My take on the Alice Cullen wrist warmers

These are my version on the Alice Cullen wrist warmers that I blogged about here.

I changed it up a bit to make to thumb hole a little bit less...awkward looking, and then changed the bind off to make them more uniform and stretchy.

I knitted them on my KK flower loom, I knitted 6 rows in e-wrap, then the loop on peg 6 was moved to peg 5 and the loop from peg 7 was moved to peg 8, wrap again and knit off, moving both bottom loops from pegs 5 and 8. Make sure that you wrapp all the pegs, this is a double yarn over (kinda...I think)

Continue e-wrapping for another 19 rows. Then do a stretchy bind off.

SUPER-STRETCHY BIND-OFF found at yarngear.com (thanks Meilynne)

This is great for those magic or three-way scarves. There's no need to knit the last row loosely.

Cut yarn, leaving enough tail to wrap around the loom 4
times, then thread the tail through a tapestry needle.

The yarn tail should be at the last peg, so bring the tail
past the 1st peg, and sew UP through the 2nd peg, then DOWN
through the 1st peg. Sew UP through the 3rd peg, then DOWN
through the 2nd peg. Sew UP through the 4th peg, then DOWN
through the 3rd peg. Sew UP through the 5 peg, then DOWN
through the 4th....

Follow this sequence, pulling the yarn snug as you sew,
keeping the needle in front of the previous UP strand and you sew DOWN
through the loops. The last sequence will be UP through the 1st peg,
then DOWN through the last. You will make the equivalent of
little cursive E's all around the loom. Now pop everything off your loom,
and voila - stretchy bind-off.

This is also useful for flat pieces. Cut tail, leaving
enough yarn for 4 times the width of the active pegs.
The peg with the yarn tail is #1, its neighbor is #2,
the next is #3, etc.

Sew UP through #2, then DOWN through #1.
Sew UP through #3, then DOWN through #2.
Sew UP through #4, then DOWN through #3, etc.
The last stitch will be UP through the last peg,
DOWN through the 2nd to last peg, then UP through the last peg once more.

This will make the wrist warmers stretchy, I can make them the same way for everyone from my 13 year old niece (probably younger, but she is the youngest in my family that is not an infant) up to my husbands Burly Manly hands...

Thanks, hope you enjoy!

My first baby blanket

I keep telling people about the baby blanket I knitted...it seems like forever ago that I completed it, it was only a year and a half ago.

My little sister was only 16 when she had her baby girl. Finances were not exactly stable, so rather than her spending money on things like coats and baby blanket, I wanted here to have plenty of hand crafted items so she could spend her money on things like formula, and diapers.

I started this project 3 months before the baby was born, and lost the project 1 panel in (I was moving) 2 weeks after the babies due date, I found it again (notice I said due date???). I told my mom that I would work her furniture store while she helped my little sister finish setting up the nursery/ her room. In less than 3 days, I finished the blanket. The baby was born the next morning. Baby Brooklin Nichole. April 4, 2008.


Shadow's (that's the mom) favorite colors were Pink and Purple, and I found a great Variegated Red Heart super Saver that worked perfect when doubled with RH Super Saver White. Alvin, yes like the chipmunk, ( That's the highly un-liked Daddy) liked Blues and greens, so i found another great RedHeart Super Saver Variegated and paired that with the white from the pinks and purples.

The blanket was made up with 3 panels of alternating colors.

All panels were knitted on the Purple rectangle loom by Knifty knitter.

I guessed on the length of each panel, I knitted (zig-zag or figure 8 stitch) a few inches in the first color and white until the panel started to set into it's correct width (after it starts to slacken from being stretched between the pegs) and measured how wide it was, then I knitted until it was as long in that color as the panel was wide, counted the rows (this is your base row count) every other section of color will be this many rows.

Switch to the other color and white, keeping the white uncut. knit the number of rows you determined from 1st section, and switch back to the first color. Knit the number of rows you have worked out. Bind off with your preferred bind off method.

