Janeen Afterthought Heel Socks - Bedrest Project #8

So - I had never made Janeen socks. I had made her house slippers but not socks. So I took a Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted in Bittersweet and made these. It is my first socks with an afterthought heel and boy is it fast to make with worsted weight! I like the afterthought heel, although I had to redo the first one a few times to get it right. I just followed Elizabeth Zimmerman's instructions, no pattern, and it worked out. The socks are a bit big, but I wanted to err on the side of being generous so she can grow into them.

Again - sort of my own pattern. I started with 40 stiches on size 5 needles. Ribbed for a while, made a small ankle area - then I put in the waste yarn. then I knitted for 8", and then put in a toe. I went for a shaped toe instead of a round toe like I normally do and I actually completed the Kitchner's stitch!!! I found a visual on kitty.com b/c I was too dense to figure out insert the need in "knit" wise or "purl" wise. Didn't make any sense to me until I saw the step by step on knitty. Then it made perfect sense!! Know I can graft along with the best. Although it's going to have to grown on me. I likes my round toe!!

Jada's Cream Tube Socks - Bedrest Project #7

This was one of the one skein of sock yarn I had that I had picked up on clearance. Not enought for adult socks, but makes a perfect baby set. With enough to make bigger ones when she is older!

It's my own made up pattern - noting special, just ribbing, stockenette and a toe!!

Jada's Basketweave Baby Blanket - Bedrest Project #6

So I have been working on this for a while - it's a simple Basketweave pattern I found on the internet but I made it with Zarina Print yarn. The yarn is a superwash merino, and very, very, very soft and springy. It wasn't a long project - but I managed to string it out. I made it not too long so that it would be a good size for the stroller and car seat - and it folds up fairly small.

Jada's "Classy Baby Blanket" - Bedrest Project #5

This is a pattern called 'Classy Baby Blanket' from Morehouse Knits. And while I have the yarn from the company too and started it - the yarn had a LOT of straw and materials in it. It made it so slow to knit. Plus - it's not superwash. SO I got some Cascade superwash and made this one, it went really fast and I just love the colors and softness. I need to find some satin to hem the sides since it curls as it is all done in stockenette. In the pure wool, it would be less of an issue b/c after washing it it would slightly felt, at least that's what I will do with it when I get around to that version.

Liisu Sock in progress - Bedrest project #4

So - still on the bedsock craze I started two with real sock-weight yarn versus worsted. much slower going.....but faster than socks with a heel :)

This one is with a really nice wook/mohair yarn made by Liisu. I love the colors - soft blues, lavendars, yellows and greens. Handpainted, nice mix of colors I haven't seen in any other handpainted yarns. And handpainted yarns are a major weakness for me. I also started one in a purple handpainted yarn (see a major weakness) made by Red Barn Farms - a yarn I found on ebay. I had made a crochet shawl with it but it turned out to be too small. So I frogged it and it is now becoming lovely socks. It's mostly made of purple colors (various shades) but every once in a while there is a suprise of royal blue. I need to get a pic of the sock in progress - but I doubt you will see the blue show up. That's a shame, I need to get better pics of these yarns, they are just so lovely.

Jada Tubies - Bedrest project #3

So knitting tube socks for mom and as a gift got me thinking about small tubies for Jada. I have lots of clearance 1 skein of sock yarn balls that I got for kids socks, since it's too little for adult socks. But hadn't use them. So I got some of the balls out and started experimenting. I found a pattern for a feather and fan sock with a heel on the internet. So I used the leg pattern and turned it into a tube sock with a round toe.

More gift bedsocks - Bedrest project #2

And so I started another set of bed socks with some Shepard's Worsted I had. Another super soft worsted, superwash wool. It's fuzzyier and thicker than Supermerino. But just as yummy. I'm not sure I like the color mix as much, but it made very comfortable socks!

Mom's Bed Socs - Bedrest Project #1

While on bedrest - I have been working on my knitting! So one project was socks that I promised my mom since Christmas last year. I knitted one, but one was really, really smaller than the other so they needed to be reknitted. Plus - I had discovered my twisting the knit stitch, and I wasn't about to knit the smaller one again with a twisted stich. So I reknitted them in a bed sock pattern. Basically a tub sock with a twisted rib stitch, and NO HEEL. Nice and fast, especially with worsted Super Merino. The twisted rib helps it stay on the heel properly. They knitted up fast and are oh so soft. The Artyarns Supermerino is a super wonderful yarn for worsted, it's so smooth it doesn't feel like wool but sort of like cotton actually. But with the springyness of wool - hard to explain if you haven't experienced it. Nice and warm too, but not too hot. Pricy, but I guess you get what you pay for.

