Star Crossed Slouchy Beret
Jan 10, 2010 knitting, photography, projects
I’m not much of a hat person, but I fell in love with the Star Crossed Slouchy Beret that I found on ravelry. I wanted to practice with dyeing yarn, so I bought some bare yarn from Knitpicks, some dyes and did some research. After coming to the conclusion that it can’t be as hard as it sounds, I dyed up my first skein of yarn. unfortunately I don’t have a photo of it And then I dyed up more yarn and more yarn and more yarn.
This has to be my favorite. While I’m still perfecting the coloring and how to get the pretty pooling, I’m having fun.
And this is the Star Crossed Slouchy Beret. Knit up with my first skein of hand dyed yarn. And I LOVE the finished hat. While I would prefer it in a solid color, I think the variegated coloring works. I love how it turned out.
Now I’m doing a scarf with the two skeins of yarn that I dyed up the other weekend. Same colors, it’s going to be just as pretty!
knitter’s love
Dec 14, 2009 Itty Bitty Knits, etsy, knitting, photography, projects, rambling
It’s astonishing to me how much I have grown to love knitting. For only doing it for a years time, it’s become my most loved hobby. I carry a knitting project everywhere with me and I often bring it out at work and knit a few rows on my lunch. I don’t get embarrassed or think of it as “the granny hobby”. The only time that I don’t like knitting is when I’m working on a project and I decide that I want to keep it. I decide that giving it to it’s rightful owner will kill me, so while the needles are flying, I’m putting together a plan so I don’t have to give up the knitted up. Like these….
Simply known as the purple longies. But if there was a way to be in love with a knitted item, I have found it. They are simply gorgeous. Just look at the colors and the pattern that the variegated yarn forms!
This next photo shows more true to life colors. And the cuff. The best part. A garter eyelet stitch cuff. And while I’m a fugly garter stitch hater, I’m a garter eyelet stitch lover.
But, I’m going to share some joyous news. I’m almost out of the yarn. This yarn. Cascade 220 Superwash Paints. In Grape. Such a scrumptious name! Cascade Superwash Paints is a wonderful yarn. Soft, machine washable, even though I would probably just handwash them. I mean, if the longies were mine. And I wish that they were. But then that means that I would need a little baby girl to wear them…..
Anyways… so I’m down to about 40 more yards of the yarn when I need at least 80-100 yards. So I ordered some more of the yarn (since I can use it for a super cute stocking cap to sell on my Etsy). So while I’m patiently waiting for the yarn, I’m enjoying my limited time with the longies. Gazing longingly at the colors and the sweet cuff. Admiring my stitch work. It really is nicely done.. Sigh… I really hope the owner loves these longies as much as I do…
Chunky Ribbed Earflap Hat
Oct 27, 2009 Ravelry, knitting, knitting patterns, photography
I wanted to knit an earflap hat with some fantabulous bulky weight Knit Picks yarn I had. And I couldn’t find a pattern that I liked. So I made my own. :D
And I’m posting the pattern for anyone that is interested. It’s my first pattern, so please excuse if there are any errors and confusions. I’m trying to get the pattern listed on Ravelry, so soon I will have it available in PDF format :)
Chunky Ribbed Earflap Hat
Yarn Weight: Bulky
Gauge: 4 stitch/per 1inch
Needles: 10.5 (dpns & circular will be used, although can be done on just dpns)
Knit to a 18 inch head circumference
Earflaps (make two):
CO 3 stitches
knit I-cord for 6 inches
row1: k1, p1, k1 (3 sts)
row2: k1, m1f, k1, m1b, k1 (5 sts)
row3: (This will be done with all wrong side rows) k1, purl to 1 st before end, k1
row4: 1, m1f, knit to 1 st before end, m1b, k1 (7 sts)
row6: 1, m1f, knit to 1 st before end, m1b, k1 (8 sts)
row8: 1, m1f, knit to 1 st before end, m1b, k1 (10 sts)
Contine until you have 13 stitches. Make sure the last row is a wrong side row.
Repeat the following rows 1 & 2 until ear flap measures 3 inches.
row1: knit across
row2: k1, purl to 1 st before end, k1
Keep the live stitches on a dpn.
