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 :)

Hurricane Sandy knitting frenzy

We survived.  Barely.  The family I work for got SUPER lucky, there was a tree bending towards the house, and I would have put money that if it came down that they would have lost the master suite, garage, parents closets, half the kitchen, and my car.  It ended up coming crashing down, but went AWAY from the house.  We lost power on monday afternoon, and got it back on thursday, thankfully the family has a generator and were able to poorly hook it up to the fridge, tv, cable box, and water.  During the week since the kids didn't have school and were absorbed in their electronic games ( I tried to teach them card games but those were referred to as "boring") I was able to knit a pair of fingerless gloves on DPN's.  I just knitted in a circle without a pattern, made a spot for my thumbs and VOILA!  I do have a note to self to use a pattern next time.  I was also able to finish my sisters hooded scarf BUT as promised I did take a video to help explain the pattern and hood cast on.  I have never uploaded a video before and I hope I do this right.

Here is how to put the scarf onto the round loom:

And here is how to wrap the pegs inbetween:

I hope this helps.  If there are any questions please ask, I want to make sure I explained everything right.

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

 

Help Patpat's Hats

I did a little bit of knitting last night and need to find a better way to knit on the straight loom.  If I hold it parallel to my body it comes out nice but goes SOOO slow.  If I hold it perpendicular, it gets a wavy look to it and I don't think it looks good.  If anyone has any suggestion I'm open to trying something new.  I haven't been able to make a hat in a month or two and I feel like I haven't done anything to help (I have a pile of them that I need to send in) out with PatPat's Hats.

Anyone looking for something to knit and would like to help children in the hospital battling cancer; check out PatPat's Hats. Click here to go to their facebook page, or here to visit their webpage.  They are just over a year old and have received hats to equal out to at least one for each day of their existence, if not two.  While they have received a lot of hats, there are more children with cancer than we think, and more unfortunately being diagnosed each day.

Patrick (affectionately known as PatPat) was diagnosed with cancer at age 2, only a few months before he turned 3.  His Aunt Betsy is a very avid knitter and made him quite a few hats while he was in the hospital to keep his head warm while he received chemotherapy.  This was when Aunt Betsy got the idea for PatPat's Hats.  They accept new, unused, handmade, knit, crocheted, or store bought hats for preemies, infants, toddlers, children, preteens, and teens.  They donate them to the local cancer treatment centers to hand out the hats to patients.

While Pat may not be immediately related to me (He is my mom's brother, Keith's wife, Debbie's sister, Katie's daughter, Becca's son) he is still my little cousin.  Keith and Debbie invite both family sides when they host holiday parties or celebrations.  I have grown up referring to Debbie's sibling as my aunt's and uncles, her niece's and nephews as my cousins, we are one big, integrated family.

Every hat helps.

Happy knitting! 

Afghan photos

I Figured out how to upload pictures!!  My day today is being spent doing scholarship applications so no knitting will be done until tonight after dinner.  I did get another 3-4 inches done over the weekend while Allen was setting up his Wii that he hasn't used in the longest time.

The first picture is a close up of the second panel made up of 4 strands of yarn.  The second picture is of the two panels side by side.  The other panel is the first one I made, and is made up of 3 strands of yarn.  Both very thick and super warm already.  I can't wait for it to be done so I don't freeze this winter, if its as bad as the one we had in 2010.

Not much progress....

The girls decided last night after I asked them to get ready for bed around 7:30 that they were going to horse around, throw pillows and stuffed animals.  This is nothing new, and they play like this all the time; Best of friend, and worst of enemies.  I went in, asked them to get into their pajamas, brush their hair, and brush their teeth.  I began to hear the horse play and decided to wait a few min before hounding them again.  A minute later I hear a loud cracking noise, and then a blood curdling scream.  Thinking someone just died I ran across the hall to their room to find Alyssa half dressed, holding her head looking stunned.  And Emma, the source of the scream, crying hysterically.  Upon taking a look at Alyssa head we discovered a tiny gash, with an already purple area surrounding it.  Jenny after much fussing decided to take Alyssa to the ER.  They arrived home around 10:45, Alyssa tired, in pain, and sporting two new staples in her head, so Jenny decided she was staying home today.  We spent our time watching TV, walking to the store to get her meds, bringing the meds home, going to starbucks to get a drink and bite to eat, riding bikes, and we painted our nails.  I only got to work on my knitting while Alyssa was consumed in the tv shows.  While I wish I could say I was able to get a lot done, but I can't.  I was only able to get about 3-4 inches done of the scarf I'm working on right now.  My goal is to get it done before my friend goes off to Ireland for her family vacation.  My next project to be done by the same time??  An ALL  WHITE hooded scarf for the Ohio vs PSU White out game on October 27th.  Allen won tickets in a raffle and is like a kid in a candy store ready to go.  Me?  I'm excited but need to get an all white hooded sweatshirt, and the hooded cowl done so I don't freeze.

Happy knitting.