This is 1 panel. You will make another just like this.

The 3rd panel will be made the same way, but switching the colors, so that you secondary color and white will be the first and last square of color.

When all the panels are complete, you will line up the stitches and stitch them together, I used whip stitch on the blanket shown above, but in the future I would use mattress or blanket stitch to avoid the bulkiness on the back.



I accented this blanket at each of the meeting corners in the middle of color with a daisy made on the KK Flower loom. Each flower had a pearl center, do not use beads that are glued in or just sewn in if this blanket will be used as a regular child's blanket. Shadow used this one to shade baby in her swing, so baby Brooklin never actually touched this blanket until she was almost 2 years old. By which time the pearls had fallen off in the wash or in the nursery closet. My next blanket, I might use large festive buttons, or leave it without centers, just have the flowers.


Additional ideas!

If you want to make the blanket for use in a car-seat, leave a section about 6 inch wide un-sewn int he middle of one of the panels as you sew them together. this gives adequate room to buckle a seat-belt through the blanket without pulling the warmth off of the babies feet.

Reversible Beenies!

Reversible hats are often loved by people of all ages, because it allows them to have one hat that can match two outfits. In my case, I made hats to match my airsoft gear... reversible dead-rag beanies.






The pattern is as follows:


Two colored hat:


Using yellow round loom for large, green round loom for medium, or red round loom for small/child's, start with two strands of color A, e-wrap loom twice, and knit one over 1.


For Large hat: Knit 35 rows, and change to color B, knit 35 rows of color B.

For Medium hat: Knit 28 rows of color A and 28 rows of color B.

For Small hat: Knit 20 rows of color A and 20 rows of color B.


Pull end up as if making brim on regular hat, knit brim as usual and take off by gathered method. You can choose to embellish with button, flower, pom-poms, or whatever else your heart can fathom. Or you could leave it plain.




Three colored hat (main color A with brim of C outside, Main color B with brim of C inside):


Using yellow round loom for large, green round loom for medium, or red round loom for small/child's, start with two strands of color A, e-wrap loom twice, and knit one over 1.




Large hat: Knit 24 rows of color A, 20 rows of color C, and 24 rows of B.

Medium hat: Knit 20 rows of color A, 16 rows of color C, and 20 rows of Color B

Small (child's) hat: 15 rows of color A, 11 rows of Color C and 15 rows of color B


Pull end up as if making brim on regular hat, knit brim as usual and take off by gathered method. You can choose to embellish with button,flower, pom-poms, or whatever else your heart can fathom. Or you could leave it plain.

Alice Cullen Wrist Warmer Loom-Along

Alright, so if anyone knows me, they know I am a die-hard Twilight fan, the books are amazing and the new movie is great (Not going to give any spoilers for those of you who have not seen it). My husband took me out on a great date to the 12:06 showing at our local theater.

There is one character, Alice, that embodies good fashion sense. Her wardrobe must be millions of dollars...but with an uncanny ability to predict trends in the stock market...that isn't really an issue. But not all of her clothes are designer and spendy. She wears this great pair of blue toned wrist warmers with a white long sleeve shirt under a blue jacket. It looks great and just pushes that cozy fashonista thing she seems to be able to pull off so well.

Check out this great Loom-A-Long on craftzine.com

These great wrist warmers are easily made with the flower loom, if you need to size up and use the KK 24 peg loom, the process is the same, just more pegs.

Inspiration interupted...

One of my major pet peeves is being interrupted when I have a great amount of built up momentum in inspiration... well, guess what?


I am stuck in my Financial Accounting class...


6 miles away from my craft room...


Unable to knit...though my knitting is sitting in my backpack...6 inches away.


Wish me luck to keep my focus when class is out.

Peace Out!

