On being "A Knitter"

So, a few months ago, a friend of mine told me I was "the coolest knitter he knew." Now, I know he knows other people that knit, including his wife. I doubt that he'd say I was cooler than his wife, so that lent a discussion with another friend about the difference between someone who knits and "a knitter." I asked her what she meant, and she said, "You don't just knit. You're a knitter. It's part of who you are." Which is an interesting statement, as 18 years ago when I met this friend, I wasn't a knitter. I was on hiatus. I was in college and didn't "have time" for knitting. And knitting wasn't "cool." (I beg to differ now, as knitting is quite possibly more popular than it's ever been.)

So, what makes me a knitter? Well, maybe it's the ridiculous stash of yarn that's spilling out all throughout my house. Maybe it's the vast collection of needles I have acquired, both inherited, and on my own. Maybe it's that I've currently got several WIPs (works in progress) ~ 2 dolls, 3 hats, 1 blanket, and an almost forgotten sweater for a doll of my daughter's. Maybe it's because it's a rare day that has me without my needles, working on a project. Maybe it's because I take my knitting with me "just in case" I'll have a spare few moments to knit. Maybe it's because I have a blog devoted to knitting projects. Maybe it's because I belong to Ravelry, an online knitting and crocheting community. Maybe it's because.... who knows. It's probably a combination of all of those and a few more for good measure.

Whatever the case, I know she's right. Somewhere over the years, I went from being someone who knits to a knitter, and I'm proud to say it. :)

I even blogged about it on my "regular" blog... here: http://troismommy.wordpress.com/2009/07/11/labor-of-love (You'll have to copy and paste, as the link isn't working here for some reason.)

The blanket that almost killed me

So, a few posts back (a few months ago, sadly), I posted about the blanket I started. Little did I know that this blanket would be such a big undertaking. I'm making 9 squares, and joining them all together, using a 10th color to tie them all in. O.M.G. I have been searching the interwebs looking for various and sundry ways to join these panels together. I don't crochet, so the whole idea of that scares me. I don't want to just seam them, because I want this golden color to tie them all together. However, it's a royal pain in my tushie.

First off, each panel is like 16 inches long. I'm attempting to join them together with a 1.5 wide "panel" done in stockinette stitch. I'm joining it on both sides as I go, using dpns. It's a BITCH and a half. I mean, it's going to look pretty good when it's done, I think, but the getting it done is taking forever. I have to reposition the dpn every time I turn the work, and I have to turn both large squares together to do it.

*sigh*

This is what it looks like so far. This is the Emmett (brown) and Carlisle (green) panels of the blanket. The gold color is supposed to be representative of their topaz eyes. Unfortunately it's more gold, but I still think it will look nice.

What do you think?




I may try something different with the next join, but I'm not sure. I was thinking I could just knit the gold strip attached to ONE panel, and then seam it on the other one.

I am currently knitting up Jasper's square. Then comes Alice, Edward, Bella, and Renesmee. If this doesn't kill me, I will be so incredibly strong it'll be ridiculous!

New Year!!

Okay, what's new? Well, I'm still plugging away at the blanket. It will be the death of me. :P I'm also working on the doll, and on my "Yes We Can" scarf. I'm going to try to finish it for the Inauguration. :)

Here's a preview:

What's new, pussycat?

Or, werewolf? Here's what's up...

Imprint Pillow is finished and is being test knit as we speak!! I finally conquered it with a duplicate stitch. Yay me!!




I've started my Jane voodoo doll. I hope I can pull it off! I'm also still working on the Cullen Blanket.

Oh, and I got a WONDERFUL swap package yesterday from my Twilight Swap partner, Emberchyld. Lookie!!

WIPs

So, here's the scoop on what's on the needles...

First off, here's a preview of the first side of the Imprint pillow.




Next the Rosalie panel for the blanket. Embroidery to come! Each panel will be a different color, with a different symbol for each member.

Thanks, Mel!