How do you spell boring.....B.E.D.R.E.S.T

Well there isn't much better to do while on best rest than to knit and crochet. So stay tunned for lots of knitting & crochet pics. Then of course.....baby Jada will be here and I'll be on a happy break. But I will definately get my fill before she arrives.

36 weeks and counting!!!

On a roll.....

More pins!!

More gift pins......

Here are the full set of pins I completed today. I have a bit of trouble getting some of the beads I bought to fit on the pins :( I need to find a way to use them b/c some of them I really like. But these turned out better than I thought!

Gift Scarf/Shawl Pins

I finally got the beads to start working on my scarf/shawl pins. This year I want to have a handmade pin for each scarf/shawl that I give. Here are my first two experiements!


This is a purple pin, for my purple crochet scarf.









This is a green and turquoise pin that goes with the Caribbean scarf.

Making the most of it

I have had a yucky cold since Thursday. And on top of being 8 months pregnant - I'm not a happy camper. But I decided to make the most of it and wrap up some Christmas gifts. I am trying to get done before Jada Cherie arrives because she will take priority over knitting and crochet after her arrival!

I also had to change strategy. I wanted to make shawls this year, but shawls take too long. So - I decided to knock out some lace scarves. Lighter and prettier than a "normal" scarf, I thought the giftees may appreciate something that while still functional will be able to be worn longer in the year and dressier as well.

This scarf is made with 100% Cashmire yarn that I had been looking at for over a year. It finally was on clearance and I got 2 balls (all I wanted to spend) so I really couldn't do anything else with it except make a scarf. this one, while short, still took 2 balls! It's very, very soft and lovely. But I just can't afford to work with the stuff very much at those prices.










This scarf is a quick crochet project - started and completed while down with the cold. It is a chrochet lace pattern by Jan Eaton I love. I made a shawl with this patter earlier this year. It's quick and pretty. The yarn is Jaeger Matchmaker 4-ply. It's nice and soft merino. Easy to work with.











This is a tweed fingering weight yarn I ordered from yarn.com. I absolutely love the color. It's 2 ply yarn, a little cruncy but not overly so. I need to soak and block the scarf and see if it softens up some. I want to make a shawl with the yarn I think. I just love the vibrancy of the color.

Grandma's Checkerboard Lace - My latest obsession

I found this pattern in the book "Best of Knitters: Shawls and Scarves" called "Grandma's Checkboard Lace". And I guess b/c it's easy and rather mindless, easy to rip out and correct - I've fallen in love with it. I made a lace scarf and shawl. And I have 2 more shawls in progress. It works nice with both sportweight and lace weight yarn.

The Scarf is made out of Knit Picks Lace yarn Glossamer, color is Caribbean.It was nice to work with - easy and faster than I thought. I made it with size 6 needles. Th e orignal pattern calls for Size 7 needs and sportweight yarn. The merino in the yarn looks like it might pill eventually, so I don't think I would make it in a shawl. I am making a shawl now using KnitPicks Shimmer. The silk added to the yarn makes it seem less likely to pill over time.



The shawl is made with Koigu, one of the yummiest yarns imaginable! It is so soft. I made it with size 7 needles. I made it a bit shorter than the pattern calls for - and it took 6 hanks of Koigu. Boy is it nice. This is a gift shawl, but I promptly started one with pinks, purples and greens for me!

Shawls, Shawls, Shawls

I'm posting some items I've completed a while a go. The first is a crochet ripple shawl made with Brown Sheep Nature Spun Fingering. It was nice to work with and a smooth yarn. I worked it from a cone so no ends to have to work in except the beginning and end of the shawl. Lots of yarn left over too!



The second is a shawl made from yummy, soft Blue Sky Alpaca's Cotton yarn. It's a simple stockenette stich with a seed stich border, but is so soft. Quick to knit too. This has become our church shawl. My daughter and I are always cold, and this is perfect for wrapping up against the chill! I made it pink because I expect to use it as an emergency blanket as well with Jada when she arrives and when nursing.