Christmas List slowly deminishes

Have you ever noticed that as you get closer tot he holidays, your Christmas list begins to get simpler and simpler as you realize how over your head you have gotten? I have gone from Cocoa packs for EVERYONE to the contents of cocoa packs in small tent style treat cards. Found these at Wunsapona Time. I think that this will demonstrate my skills in a sector other than just knitting. I am still making scarves and hats, but not the knitted gift pouches. I completed 3 pouches that will also fit wine bottles, so they were not a complete waste of time and yarn. But now, to make some pouch cards...Yay.

More wonderful fiber!!!

Hey! Check out Cloudy Skies by Critter Ranch

Wouldn't it make such a wonderful and warm hat for the season?



Have a GREAT Wednesday!

Christmas List

Here is my plan for the next month or so...

Homework, and knitting.

40 Hot Cocoa pounches. These will be 6-8 in drawstring pouches filled with:
*a plain black, white, blue or green coffee mug,
*3 packs of hot cocoa
*2-3 candy canes in peppermint
*5-6 caramel squares
*2 chocolate bars
*3 cinnamon sticks

Scarves for 9 people - 2 finished
Scarf-lets for 1-2 people
Hats for 7
2 wine bottle cozies


Wish me luck. less than a month for all of this.

I'll post pics as they get finished.

Newest give away!

Phat fiber has so many of the greatest give aways! This week they are featuring the Woolie Bullie Silver Silk Giveaway.

Woolie Bullie is giving away a seasonal handdyed "Plum Pudding" silk hankie



All you gotta do is check out the Etsy store of the company giving away, in this case, check out Woolie Bullie and then return to Phat Fiber and leave a comment on your favorite piece of work in the Woolie Bullie shop.

I fell IN LOVE with the ELEMENTAL Silk Sliver PHAT FIBER September FEATURE LUXURIOUS Fine Quality Hand Painted Mulberry Top for Handspinning 2 ounces. Found at Wooli Bullie's store



Seriously, go over and check it out!

Impatience and New Crafts...

I am a bad bad bad girl. I hinted at a gift for christmas to my husband...well not so much hinted as linked him to an etsy shop with some REALLY elaborate drop spindles and fibers, then I went today, and bought myself a plain and simple drop spindle. Just a plain wood spoke spindle...maybe I'll still get one for Christmas...maybe not, but I couldn't wait to try out my new interest in hand spinning and dying my yarns. i wanted to make some scarfs and hats from my own yarns before Christmas...Hope he doesn't get angry, and if he does, I'll make him a hat out of heavy handspun wool and he won't be angry anymore, since he has taken to walking to work now.

Here is "The Little Joe" He will be renamed...too many folks I don't like in the area named Joe...

Hehe, I can't WAIT until it arrives!

another great givaway!!!

FARM FRESH FIBERS!!!

I found this dreamy Silky purple Merino, and silk blend on the etsy store, and fell in love!!!



Again, from the sponsorship of Phatfibers and counting sheep farm, we have the chance to get some great project pieces for our addiction, check them out to see all of their products!

Also, Phatfibers.blogspot.com has all of the entry information for your chance to win!

Knit it up tag givaway!

So, as a new member of the Phatfiber Sampler Box, I was perusing their blog and found this wonderful little competition...now granted, I do not spin...yet...this was very incising, as the store they reference (the sponsoring store, which it giving away the prize) has SOOOOOOO many wonderful roving (both naked and dyed) and batts for spinning and already handspun yarns...and charming, if but a bit sarcastic, gift tags for those Christmas gifts this year.

So please check it out... you won't regret it...


PhatFiber's Knit it up giveaway!

again, even if you do not participate in the contest, at least check out the fibers on this etsy store and the blog site.

Thanks!

Have a good day!