Brim:
Knit across one ear flap and then cable cast on 26 stitches (front of hat). Knit across the
next ear flap and cable cast on 20 stitches (back of hat). You should now have 72 stitches
total.
Place stitch marker and start knitting. Your first stitch in the round should start at the first
ear flap. Knit 12 stitches, p2, k2 (ribbed) until you get to the next earflap. The last two
stitches should be purl. Knit 12 stitches and then p2, k2 (ribbed) to finish off the round.
Continue for the next 5.5 – 6 inches.
It might be easier to put stitch markers between the 24 earflap stockinette stitches and the
46 ribbed stitches, just make sure that can distinguish between the stitch marker for the
start of the round and the others.
Time to decrease!
Decreasing can get a little confusing so it’s really important to make sure that you pay
attention to whether you are decreasing the earflap stockinette stitches or the rest of the
ribbed part.
Row1 – (for the 1st stockinette section) k2tog, k2 (for the 1st ribbed part) p2tog, k2 (will end
with a p2tog), (for the 2nd stockinette section) k2tog, k2 (for the 2nd ribbed part) p2tog, k2
(will end for a p2tog)
row2-5 – knit stockinette sections and p1, k2 ribbed sections
row6- (for the 1st stockinette section) k1, k2tog (for the 1st ribbed part) p1, k2tog (will end
with a p1), (for the 2nd stockinette section) k1, k2tog (for the 2nd ribbed part) p1, k2tog
(will end for a p1)
row7 & 8- knit stockinette sections and p1, k1 ribbed sections
row 9- k2tog the whole round
row10-12 – knit to end of round
row13- k2tog, k – repeat to end of round
row14- knit to end of round
cut a 10 inch tail and weave in through remaining stitches. Pull togetherly tightly and
weave in ends.
Make two tassles, sew on to icords, weave in all remaining ends and ta da!
Wear, and enjoy :)
I highly suggest the Knit Picks Wool of Andes Bulky yarn for the hat. It is a great priced yarn at 3.99 for a skein of 137 yards. It knits up beautifully and it feels great. Definitely my favorite yarn.
Itty Bitty Leggies
Oct 21, 2009 Itty Bitty Knits, knitting, photography, projects
So I’ve been busy lately…
working, Skyler, life…
and of course, knitting.
My current project is pretty fabulous.
At least I think so.
Because anything with drawstrings and pom-poms are pretty fabulous.
And I know a lot of people will agree with me.
Introducing…..
Itty Bitty Leggies!!!
Soon to be in my shop. Here is style numero uno. Next I’m going to knit style numero dos.
I love baby items :)
the rainboots
Oct 13, 2009 knitting, photography, rambling
I’m really starting to wonder how much more I can suck at posting in my blog.
Nothing new going on. Just work, Skyler, knitting, home and sleep. That’s what my day to day life consists of.
blah…
ditto on the burn out…
Oct 2, 2009 The Mom, knitting, rambling, ranting, the boy
I am near collapsing from exhaustion currently, but excitement over being 99.99% done with a knitting project has me up and awake for at least another 30 minutes…
This week has not been fun….
I had intended on taking Tuesday as a half day. Spend the morning at work getting what I needed done and spending the rest of the day relaxing at the library, reading and knitting. Instead, I went to bed Monday night with my stomach tossing and turning (and not in a good way) only to wake up a couple hours later throwing up. And I continued to be sick with the dreadful stomach bug for the following 12 hours. I knew I wouldn’t be able to take care of the Sky-guy, so he went to daycare and I went back to bed. Only to wake up 7 hours later (after waking up to run to the bathroom and then back to sleep several times) to pick him up from daycare. The rest of the night was spent on the couch while he lazied it up watching tv. I didn’t feel a tad guilty because I needed my rest. Gma was incredibly gracious to get him fed and then after dinner he was back on the couch with me. Once 8pm hit, we dragged (drug?) ourselves upstairs, brushed the teeth, washed up and went straight to sleep.
The next morning I was fine and dandy except for the remaining exhaustion and feeling like I had been run-over by an 18 wheeler the previous day.