I have some more pics to upload, but am trying to get caught up on the blog!

"It Doesn't Work Out for Me"

Jason Christopher Richards. Sept. 6, 2006 after 2 days of kindergarden.

Sigh.

I guess he misses Nintendo, they don't quite have Mario time in Kindergarden.

I'm still here. To pregnant and too busy to blog. I'll have to catch this blog up soon.

Cheers,
Janet

Where am I????

No blogs, no updates, no nothing! Where have I been.

I don't know, just tired and preggers I guess. I've been to lazy to update or even visit other people's blogs. I am knitting - that's good right....

I'm excited about baby blankets. I have 2 on the needles and one on a hook - and my sister is making me one!!!! I think these hand knitted/crocheted blankets will be a special treat to use with a new wee one. And something that she can treasure for ever.

Oh - and that is an update, it is a she. Jada Cherie. Our Wise Darling One.

I also completed a shawl - made out of soft, soft Blue Sky Cotton. It sheds a bit, but it is so yummy to wear. It will make a great nursing shawl too. And I finished crocheting a gift shawl - this will be a Christmas gift.

So - I guess this will suffice as a quick update. I do have some pics of my FOs. I'll have to post them shortly.

Take care cyber-world.....

FOs!!!!!!

Here are slippers that I made for Janeen. The front panel has a simple lace pattern. I messed up a bit on one of them, but it's not too easy to spot :) LOL



I have been looking at baby socks and booties patterns. This was a slightly different pattern that I got from the Socks, Socks, Socks - Interweave press book (also the lace slippers above). I used a sock yarn I happend to have. And baby booties for Jada or Jaden:



And baby hats are also a facination at the time - I got a book in WA with a simple hat pattern, and have been experimenting with it. Different yarns, different needles, different edgings, different, CO stitches. So here is my current collection, experimenting with baby hats. Most are knitted, but the baby helmet is crochet (my own pattern). I like these because they are so fast!






I finally finished some items. :)

Pride and Joy

This Saturday we went to a friend's wedding. Jason was the ring bearer. He was a little character - he did well, walked up nice made a few mistakes (like going to stand next to dad vs. the groomsmen ) but he did well. But during the ceremony - he just couldn't let his personality hide - he showed out a bit. A little dancing, a little retying the shoes, a little waving to people in the audience, a little comedian.

That's one of my pride and joys :)

Janeen was a little lady too - she wanted to practice carrying a pillow so she could be a ring bearer for the next wedding :)

As for knitting and crocheting - of course I'm still busy. I've got tons of WIPs and just finshed a shawl. I'll get some pics posted when I get back from Seattle.

Now I'm trying to find baby patters -yes - I will have another pride and joy soon. A bit later in life than I had expected to be expecting - and we hadn't really decided to have 3. But life has a way of making up your mind for you!

Shawl Progress

I am making shawls. I while I love making them, they take forever. But I decided to post a few pics of them in progress.



The first shawl is made out of Jaegar Trinity. It is a cotton silk blend, DK weight. And I really like working with it. I thought I liked Silky Wool, but this is even softer. I am using the traditional feather and fan pattern. I'm also making a linen one, but I feel in love with the Trinity yarn and have made more progress on it.



The 2nd shawl is the KnitPick's Sock Memories Shawl (http://www.knitpicks.com/Projects/itemid_50416220/projects_display_yarn.aspx). I'm using Sock Garden from KnitPicks since their sock yarn is on clearance. It is very, very soft and affordable if I considered making this with something like Koigu or Cherry Tree Hill, although it would be stunning. Unfortunately - you cannot see the patter in my picture, but it looks like little houses. This is my most challenging, large lace project yet. But it is repetative and easy if you know lace. It's just challenging for me because I am new to lace. But I'm getting it. I like lace, it has replaced socks right now for me as what I love most to knit.

Last but not least - of course I have to add another picture of Janeen. My little girl is growing up so fast.

Miss Janeen

We finally let Janeen get a texturizer. She looks like such a lovely little lady.

Scarf and Shawl

A LOT has happened. I can't update everything on the blog - a girl has her little secrets you know. But I can update knit and crochet right?
This is a little lace scarf I made to practice knitted lace. It was pretty quick, made with Brown Sheep Cotton Fine. It was super soft to work with, but doesn't hold it's shape really well no matter how much a block it. Probalby would be better in a sweater instead of lace.