WIP's and UFO's

My husband has a friend coming to visit this weekend from the Navy, Harry came to the West Coast to visit his grandmother while he is stateside (he just returned from Iraq). I decided that I wanted him to visit a clean home, without traces of a craft explosion (he deals with explosions enough in the sandy lands. He is on an EOD team). So as I was cleaning, I found traces of projects long forgotten or given up on. One such project was a flat double knit panel that had at one point been the start of something, and then forgotten. It was about 3 inches of Lion Brand Homespun in Lagoon on the Green Knifty Knitter Long Loom. I sat down to frog the project and the next thing I know it is almost 2 feet long. I guess this piece was not meant to be frogged. I decided that I would make a blanket (that way, if I get board I can create a shawl out of just one panel.) It is not a really heavy material when it is knit up, but it is soft and cozy. I am thinking that it will make a nice throw blanket when it is done. I also have Lion Brand Homespun in Hepplewhite and Waterfall.

Now these colors go together wonderfully, but I didn't want to work with even stripes (normally this would bug the crap out of me) but I wanted to push my own limits, and make this artwork a little more...abstract so to speak.

I found online in my searches and travels this wonderful website by Biscuits and Jam. This site generates a random stripe pattern. It allows you to choose your colors, the number of rows you want, and the width variances of each color you'd like to allow, then gives you a row count of each color and a visual of how the pattern will look. If you don't like the first generation of stripes, just refresh your page.

I'll post pics of my first panel when I finish it, I plan on making it about 4.5 feet wide, and making 5-6 panels. I will have to buy more yarn. Michaels in the local area has a sale running right now on Homespun, and in fact all Lion Brand yarns.

Another work in progress has been frogged, in sacrifice for the blanket. My mom's slipper socks have been exchanged for a homemade dinner. I will be making her slipper socks for Christmas, and think I may make them from Lion Brand Yarn's Hometown USA in Red or Blue. This is a super bulky yarn that is SUPER warm.My husband works in a bar with a back deck, and as he is often on the back deck at closing (Last call is 2:00 am) I made him a scarf out of this yarn. Now, while he found out he can not wear this scarf at work (too easy to grab onto in a fight) he finds that it is sometimes too warm to wear even off the clock (He will not be saying that when the real winter hits).

In other crafts, I received a suggestion, perhaps even a request for some lobster claw clasp stitch holders for use with crochet, and so my journey begins to find that box of clasps I had before I moved...so- into the garage I shall go! Talk to you all later, and thank you for reading my blog, I appreciate it very much.

Days of Wonder

This video was found on a fellow crafters blog, and while it admittedly has nothing to do with knitting, it tugged at too many heartstrings to not post it.

The song is about a father who lost his son very early in the Iraq war. He still dreams about his son as a young boy, and is proud of his service to his country. The songwriter, Michael Smith, wrote the song the day of the Virginia Tech massacre. He loves his country, but isn't happy with what's going on at the moment. Enjoy...(quoted from Wunsapona Time: )



This video was produced by Amy Manhart's husband and can be found here

more stitch markers

I have continued with the beading inspirations to create several more stitch markers.




I have here another 11 sets with more on the way. I splurged last week and bought 1.5 pounds of new beads...I know bad me, I should be buying yarn...but this still has much to do with knitting.


The set above is called "Garden Leaves" and is made from naturally shaped glass accent beads, and reclaimed glass leaf shaped beads, and is secured with crimp beads. They are strung on beading cord, and can be used on any looms, or needles up to...well, I'm not sure what gague, but larger than 13's I know (KK Looms are 13 gauge).


This set is called "Garden Ladies" and is accented with little lady bug charms at the end of each marker. You will notice that many of these marker sets have one that is different from the rest, this is a marker designs to mark the beginning of a row, as opposed to the beginning of a pattern stitch set or other uses.
I wasn't sure what to call this picture, so I settled with "Cranberries", as my husband said they made him crave cranberries when he saw them.

This set picked up the name "Cobalt and Granite", the beads (while not made from cobalt or granite) reminded me of these colors. The blue beads were salvaged from an empowerment bracelet I got (and promptly broke) as a kid.

