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Knitted Cowl

Oct5
Still perfecting my knitting skills but am very pleased with my completed light weight cowl, which I added a ruffled flower with a very nice decorative button to give it some pizzazz. SONY DSC I used a wonderful Madeleine Tosh DK yarn (Optic) for a cool black and white design. My needles were a size #8 and I completed the entire cowl using the Seed stitch. I’m sure a more experienced knitter would know how to do this in the round but I was more comfortable doing a provisional cast-on http://www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/invisible-provisional-cast-on   and then completing a three needle bind-off. http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall06/FEATfall06TT.html Once I had completed my bind off and had joined my two ends together,  I gathered the cowl (using a long running stitch out of the same yarn) along the bind-off edge, tied if off with a square knot and then sewed on flower and button. SONY DSC My finished cowl was approximately 7 1/2″ wide X 26″ long. I just knit until I had used up the entire skein of yarn (225 yards). Now as a somewhat beginner knitter, I really enjoyed the seed stitch but took me a little bit to figure out the pattern. Directions for the seed stitch just say, knit the purls, and purl the knits and I had to learn what a knit stitch and purl stitch looked like when I began my second row. Actually, it is a good thing to learn because if for some reason you have to put your knitting down in the middle of a row to make yourself that cup of awesome vanilla tea, you can pick it back up and know by looking at your stitch shapes what stitch you need to do next. Check out this site for good pictures of what a knit stitch and purl stitch looks like.  http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2013/04/how-to-knit-seed-stitch/ SONY DSC Will definitely do another seed stitch pattern again 🙂

HAPPY CREATING!!

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Happy Mother’s Day

May10

Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day and hope your day has been extra special too!!

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Just wanted to share this awesome “yarn bouquet” that I received as a gift.  As much as I love to have fresh flowers around, this bouquet is just as special as I get to look at it and decide what do I want to create!! This bouquet was shipped through Jimmy Beans Wool website and I received 3 gorgeous skeins of a beautiful Madeleine Tosh DK yarn with two different sizes of knitting needles.  It came with a lovely pattern that I downloaded through Ravelry called Sylkie Cowl by Gudrum Johnson.

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I also downloaded 2 other “free” patterns from Ravelry:  one is called Mara by Amy Hendrix which is a triangle shawl and the other is called Honey Cowl by Ann Maria.  Both of these patterns are really cool too!! However, I think I am going to give the Sylkie Cowl a try.  As I have mentioned before, my real yarn love is crocheting but I am adventuring out in the knitting world and this pattern does offer some new techniques for me to try. If you are looking for a unique rolex gift to get your favorite person, then check out Super’s website, I don’t think you will be disappointed. Wish me luck as I attempt this new pattern.  Hey, if I think it looks horrible, I can just frog it and find another “crochet” pattern~~ ha, ha, ha!!

HAPPY CREATING!!

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Spool Knitting Finished Project

Jan11
Well, I finally finished my “cattail” and bound it off from my 4 pronged spool.  My cord is 195″ long or almost 5  1/2 yards.  I am planning to roll my cord into a circle and use it as a trivet for my kitchen. SONY DSC When rolled, the trivet will measure 9″ across which will be a perfect size for plates or bowls to keep the heat directly off my table.  It will also look great as a decorated piece under my kitchen centerpiece. SONY DSC SONY DSC       Because I used up all the thread that I had to make the cord, I am going to whip stitch it together using all 6 strands of a coordinating DMC floss.  Beginning in the center and rolling as I go, I will whip stitch it together using a cross stitch type needle which has a little bit of a blunt tip so that I don’t snag any of my threads. SONY DSC This is a wonderful activity for a child to do and a super way to use up all those “little balls” of yarn leftover from other knit or crochet projects.  As you collect your bits and pieces of leftover yarn, just tie them together with a secure square knot (right over left and left over right) and keep adding to make a big multi-colored skein.  I would try to keep your category of yarn about the same; that is, I wouldn’t tie a chunky (category 5) to a sock weight (category 2).  How fun to see all the different colors come together!! SONY DSC Enjoy making your own “cattail” ~~ you can find more information on using knitting Nancy’s here.  FYI: I did purchase a super little tool from my local big box store (knittingboard.com) which worked great to lift my lower loops easily over the upper loops on my spool.  🙂

HAPPY CREATING!!

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Knitting Nancy Project

Apr23
I have still been knitting on my “cattail” using my handmade knitting nancy spool.   It is a very easy, relaxing type of yarn craft that I will pick up for those times when I don’t want to have to concentrate to hard on a project or count stitches as I crochet. SONY DSC   You can check out my Knitting Nancy blog to see exactly how to make a spool and how to start your yarn to begin forming your tail!  As you can see by the picture, my “tail” is quite long, presently measuring 131 inches or a little over 3 1/2 yards long.  My goal is to roll my tail into a circle to make a nice trivet or mat for a hot bowl to protect the dining table top. SONY DSC   At present, it measures almost 8 inches in diameter and I think I will make it just a little wider but probably not more than 10 inches.  Of course, this will leave me with just enough yarn to make a small pom pom!!  Yarn scraps?? hmm – working on some ways to use them up because I just cannot bear to trash them or maybe I will find a local 4H group and donate all my tiny yarn balls to them.  Like that idea!! SONY DSC   Anyways I digress, my trivet will be sewn together with a nice quilting weight cotton thread.  Connecting Threads has some great collections of these threads in a wide variety of colors too, which are wonderful for machine or hand sewing projects. I think I started a new skein of yarn for this project, a category 4 yarn, worsted weight.  I just used a size 5 hook to lift my lower loop over the top loop to create the knit looking tail. SONY DSC When I am ready to bind off, I will do another blog with close up pictures so you can see the actual binding off process. Some fun ideas to use your “tail” for would be a set of coasters, cool bookmarks, glue some googlie eyes and make a snake for a little one, make three tails and sew together at one end and braid them for a bracelet or headband, placemats even a small rug. I’m looking forward to completing this one and having it ready for my kitchen table!!

HAPPY CREATING!!

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Ideas for Knitting Nancy “Tail”

Nov5

I haven’t actually researched the correct terminology for the knitted cord that is created from completing your loops on a Knitting Nancy which really look similar to an I-cord; however, I still like to refer to it as my “cat’s tail”!! 🙂

SONY DSC Presently, my cat’s tail measures 76 inches or 193.04 cm and it is stirring all kinds of ideas as to what I want to create.  I can definitely curl itself around and make a super trivet to protect my table from a hot dish.  If I make the trivet, I could combine it with my hot pads and dish clothes for a cool, handmade hostess gift.  SONY DSC

Also, have given some thought to designing a unique wrapped necklace.  Leaving long loops and covering the joined area with a really one-of-a-kind tubular bead.  Hmm, maybe I will just have to keep the necklace for myself if I end up making that idea!!

I’ve been into yarn bowls too and I think I could take a ceramic bowl and wrap the tail around the outside of it for a size pattern, stitch together, and then maybe create a unique loop edge as a finishing touch.

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I know whatever I design, my “cat’s tail” still needs to be longer, I am planning to have a finished length of 160 inches or 406.4 cm.  So when I really need some down time that doesn’t require any counting of stitches or decreases/increases or watching my gauge, I just sit with my favorite cup of tea and go round and round with my spool knitting.  Only having to untwist my tail periodically to keep it smooth.  It makes for a very relaxing time for me. 🙂

HAPPY CREATING!!

  • Tip:  I will use a coordinating DMC floss (2-3 strands) as my sewing thread when I begin to stitch my cord together.  Will probably have to do some pinning also to hold my coils in place.
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