The book wins! I'm working on Panel One for the blanket. Rosalie's panel, to be exact. :) Pictures to come, surely. These are big panels, so they'll take a lot of time. Wish me luck!

Priorities - Advice anyone?

Okay, if anyone's out there, please help! What would you do?

I've got a few projects to finish for the book. I gave everyone a deadline of November 30. The projects I've got are:

- A blanket, made of 9 squares, with possible embroidery, and crocheted together.
- A pillow - basically 2 large-ish squares. One in a fur, and one in a solid color with a small bit of colorwork OR embroidery.
- A doll, maybe. (Right now I think that's the one thing I'll drop.)

Now, I also have an opportunity to make some money. Next Tuesday and Wed. there will be a boutique, and if I can knit up a few things, I can sell them. However, all I've got right now is ONE hat. To finish enough to really sell seems crazy. I'd have 8 days to do maybe 3 more hats, and I was hoping for a few dolls, but that seems utterly impossible right now. *sigh*

An experiment

I'm part of a swap, and wanted to make something for my partner. Fingerless gloves/mitts seems to be a big thing (I'd never made them before), so I figured I'd make some for her. I thought it might be cool if they matched the Tourniquet Scarf, so I found an easy pattern and modified it for these. They're not amazing. They're my first shot, but I think they look okay, and hopefully they'll keep her hands warm. :)

Just in case she doesn't, I'm sending yarn, too. :P

Audacity!

I finished my "Audacity" scarf! IT's actually a "Chevron Scarf" but done with "Audacity" yarn. The yarn is dyed by Blackbunny fibers, and a % of the proceeds went to the Obama campaign! I'll wear it on election day. :)

Pics

Blood and Wool

So, I'm calling this scarf "Tourniquet"... Can you guess why? :)

I'm almost 2/3 done. I don't know if I like the edge. It's supposed to be "holey" so that it looks sort of like someone bit holes in it. It's curling, though. I'm going to experiment. I don't mind the curling, and will attempt to iron/steam it out. I'm not sure if it would bug anyone else wanting to make the pattern, so maybe I'll just leave it. Anyone with comments, please share them!

Adventures in Felting (or not)

Well, for my first felting project EVAH, I chose some felted potholders for my grandmother. I followed the instructions. My first one ended up measuring about 12.5 x 12.5 before felting. See picture.

Well, here's the thing... I have a front loader. Not so ideal for felting, apparently. So, after 2 short cycles, it hadn't budged much, so I ended up felting it by hand. O.M.G. What a royal pain in the butt. At least I got an upper arm workout. It still doesn't look quite right, but at least it's a little smaller (10 x 10) Perhaps it'll be a hot plate or trivet instead of a potholder.

My second try is in the washer now. It just looks like the giants slightly smaller brother. *sigh* Luckily, my grandmother has a good sense of humor.


ooh... ps - I'm working on writing a knitting book. More info to come.

Ravelympics!!

So, I've joined the "Twilight" team on Ravelry for their knitting Olympics! I'm working on finishing the fairy I started aeons ago, making a drawstring pouch, and some felted potholders to put IN the pouch for my grandmother's birthday. I have to finish it all before the torch goes out, and I still don't have the wool yarn for the potholders. (They're in the mail.)

Wish me luck! I'll post updates!

Wow. It's been too long!!

I haven't knit on a regular basis in sooo long! :(

Here's an update.

The fairy went for $65. The doll went for $25. The hats went for - actually, I don't know. I do know that a few people were bidding back and forth, but I don't think I found out the last numbers. The knitting basket went for $100, and the HP basket I made with knit bookscarves went for over $100. Yay!

I am currently working on another fairy, and my first pair of little socks for my 2 year old daughter. :)

After that, I'm going to make some more dolls, and maybe try to design a few hats for a Boutique coming up in the Fall. This, of course, takes some actual knitting on my part, so we'll see.

A Tisket a Tasket

I put together a knitting basket. If you didn't knit, but wanted to, would you bid? :)

Pics:





What's in it?