These markers earned the name of "Clouded Skies", they held the same colors as the sky around my house a few days ago as I tried to watch the sun rise, but got only darkness and clouds. But is was beautiful and inspiring. These are set on hard rings rather than a string loop, and are made from a wire wrapping technique that I learned in college. they are secured to the rings by use of jump rings.
These markers I chose to call "Amber", not only because of the colors, but because they were made from beads that I inherited from my cousin Amber. When she gave up beading in exchange for working full time, she gave me some of her beads, these were a set she had given me to tie into hemp purse handles, but then stopped carrying purses. And so, here they are.

This set is called "Tiger Stripes" and is called such because the plastic beads I chose to use resemble the fur patterns of a Bengal Tiger, the offset bead (Row start marker) is made using a bead that looks like green marble, it reminded me of the deepness of a tigers eye.

These are the "Splash of Color" set, mounted on hard rings, they are best if used on looms or on large gauge needles. They are made from plastic accent spacer beads, with a focal empowerment bead in clear glass, with splashes of melted glass in various colors.

These markers are interesting, They are made from a semiprecious stone of some sort. I reclaimed them from a broken necklace and earring set my mom had found. I think that they might be rose quartz, but am not positive. The one thing I know is that they are beautiful. Mounted on large hard plastic rings, these are best used with a large gauge loom or needles.

This set looks like blue and green marbles, they are accented with white tossed glass beads, and speak a lot for themselves in the rights of their beauty. Yes, they are made from plastic, but are very durable.

Here is a packaged view of "Garden Leaves".

This set, similar to the "Garden Ladies" and "Garden Leaves" was made from the same bead set. These are my longest set measuring to approx. 1.25 in. from loop knot to end. They are made with glass beads in faceted green and white spacers.

A tutorial will follow shortly (With pictures)

Knitting jewelry... No not Jewelry that is knit, but jewelry for your knitting!

I have been struck with the inspiration to make stitch markers...lots and lots of stitch markers! Check them out. I will be selling them (When I get my etsy store up and running) in sets of 5 for $3.00. I have sold these sets of 5 for $5.00 at local markets and to LYS's for their stitch marker selections, so my Etsy store is the way to go. Check it out!

New projects on the horizon...

In light of my dear mum's birthday, I have decided to take on that new and scary world of socks! Having never knitted socks, nor managed to finish a crochet pattern for socks in the past, I am hoping that a single pair of loom knit tube socks will not prove too evasive for my patience.

Now, lets get a sense of who I am crafting for. My dear mum is a very hard working woman. She owns a furniture and antique store in a small farm town in Central Oregon. She lives in a small home with a wood stove, and no electric or propane heat. If you know anything about Oregon winters, you'll know they are erratically random. One winter, you will see inversions where the temperature on the mountain is higher than down in town, and others where you only get 3 or 4 snowfalls the entire winter.

Likewise, if you have ever had a severe injury, or surgery on a joint or major limb, you will know that cold weather is not the greatest thing for the pain. My mom has had more than a dozen knee surgeries, and coming up on half a dozen foot surgeries. Last winter, temps fell below 5* F at night, and only rose as high as 30*F on some days. At the time, My husband and I were living with my mom on her property in a 5th wheel camp trailer. I understand only a fraction of how the temps can effect previous injuries (having only had 1 surgery and none of my sprains, breaks, or fractures can even compare to hers).

I have started my loom knit tube socks on the Knifty Knitter Blue 24 peg loom with double strand of Lion Brand Homespun yarn in Lagoon and Waterfall.

So...with the pattern, here we go!

Cast on with what you feel comfortable with, I have chosen the e-wrap cast on.

Row 1-10: E-wrap around
Row 11: Bring bottom loops up (As if making a brim) and knit over
Row 12-35: e-wrap
Row 36: bind off with gathered cast-off method, if you choose (too lessen the bulk at the toes) move every other loop to its neighboring peg and knit off before gathering.

This is made much like a very TALL hat.

Pictures will be posted as soon as I finish them...but I keep getting distracted, good thing I have 2 of that size loom, right?