Because I have been filling custom orders (THANK YOU!), I haven’t really had all that much time to devote to Christmas crafting. I found some time between orders to create for my loved ones and I have a pretty decent pile I’ll be distributing this weekend. It’s impressive when you realize I’ve made these [Read More...]]]>

Because I have been filling custom orders (THANK YOU!), I haven’t really had all that much time to devote to Christmas crafting. I found some time between orders to create for my loved ones and I have a pretty decent pile I’ll be distributing this weekend. It’s impressive when you realize I’ve made these during the past 2-3 weeks. Needless to say, my hands have been busy.

In the photo you see:
1 Willow
1 Dory
2 Turn a Square hats
1 Last Minute Open Rib hat

“Last Minute Open Rib,” you ask? Why, yes. I knit this hat quite a bit, last year, and finally got around to composing a proper pattern for it. I can knit one up in an evening (late night watching old episodes of Sons of Anarchy)!

If you feel so inclined to make one yourself, please do check out the pattern page, HERE. Happy knitting!

Did you make any sweet gifts for your loved ones for Christmas? Please share!

Aside from the obvious–family, friends, etc.–something that means a lot to me is my ability to create. I love to knit and crochet and make things with my hands. It means a lot that I can make things with a simple piece of string!

This was my shot for Project 365 on Thanksgiving [Read More...]]]>

Aside from the obvious–family, friends, etc.–something that means a lot to me is my ability to create. I love to knit and crochet and make things with my hands. It means a lot that I can make things with a simple piece of string!

This was my shot for Project 365 on Thanksgiving day. It is usually a day for family. I bring along my camera with the best intentions of getting lovely shots of people enjoying each other, but then I end up being one of those people and my camera stays safely tucked in my bag. I only remember it when we’re already on our way across town to visit even more family. I know the same thing is going to happen–I’ll get lost in conversations and chasing littles around and my camera will stay in its place–so I take a photo of what I do between meals. Knitting.

There was some interest in a beginners color work pattern. This is it!

2 styles x 4 charts ——————— 8 different patterns

My favorite is the scallops, seen above. Which will you knit? Read more on the Colorwork Recipe Page.

While I wanted to start blogging with gusto in September, I am finding myself straying. Not far, don’t worry. I am just busy crocheting & knitting and preparing stock for GOODKNITS 2011. I thought I’d share a little peek with you.

These hats are my favorite. Made of soft wool in a few [Read More...]]]>

While I wanted to start blogging with gusto in September, I am finding myself straying. Not far, don’t worry. I am just busy crocheting & knitting and preparing stock for GOODKNITS 2011. I thought I’d share a little peek with you.

These hats are my favorite. Made of soft wool in a few different lovely colors. They are slouchy, but still ultra warm.

I’ve also knit up some hats for the MEN. Shocker, I know. I became quite smitten with stranded knitting, though! I had to jot down a few designs for the boys. I’ve come up with a few different colorwork designs and am on the fence on whether I’ll be writing up patterns. I love sharing with my fellow knitters, but it takes quite a bit of time and effort to turn my notes into real instructions. We’ll see!

Do you like my hat rack? A yarn wrapped branch pinned onto my wall. The branch had just the right curvature to make a lovely rack for the hats.

Last week, I learned color work knitting and I got a smidge obsessed. I started drafting new designs immediately and knit up test hats. There were a lot of lonely late nights, last week. The husband was preparing for his business trip, so after the boys went down it was [Read More...]]]>

Photo taken with my Lensbaby

Last week, I learned color work knitting and I got a smidge obsessed. I started drafting new designs immediately and knit up test hats. There were a lot of lonely late nights, last week. The husband was preparing for his business trip, so after the boys went down it was just me, my yarn, and Season 1 of Angel. Learning to knit English style has made these super quick to whip up, so a word to the wise: LEARN BOTH METHODS OF KNITTING!

And if you’re already knitting English style, learn Continental and you’re half way to learning crochet. :)

I got Second Sock Syndrome (BUT if I hadn’t messed up the first time, I’d have a complete pair. boo), so I took a break and knit a hat. I FINALLY learned English knitting, so the colorwork was actually enjoyable! I am going to be carrying my graph paper notebook to jot down ideas [Read More...]]]>

I got Second Sock Syndrome (BUT if I hadn’t messed up the first time, I’d have a complete pair. boo), so I took a break and knit a hat. I FINALLY learned English knitting, so the colorwork was actually enjoyable! I am going to be carrying my graph paper notebook to jot down ideas for more hats. This one matches Nathan’s school uniform, so it’s his. He likes it.

