Saturday, December 30, 2006

Knee Warmers

No you didn't read the title wrong. These are not leg warmers. My mother-in-law is always saying that her knees are cold in the winter, especially at night. So my father-in-law gave me the idea to make her a pair of knee warmers for Christmas.

I think the hardest part of these were getting the measurements without her knowing it. My father-in-law said that she had tried some leg warmers and they fit, but after a little while they felt like they were cutting into her thy. So I asked him to look for them and I would just make them a little bigger. That was a no go. He searched high and low and couldn't find the dang things. I then saw that Cat Bordhi was looking for measurements of people's feet for a new book, I thought "ahhh haaaa! That's how I can get the measurements!" So I took all the measurements of her that I would need for socks and then some. She never questioned it. LOL So now I at least have her measurements if I want to make her a pair of socks. :)

I used a wool and soy blend that my NSLYS** had just recently got in. It is from Rowan and is called Tapestry. I used the Rustic colorway. I bought a bag of it since I had no clue how much one leg warmer would take. I only used just a little over 1 ball for each one. Of course with my mother-in-law leg measuring 15 1/2 inches at the largest part I didn't need much yarn. LOL So that added up to 2 and not even a half that I used. I really loved the colors of the yarn and I debated on taking back the rest, but I decided to keep it and make socks or something else. I bet it would make a lovely scarf as well.

I didn't get many pictures of them as they went along. I had so much knitting to get done that I didn't take the time out to take photos. Heck I thought that I took a picture of it with it's label and all, but I can't seem to find it, so I guess I thought about it and never did it.

Up Close and Personal













Beginning of Knee Warmer













First One Done













It's Twins













Another View


Details:

Needles: Sz 3 circulars

Yarn: Rowan Tapestry in Rustic (see above for link)

Pattern: Made it up on the fly. K2,P2 rib for cuff. Then changed to K1,P1 rib until the knee section. Knee section done in stockinette except for either side of the knee that has a few rows of 1x1 ribbing for more flexibility and hopefully won't bunch. The repeat the rib rows just the opposite as before.

My mother-in-law used them that night to sleep in and she said that she loved them. She said that they stayed up all night and didn't cut into her. She said that they were perfect. I am so glad that she likes them. I will knit for her again ;). Maybe I should make her a pair in alpaca. Oh that would be nice. Heck I could see her wearing both pair together. LOL

Thanks for all the sweet comments about the little hat in the last post. They will be off my list for sure. Come to find out my Mom went to visit them while they were still in the hospital. She had taken a gift for them and she said they didn't look in the bag to see what it was or say thanks. I am just dumbfounded. Needless to say the family is invited over to the new baby's grandparent's house today to see the baby. I had originally planned on going and of course I would have taken something for the baby, but not I am really thinking about not going. I am wondering if I should really waste my time with them. Maybe I will go to my NSLYS** and look at some yarn or something. At least there I feel welcome and appreciated.

Sara thanks for the info about the books. I swear I have the mitten book, but I don't see it on my list of books I have. I will have to look and see if I have it, if not I will have to see if Christina still has it.

Have a lovely day.

**NSLYS - Not So Local Yarn Store

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Friday, December 29, 2006

FO #1

Here is the first FO that I had promised in my last post.

It is a little hat made for a new baby in the family. We had a mini baby shower and Christmas celebration wrapped up together. I was afraid that it wouldn't go over well and my fears came to fruition.

It was taken out of the little bag it was lovingly wrapped in and looked at for a second then tossed aside with not even a thank you. I had spent many hours working on it and it was my own pattern. I wanted something nice for them, but obviously they didn't feel the same. The grandmother to be thanked me for it and all the work that I put into it. I guess at least one person appreciated it.
















Sadly the only person that they thanked was my Aunt and Uncle. I believe that was because they had bought them a stroller and a few other things. So it seems that it is the price and size of the gift that counts not the thought for them. That is sad since they really don't have very much. You would think that they would appreciate anything that they got, but I guess not.













At least I know that my blog friends know the amount of work that goes into something like this. As well as my Mom and a few other of my family members.



I guess it is time for me to stop complaining and give you the details of the hat.

Needles: Sz. 2 DP
Yarn: Dale Baby Ull in Bright Blue and Green
Pattern: Made up as I went (fair isle pattern of k 2 blue, k2 green around next rows shift pattern to the left by 1 stitch).

It came out better than I thought it would and I was quite happy with it. It is really cute. Not quite sure if i will make another one. I need to work out some problems with the decrease sections. Guess it is time to get out the graph paper.

Well I have some more FO for you later. I can safely say that they got better receptions. ;)

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Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Happy Holidays!!

I hope that you all had a Merry Christmas or what ever it is that you celabrate this time of year.

We had a busy month. Every weekend this month we had either a family gathering for Christmases or Birthdays. In a way I am glad it is over, but on the other hand I really love the holiday season. In just a few weeks we will have another celebration. We will be having a birthday party for our James. He will be 2! I just can't believe it, I am still in denial. His actual birthday is on Jan. 1st, but we will have the party later on the weekend. After that I hope that things will calm down and I can get some things done, like knitting.

I do have some knitting things to show you. It will have to be later though. Hopefully I will get some time later tonight or tomorrow to download some pictures.

We had a wonderful Christmas. James got loads of stuff. He not only got toys, books, and such but he got an entire wardrobe of clothes! The poor child is so deprived isn't he. (*rolls eyes*)

Guess I will stop rambling now. Hopefully I will have some pictures to share with you soon.