Work sucked the whole rest of the week. I would rather have spent the past three days being whipped and beaten by slave drivers then at the Targhetto. Playing catch-up with MY work while being expected to help the rest of the store play catch-up is not good for the soul or the mood.
But this week is almost behind me. Tomorrow (or today I guess…) is another day. Sky-guy and I will spend the morning at the library, then to the Targhetto to present my client/friend with her scarf order and then home to rest, clean, play and just enjoy the rest of the day and the weekend.
Hopefully next week will be better…
9 inches?? oh my!
Sep 28, 2009 knitting, love, photography, rambling
Do you know what this is?
Do you know what this means?
It means I can finally knit babylegs and the legs of longies without dpns.
Is it sad when I get excited about a 9″ circular needle? Is it sad when I stalk the mailman for a simple knitting needle??
Maybe….
But just look at the short circular knitting needle goodness.
I found out about the Hiya Hiya 9″ circular needles while googling looking for a good priced 12″ knitting needle. I knew that it would still be too big for newborn and small sized longies, but it would be useful to have. Imagine my surprise when I found a blog raving about the new Hiya Hiya 9″ circular needles. Of course they were blogged about over a year ago, but they are new to me. After reading the blog, I knew that I had to have them. I coveted them and drooled over them. I imagined how amazing they would be and how smooth the yarn would slide of them. Then I got them in the mail today. After waiting only a million years for them. Ok. I’m exaggerating. I waited half a million years. So I tried them out and I am in love. They are perfect. They are TINY. At first very weird to knit with, but I’m getting used to the size. And now I know… I have to have more. I want some in smaller sizes. For socks. ooooh… Socks would be heavenly to knit on these needles….
Longies: Now Available on Itty Bitty Knits
Sep 26, 2009 Itty Bitty Knits, etsy, knitting
The Fall Camo Longies are done. And even though I had a little sizing flaw in the beginning (and I hope not a sizing flaw currently!!), I really enjoyed knitting them.
I love how soft they are. Even though I really don’t like camo colorway, I love the colors of the longies.
and now, I present, the finished longies….
And I’m going to have custom longies available on Itty Bitty Knits.
I’m so excited!!
rain, rain, come back again.
Sep 23, 2009 Itty Bitty Knits, knitting, rambling, the boy
It has been raining a butt load this past week and a half. Seriously. I’ve built my ark and the flood was too much for it. Skyler has been singing “Rain rain go away” for the past week and a half. He’s been singing it so much that he’s adding in his own lines just to keep it from getting boring. And then today it hit me, take Skyler outside when it’s raining. Grab my camera, an umbrella and let the kid go to town. Fantabulous photo shoot just as long as I keep my camera protected and the rain doesn’t come down in sheets.
So I leave work today with the perfect rain storm coming down. I drive 5 minutes down the road and the rain lets up. The roads are perfectly dry and I swear I heard birds singing and flitting around. WTF?? I drive another couple of minutes and it’s raining. I say a little thank you to the rain gods and go back to imagining all the fabulous photos I’m going to get. I get to his daycare and the birds are back out. I get home and I know there is no chance we’ll get rain.
Bummer…. Where is the rain when I want it???
and just for kicks & giggles… This is the look I get when he is done with having his photo taken. I guess he doesn’t like his very own mamarazzi following him around everywhere!
On an up-note, the longies are 2 hours away from being finished. And I’m 1 hour away from collapsing from exhaustion. I’m so excited to have them finished because they are the most fabulous thing in the world. I don’t know how I’m going to be able to let them go!
knitted longies
Sep 22, 2009 Itty Bitty Knits, knitting
This is what I’ve been doing the past week and few days….
Never mind the sleep insomnia, never mind the raging headaches, never mind the wrist and hand pain.
I am absolutely in love with these longies. And I can’t wait to finish them. Not that they have been a PITA knit, because they certainly haven’t. They have been enjoyable for the most part. Every time I hold them up to admire my work, I smile and my heart bursts with joy. They make me that happy. And I can’t wait to have them finished and ship them off so they can make someone else incredibly happy too…
And knitting these makes me realize that Knitted Longies are definitely going to be an item I want to list in my etsy shop.