I used the color pattern practice hat instructions from Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitting Workshop. I messed up a bit on the last color repeat, but it’s hardly noticeable. It was a super easy knit. I realized Zimmermann’s books read like blogs. There are diagrams to help you out and asides on how to make things bigger or other ways to knit it. Love.

I KNOW Winter will be here, eventually. I decided I should get a head start on some knits for my boys and have started with socks. Their hats from last year (and years past) will likely still fit, so those aren’t too much of a priority. I haven’t knit a pair of socks in [Read More...]]]>

I KNOW Winter will be here, eventually. I decided I should get a head start on some knits for my boys and have started with socks. Their hats from last year (and years past) will likely still fit, so those aren’t too much of a priority. I haven’t knit a pair of socks in a very long while, so I’m going with an easy plain knit pattern.

Unfortunately, I got past the heel on this first sock and realized they’re way too big! I guess tomorrow is a frogging and re-starting day. I’m at the point in my knitting where the idea of frogging bums me out initially, but I realize that getting the perfect fit is worth it, so I can frog without tears. It still kind of sucks, though.

What’s on your needles? Give me some inspiration to pull me out of the bummer that is frog-city.

Hello, lovely folks! It has been a few weeks since I shared a vintage craft. I have a good one, today, though!

I wrote up a guest post for the amazing Kim of Art Equals Happy talking about how fun it is to tackle vintage craft patterns and how satisfying it is to be [Read More...]]]>

Hello, lovely folks! It has been a few weeks since I shared a vintage craft. I have a good one, today, though!

I wrote up a guest post for the amazing Kim of Art Equals Happy talking about how fun it is to tackle vintage craft patterns and how satisfying it is to be able to mix them up and create something new. You may have seen this hat on my Flickr, a few weeks ago. You can read my guest post here!

You can find the direct link to the pattern on my patterns page, but I would love if you checked out my post on art equals happy! It would make a lovely Christmas gift, no? :)

This is my 400th post. WHAT! Not a question, just an exclamation. I’ve been blabbering on about my knitting for 400 posts? Well, dang. I hope I haven’t bored too many of the folks who stop by. Thank you to those who return! Many thanks. It’s only appropriate that my 400th post be actual [Read More...]]]>

This is my 400th post. WHAT! Not a question, just an exclamation. I’ve been blabbering on about my knitting for 400 posts? Well, dang. I hope I haven’t bored too many of the folks who stop by. Thank you to those who return! Many thanks. It’s only appropriate that my 400th post be actual knitting content. I have another hat pattern that will debut later this month, so for now, here’s one of my old favorites–Ganomy!

I really need to get you a photo of my copy of Knitter’s Almanac by Elizabeth Zimmermann. It is positively beat. I haven’t made every pattern in it, but I have read it all the way though at least twice. It’s just one of those knitting books. Where the content is more about HOW the pattern came to be than the actual pattern itself. I like that.

Ganomy is my favorite. I think it’s safe to say it’s my favorite hat pattern to knit. It’s so easy and the design is so simple, but it looks so cool. This is my fifth. To be honest, it could be my sixth, but I only found four others, so I’m going with fifth.

You can find directions online to alter the pattern to be less gnomish, but I went ahead and knit the pattern straight through–ping pong ball, and all!

Pattern: ‘Ganomy’
Source: Knitter’s Almanac by Elizabeth Zimmermann
Yarn: Manos Wool Classica in Citric
Needle: 5mm (US8) 16″ circular and DPNs

Let me know what you think on that page!

The shape of the week for my toddler and I (almost 2 weeks ago, now) was triangles. I couldn’t get them out of my head! And now Andrew can point them out, pretty [Read More...]]]> I said I would put this up last week, but I got so sidetracked by the holiday and other stuff.

The shape of the week for my toddler and I (almost 2 weeks ago, now) was triangles. I couldn’t get them out of my head! And now Andrew can point them out, pretty much without hesitation. Huzzah!

Anyway, I recently bought a little moleskine from the one and only Punk Rawk Purl filled with grid paper. What started as a doodle one bored evening turned into me scribbling little knitting notes. Before long, I had a rough pattern!

I started knitting it and figured out the crown shaping and really…well, I fell in love with it! I finished it during my garage sale and made the boy wear it for a bit. It fits like a snug beanie on him, but it really fit my little boys’ noggins perfectly!

The glorious thing is that the pattern is pretty easily enlarged (or shrunken) by adding (or subtracting) pattern repeats. Yeah! I already knit it again with slightly heavier yarn and it came out just a smidge larger, so no tweaking was really necessary. I love when that happens!