“Knitting for Dummies”
“Kids Knitting”
“Fashionable Projects for New Knitters”
A small pattern book on dishcloths
3 cotton skeins for the dishcloths
4 bulky wool blend skeins for projects in either book
3 worsted weight skeins for projects in either book
size 8 bamboo straights
size 10 kid’s needles
a small spool
2 tapestry needles
a retractable measuring tape
a Susan Bates guide
stitch markers
a stitch holder
a blank notebook
a certificate for an hour of “knitting instruction” from me.

Don't try this at home

So, if you read my last post, you know I frogged an item, and tried to knit a hat. Well, knitting a hat on size 7 needles that you frogged from size 6 needles is not a good idea. Plus, it's been 2 years. Talk about TIGHT KNIT. *sigh*... Look. Just look for yourself and see how horrid this hat was turning out. *pout*

Lumpy, bumpy


Holey Moley


Kinkalicious (not)


So, I'm using the remaining yarn from the original hank that was unused, but in case it isn't enough, I spent some time steaming the kinks out. Not perfect, but much better.


Ugh. Well, that was a valuable, time-wasting lesson.

Ribbit!

So, when I was pregnant with Maddie, I started making a little teeny blue cardigan just in case she was a boy. Well, I didn't finish it, and she turned out to be a girl, and I just never got around to finishing it.

Who knows when I'll need to make a sweater for a baby boy (certainly won't be for MY kids), so I frogged the sleeve and back of the sweater and am putting them to use in a "boyish" hat, since my husband doesn't think the pastel hats I've made are for boys. *sigh* So, there will hopefully be 2 "girly" hats and one "boyish" hat at the auction, so I'm not seen as discriminatory. :P

Hopefully I'll have pictures soon.

Ron Weasley

He's done!! Lookie!!

He has no clothes, but he has a scarf, so he doesn't have to be nakey! (Well, not completely.) Notice his bellybutton is unravelling. lol!




I'm on the head part of Gracie's "Dorothy" and have just started an unnamed babe for the auction. Woohoo!!

Holy sheep!

So, I don't know how it happened, but my house is just littered with yarn. Seriously. It's in at least 5 rooms in the house. Problem is, I take it out, intending to knit with it, and then get distracted and never put it away. Nevermind that the closet where 1/2 of it is stashed is VERY hard to get in and out of. Oh well. The husband hasn't complained about it yet, so I'm not going to sweat it.

So, without further adoo, here it is:

In the closet


My "fun" yarn - sparkly, fuzzy, knobby:


Yarn for Harry Potter projects (Gryffindor and Slytherin colors)


Yarn for hats & dolls (babes). Notice the fuzzy pink yarn on the left. It'll be fairy hair. The beautiful oranges on the right will be mermaid hair.


Christmas-y yarns:


Basket full o' yarn and unfinished objects. Greenish yarn on the bottle is for mermaid tail.


And, my knitting "bag" - it's sturdy, stands on it's own, and I can take it anywhere. Take note of the babe in progress.


Another knitting bag I use, made by my friend, Jen:


And finally, some nostalgia... my first knitting bag, circa 1981. I was 12. :)

Yet more hats!

Okay, here is the latest I'm working on...



It's the same pattern as the other Pastel Marley, but in a different combo of colors. I'm about 1/2 way done.

And the smaller petal hat (with only one petal sewn on):


I got permission from the author of the patterns to use them for the auction, so I'm excited!

Next up is the scarf/bookmarks, and then I'm going to start making babes again! I'm inspired! Gracie wants that mermaid I've wanted to make her, and Maddie wants a Ron Weasley doll. LOL!

Another hat

Yay!  I finished the Marley hat!  I'm very happy with how it turned out.  The only part I'm not thrilled with is the back, where all the colors came together.  I mean, it looks fine if it's in the back, but I can tell, kwim?  I'm going to try to sew in one of my tags to the back, so they never try to put it on backwards.  lol