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

A few days late is better than never.

I've been going to work during the day while the children are at school with my mom.  So I haven't gotten much knitting done.  I feel like I've gotten nothing done even thought I've finished two projects over the the past two day.  I finished the hooded cowl for my friend.  She will be leaving next weekend (October 27th) for Ireland and it will apparently be a staple among her wardrobe while she is there.  While doing it I was able to revise the pattern a little bit, and it actually made it a lot easier in the end.  I am finishing up the scarf portion of my sisters here in a few days and will take picture documentation and post it so that it is less confusing.  I won't be able to make myself  an all white one in a single week with everything else that I already have on needles or a loom.  I did however last night make myself an all white beaning using Lion Brand Yarn, from the Hometown USA collection, in New York White.  It is a super bulky yarn and worked up the beanie quite nicely.  I added in a 3 inch brim and after working the first 3 inches I started to add in Lion Brand Fun Fur.  I was then able to, after working 6 inches, fold over what was worked up, leaving the fun fur on the outside, and a nice soft yarn on the inside so I don't have the "fur" in my ears when wearing.  It came out really nice and I cannot wait to wear it next weekend.  Although I may have to use it before then, the anticipation is killing me.  I'm off to work with my mom (its an hr drive).  I will take pictures of the beanie tonight as well as the friends hooded cowl I finished and upload them.  I did take one yesterday and upload it to facebook.  I have 4 friends that want one and have already offered to pay.  I may be on to something.

Way too early morning...

Etienne had to be at school this morning for a class trip to Boston, at 5:15am.  UGH 5am this morning was not fun.  Soooo when I got back I did some more knitting on the project I'm working on for my best friend, with as well as its going I could have it done before she leaves in a few weeks and MAYBE Ill get mine done before the white out game.  Only time will tell.  I only have to do about another two feet of knitting before the scarf part is done then I can attach it to the round loom and work up the hood.  I'm excited for her to see the finished project. Here's the top view on the loom and a closer look at the yarn Mary picked out.  I think they look great blended together.

 

 

Once these next two are done I can't work on the one for my sister for her Christmas present.  She picked white to be paired with gold and purple.  She attends James Madison University, so I picked gold and purple as the base and allowed her to pick a neutral, out of white, beige, tan, grey, or black.

More to come, Happy knitting