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Monday, December 25, 2006

SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!!

ETA: I will leave this post at the top of the blog until the sale is over. For new posts look below this one.

Yep you read it right. I am having my first sale at my Etsy store. It begins December 1 and will run until Christmas. So please stop buy and if you feel so inclined purchase a sweet little hat for that little one that could use it this winter. Most hats have been marked down at least $5.00!!!!

Just click on the link above or the picture in the sidebar or below to get there.

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Thanks so much!


ETA: I will leave this post at the top of the blog until the sale is over. For new posts look below this one.

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Monday, December 18, 2006

Socks!

First off we had a 3 for 1 Birthday party this past Sunday. It was for my Sister-in-Law, Brother-in-Law and Niece. It was the day that the rainbow socks were making their public arrival. I was keeping my fingers crossed that they would fit and most of all that she would like them.

The socks fit her perfectly! I was so happy. After opening all her gifts she put on the socks and wore them all night! I was so glad that she liked them. It is still exciting to me to have someone really like something that you put all the hard work into. She is such a sweet young woman and when we were leaving she thanked me for them and the other things. I can't believe that she is 15 now! Where has the time gone.

Here is a picture of the socks before they were wrapped in their festive birthday wrapping.



Here is my niece with her socks on. She looks sad because James refused to sit and take a picture with her. I think she was trying to guilt him into it, but he wasn't budging on his decision.




I finished one of the toddler socks last night and cast on for the next one. I am hoping to get it finished tonight. I am at the decreases for the gusset so I am going pretty good on it. I would really like to be able to have them out in the mail tomorrow and on their way.


I can't believe that it is almost Christmas. Only 1 week away and I still haven't wrapped any gifts. It might be a long night on Christmas Eve wrapping presents.

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Friday, December 15, 2006

Done Done Done

Did I mention that I am done?.

My niece's socks are done! I finished them last night in the wee hours.

It seemed like it took just as long to weave in the ends as it did to knit them. I really dislike the process of weaving in ends. No matter how I go about it, it just takes forever. I have thought about using the ends like stranded knitting and wrapping them in as I go. I wonder how well that would work. Anyone ever done this or use this method?

Any way, they are brightly colored that is for sure. She is so into the bright colors now. She just got a new bedding set and it has all the bright colors in it with big flowers. The socks should match. LOL

Details:

Needles: Sz. 1 Ebony 5 Double Point Lantern Moon

Yarn: 1 Ball Regia Sock Yarn Bright Orange (Sorry lost the label so that is all I have)
1 Skein Lorna's Laces Rainbow

Since there was only one skein of the LL's I used the Regia for the cuff, heel, and toe. They were knit from top down with a round heal and classic toe.

I hope that she likes them.



After finishing them I cast on for the toddler socks. They will be black, grey and white. They should look zebraish (yes it is a word in my mind LOL). I did a few rows before I headed to bed at 2 this morning. Hopefully these will go quick. They are much smaller and are on larger needles, so they should go faster.

I am using Cascade Fixation for these and size 4 needles. Here's hoping that I can bust a move and get them done quick.


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Thursday, December 14, 2006

Just Around the Bend

My niece's socks need to be finished and to her this Sunday. Ahhhhh! I do have the first one finished and have a good portion of the second one done, but the knitting seems to be going slower and slower as the time ticks by faster and faster. I only have 33 more rows to go before I can start the toe decrease. I am hoping that I will be able to get to the toe decreases by tomorrow evening so that I might have them finished by Friday. *Sigh*

After my niece's socks are finished I have to immediately cast on for a toddler pair. They should go faster since they are much smaller and use a bigger needle and yarn. They, in all theory, should only take me a few days at the most to finish.

I was taking some boxes to the basement today and found my gloves that I never finished last year. I have 3 fingers and a thumb to do and they will be finished. After all the holiday hustle and bustle I plan on getting them back out so I can finish them and get them off my list. I can't believe that I never finished them. I guess more interesting projects came along. LOL I need to get them done so that I can wear them this winter, that is if the weather would turn cold and quit teasing us with the warm weather that we have been having.

Well I am going to take my sock and head to bed. I guess I will knit a few rounds before I completely turn in. Call it my wind down rows. ;)

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Keep on Knittin' Knittin', Knittin'

I have been busily knitting away. I have made a pair of socks for James, a scarf for a friend, have one sock finished for my niece and am currently working on a fair isle baby hat. I still need to make another pair of child's socks and the second sock for my niece.

The fair isle hat has to be finished this weekend. I am so close to getting to the decreases that I can almost taste it. I am not using a pattern and am just winging it. I hope that it turns out ok. It is just a simple spiral pattern. I am using Baby Ull in a nice blue and green. I hope that the recipients like it.

The socks for my niece have to be finished by the following weekend.

Unfortunately I just don't get much knitting time in. James doesn't want me knitting when he is awake. While he is napping I am running through the house to get some general cleaning and such done and I don't get to do much then. In the evening I finish up cleaning up and putting James to bed. By the time that is all finished it is normally close to 10 or so. I get a few precious hours to do some knitting as long as the dog behaves and James doesn't wake with a night terror or something of the sort. So the little time that I do get is quite precious.

I will post pictures of some of the things that I have listed above as soon as I get pictures of them and get them on the computer.

Have a great day.

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