -goddaughter/godson status; whether its clothes or cards.  This right here has them!!!!!!!!!!!  My godson just turned 7(!!!!!) on sunday (4/6) and I got him a shirt and just because I was there I got shirts for my goddaughters tooooo!!!!!!!!!!!  I may be going back and purchasing the keychain too.   I was so so so so so so so sooooo excited!!!!  Here is the link to the site!!!!

I have also gotten into this going green phase.  composting, reusing items, I've reused paper towels, rinsed them, let them dry and used them again, saving things, and we got rain last night and late last week too and I used the rain water to water my indoor plants rather than from the tap.  Little things - but I have noticed that my families trash can now fills up about once per week rather than 3-4 times per week.  I even started a loom knitting project with plarn!!!!  I'll post that pattern once I have completed the project but if anyone wants to try it out this shop here has plarn already done up - it ships to you and you just start your project like you would start with yarn.  I found it saves the hassle of sitting there from hours on end trying to make it yourself.  Plus, I purchased from a few different places just to see - this shop's has been sturdier and held up a lot better - its also what is known as double ply in the plarn world - so its double stranded.  The other ones I bought - I purchased from I believe 8 different places - 6 were only a single strand, and the only other one that was double ply was thinner strips and I felt like I was retying pieces together every ten minutes or so.  If you find a different shop that has a good quality as well just let me know and I can add it to the list :D

So those were the other two things I wanted to let everyone in on.  Below is the pattern for the infinity cowl/scarf.  It is a stripped multicolor cowl/scarf so you will want 3-4 different colors to create the look.  My sister has my finished one down at school with her, and I unfortunately don't have any pictures of it.  I have started a new one and will upload pictures as it gets bigger

Items needed:
2-3 pairs of circular needles (all the same size)
1-2 DPN's (double pointed needles)  (same size as circular)
1-2 skeins of each color (same brand and coordinating colors work best)
Needle tip covers (optional)

((Side note: Your can use almost any stitch for this pattern.  If you have a favorite you can use it.  I just stuck with a knit stitch, I love the flat look it makes especially with the stripes.  ALSO I found my Knit Picks Interchangeable Needle set worked amazing for this)

To start:

On circular needles; cast on the number of stiches you wish to create the desired finished length.  You can start with any of your colors, just be sure to write down the order you with to use them in.  I will be referring to them as "Color A", "Color B", "Color C", and "Color D".

Your are going to begin back at the beginning where you began to cast on.  If you are using 3 colors, you are going to want to slide (CAREFULLY!) 20 stitches onto a double pointed needle (DPN).  If you are using 4 colors, your are going to want to slide 30 stitches onto a DPN.

Make a loop like you are going to cast on with "Color B".  Using another pair of circular needles, knit in your desired stitch across until the end - you should have two live ends of yarn on that end.

Once again you are going to begin back at the beginning.  Slide ten stitches back onto the beginning of the circular needles.  Leaving your last ten if you are using 3 colors, and 20 if you are using 4 colors.

Make a loop like you are going to cast on with "Color C".  Again using another pair of circular needles, knit in your desired stitch across until the end - you should now have 3 live ends of yarn on that end.

((For those only using three colors scroll down to **CONTINUE**))



Once again you are going to being back at the beginning.  Slide ten stitches back onto the beginning of the circular needles.  Leaving your last ten on DPN.

Make a loop like you are going to cast on with "Color D".  Again using another pair of circular needles, knit in your desired stitch across until the end - you should now have 4 live ends of yarn on that end.




**CONTINUE**

So you have used all your colors but still have ten unknit cast on stitches on your needles??  PERFECT!  This is what you want.

Make sure that your word is facing the same direction at both ends of the circular needles, making sure that no twist managed to sneak in.

YOU CAN NOW JOIN IN THE ROUND!!!

The first few rows while easy it takes some getting used to.  Using "Color A" knit those ten cast on stitches. 