I’ve been knitting for ummm 4ish years and this is my very first knitting pattern. It’s super simple and I haven’t really searched Ravelry for anything similar, so if YOU know of a pattern that looks like this, do let me know! If you’re interested in knitting one of your own, leave a comment or shoot me an email! I’ll send you the pattern and you can tell me what you think/if it makes any sense and I’ll see if I can get it blog-ready.

I made this enormous bolster pillow and the kids immediately started calling it “the pickle pillow.” It doesn’t really fit on the love seat (I needs a couch, yo), so the boys use it as a head rest when they’re laying in front of the tube watching episodes of Inspector Gadget. It’s their new [Read More...]]]>

I made this enormous bolster pillow and the kids immediately started calling it “the pickle pillow.” It doesn’t really fit on the love seat (I needs a couch, yo), so the boys use it as a head rest when they’re laying in front of the tube watching episodes of Inspector Gadget. It’s their new favorite TV show. It’s 22 minutes, so they get to watch one episode unless they’re sick and quarantined to the living room.

Details:
TWO strands of Lion Brand Wool-ease Thick & Quick in lemongrass (which was ON CLEARANCE at my local Michael’s last week for $3.99/ball)
Size US19 needles.
35 (or 36? something like that) stitches and approximately 22 garter ridges (44 knit rows).
Seam the BO to the CO, then cinch one end shut.
Fold a towel in half (short end to short end), then roll it up and wrap it with a few layers of quilt batting.
I made an inside case with some green fabric so the guts wouldn’t be so obvious through the stretched stitches.

Stuff it! Close the other end.

I LOVE garter stitch. It’s so easy and textural and……yeah! it’s awesome. <3

I finished the shawlette, yesterday! The picot bind-off took for-friggin-ever, but holy moly I love the end result. That happens with lace, though. I procrastinate on projects and whether I should start one because they look so difficult and I don’t want to burn out after investing hours into it. Then, I complete it [Read More...]]]>

I finished the shawlette, yesterday! The picot bind-off took for-friggin-ever, but holy moly I love the end result. That happens with lace, though. I procrastinate on projects and whether I should start one because they look so difficult and I don’t want to burn out after investing hours into it. Then, I complete it and I set it out to block and I.am.speechless. It’s just so soft and beautiful.

I was just going to share the first photo, but these waves are so lovely, I had to share this one, too. The pattern is wonderfully simple and I completed it in just a little over 1 week.

Pattern: Holden Shawlette by Mindy Wilkes
Yarn: Malabrigo Sock in ‘Lettuce’
Needle: US 6 (4mm) 29″ circular

I don’t mean to be all Posty McPosterson tonight, but I HAD to share this guy with you! I’ve had the pattern in my bookmarks since I learned to knit and every time Christmas comes around I shrug it off and don’t make it and….well, I don’t know why the heck not. It took [Read More...]]]>

I don’t mean to be all Posty McPosterson tonight, but I HAD to share this guy with you! I’ve had the pattern in my bookmarks since I learned to knit and every time Christmas comes around I shrug it off and don’t make it and….well, I don’t know why the heck not. It took me a maximum of 15 minutes to complete. That’s about how long it takes to make pasta! I put 2010 on the bottom because I really want to commit to making at least one every Christmas season.

Pattern: Korknisse from Saartjes Knits (where you’ll find a pattern for booties I see all over Etsy…sad but true)
Yarn: worsted weight acrylic (I think Vanna’s Choice. the ballband was gone!)
Needles: US 2 (3mm)

If you knit, you should totally make one. Right now! Christmas is upon us–there is still time! Look at how cozy he looks tucked into my tree…

Pattern: A Good 2-Needle Garter Stitch Slipper, with Cuff by Elizabeth Zimmermann Source: Knitting Without Tears Yarn: Malabrigo sock in Lettuce Needles: 3.0 mm

Back in January of 2008, I knit these same booties for my own baby (who was a-brewin’ in my belly!) in a yellow colorway and I called them “banana bootsies.” [Read More...]]]>

Pattern: A Good 2-Needle Garter Stitch Slipper, with Cuff by Elizabeth Zimmermann
Source: Knitting Without Tears
Yarn: Malabrigo sock in Lettuce
Needles: 3.0 mm

Back in January of 2008, I knit these same booties for my own baby (who was a-brewin’ in my belly!) in a yellow colorway and I called them “banana bootsies.” They were just SO cute. The pattern is supremely simple and very quick, even on sock yarn and needles.

There is something really magical about garter stitch. I just love it!