Done?  Ok now keep going until you have reached the rest of the yarn!  Drop "Color A" and pick up "Color B" and knit the circle.

Drop "Color B" and pick up "Color C" and knit in a circle.  You want to be sure that you don't twist the yarn when picking it up the back of your work does begin to look like a continuous  knit. ( I found different tote bags for each color worked)

Using four colors??  Drop "Color C" and pick up "Color D"

Continue until you have your desired width.  I staggered the ending of each one.
Using "Color A" knit around and begin your cast off at 20 stitches left.
Using "Color B" knit around and begin your cast off at 20 stitches left.  Cast of "Color C" entirely if your using only three colors.

Four colors??

Using "Color C" knit around and begin your cast off at 20 stitches left.
Cast off "Color D" entirely.


Hopefully this makes sense.  If you have any questions feel free to ask. :D

Cain's Post of Shame!

I've seen lots of dog shaming pics online and after this last week with Cain, I decided he needed to join the ranks of shame.

His very first shaming reads:

Mommy has PTSD, sometimes she gets up in the middle of the night and sleeps in my pen/kennel with ME, so I potty on her!!  Mommy is always unaware until daddy wakes her up in the morning!
- I'm not sorry!
Love, Cain
P.S. I do have potty pads in my pen!!!

It's been a long while.....

Its been over a year and a lot has gone on.  My friend found out she was pregnant and I took it upon myself to make the baby a blanket she could grow into.  I have been working on a large (I think I bit off more than I could handle) project for her, and its taking a lot (I started it last march - so almost a year ago) of time!!!  More on that later :)

What else is new???   I learned how to make I-cord and have been making it like there is no tomorrow.  Now I can't stop making it!!!  It knits up quick, and it uses up those yarn left overs ( you know you have those) from previous projects that you have just laying around, that if your like you, you just can't throw out.  You can do SOOOO much with I-cord.  If you do a search for it you find scarves,  necklaces, and it being used as an appliqué.  I've found some new ways that you can't really find when you search what to do with this long "useless" cord.  I got a new Chihuahua puppy, and he LOVES to play tug, unfortunately his mouth doesn't fit those gigantic tug toys.  I make a cord about a yard long and make a sailor's knot in the center and he is able to pull one end while I hold on to the other.  He is in love with it.  We got him some squeaky toys, a few rope toys, but as soon as his homemade toy comes out, the other toys no longer exist.

I have also found I cord makes a perfect replacement for those hoodie strings that get pulled out.  Choose color, make cord, attach safety pin, feed through hole and hood until at other side, pull until even on either side, and remove safety pin!  I made a knot in both ends so that I wouldn't loose the new 'string'.

My last discovery???  YARN!!!!  Chunky yarn knits are becoming more and more popular these days and the yarn to make them isn't cheap to purchase either.  Make your own icord, and use it as a super chunky yarn!  It works AMAZING!  I would recommend using a larger knitting needle or crochet hook.  If you can't find ones at your local craft store check out Go-Girl Knitting's Giant's collection.  This is where my friends blanket comes in.  I am knitting I-cord and crocheting it into a blanket.  Its larger than I planned - its fits in width on a queen size bed - and I have about 2 feet crocheted in length.  While the I-cord knits up quick it takes a little bit longer to crochet it into the project.  I've worked on it as much as possible - ran out of yarn a few times and couldn't get to the craft store for day or two - took a few mini vacations - went out with friends - also working full time doesn't aid in the process - so about 2-3 hours a night - 5 nights a week makes 10-15 hours a week.  I wouldn't recommend making such a large project.  I'm thinking about a scarf or cowl for the next project once this is done.

Don't want to make your own i-cord or your own project?  Visit here.  They make i-cord and can work with you for a specific color and length if you can't find anything you like.

Have an idea how to use i-cord??  POST IT!!  I would love to hear your creative ideas :)