And this another lace shawl - made with a cotton/wool sock yarn. I like sock yarns for shawls. Just the right weight and a lot of yardage in the ball. This one took 3 balls - and it's over 60". I got the pattern from Jan Eaton's 200 Ripple Stiches book. I love that book and will definately make more items from it. I love this shawl but I think I am going to give it to someone who is having a rough time right now.

I can make lace!

It almost made me give up - but I just couldn't let that happen. I guess the first step toward victory is understanding I was twisting my stiches. You can't make lace with twisted stiches! I was also twisting my Yarn Overs - same deal. Then the *@$* ssk was driving me crazy. So I stopped doing it! I slip a stitch, knit the next stitch, then slip the slipped stich over the knitted stich, voila - left slanting decrease w/o the headache. The last victory was the easiest - rememer to count! The stiches need to add up - at least in the easy lace I am doing now - so count, and recount. That way - when I ended up w/ 40 stitches instead of 41 - I had only 1 row to frog vs. frogging the whole thing. Which had been my previous lace experiences. So this is a lace bag - made in a dk weight cotton. That is my other tip - cotton is great because you can see everything! It also doesn't felt or tangle the way something fuzzier sometimes does. A good beginning lace yarn. Also something other than lace weight. I had thought - lace knitting, lace weight, right? WRONG! the holes are all so big you can't tell what you are doing at all. So - cotton dk weight on size 2s worked perfectly for my first successful project. I'm going to start a scarf now while I work on my pie shawl (done in stockenette b/c I didn't want to risk lace yet). All of this is just working my way up to using some Helen's Lace my sister and I bought (each of us bought a skein). I don't want to waste it - so I want to master lace and the pi before starting my masterpiece :)

My penguin & birthday girl

Janeen at her birthday party. We had it at Fry's Roller rink. A lot of her school friends attended. Let me see if I can remember - Chase, Jessica, Alexis, Alexandria, Sean, Lisa, Katelyn (neighbor and classmate), Robbie, AJ, Jonathan, Victoria, Jason and I will try to remember the rest!



Janeen's class had a play at school. The little costumes they made were too cute. I just had to show her off.

Koigu socks

I finally finished my Koigu socks. They were too far done in the now infamous stockenette twist to turn back. But I like them anyway. The yarn feels so good on my feet. I've got to make more of these - of course with the correct stitch! They will be more strechy w/o my little twist.

Here are some other socks I've been working on:

And my sister's birthday socks:

>

Just call me twisted

I took my lovely koigu sock to a LYS today - and learn something new. Pretty amazing given I have been knitting for year and NEVER KNEW I TWISTED MY KNIT STITCH. Boy does that explain a lot. It explains why when I knit and purl it looks weird. My solution was to avoid it when ever possible and knit in the round. It also explains why knitting lace and the kitcheners stitch was so difficult. I knit continental, and after looking on the web apparently this is a common mistake for self-taught continental knitters. Good - I'm not too weird. I've done a bit of practicing to re-learn and I know how I do it now. And it does make the fabric look completely different!

I feel a bit silly - I'm dying to make something now that is knit correctly. Problem is I have too many projects 1/2 done with a twisted knit stitch!

Well - lessons learned:

1. You are never to old to learn, well relearn.
2. Just because it feels good, doesn't mean you are doing it right.
3. It's always good to ask an expert (although lots of people have looked at my knitting and didn't comment on what was wrong! Although my sister did come close a couple of weeks ago.)
4. Knitting the wrong way is still fun and addictive.
5. You can wear a lot of items that are knitted with a twisted stitch.
6. Now I can twist and untwist at will!
7. The fact that I now know my stitches in existing garments are twisted bugs me.
8. This explains why I had such a hard time with picking up stitches (the right leg would NEVER want to go in front), knit lace, and finish the sock with kitchner's.
9. Maybe I was sending a subliminal message to myself.
10. I'm glad I didn't teach more people (including my daughter) how to knit!

I made it!!! Christmas was wonderful, family and fun. Christmas Eve was at my sister's (http://mom2rays.blogspot.com) and Christmas after church was at mine. I love the time of year with lots of family and fellowship. And I really enjoyed giving handmade gifts again this year. This has been a huge outlet for me in allowing me to express my creativity.

Here are a few project's I've complted in my week off. I probably could have completed more if I had not started a new project everyday. This break I was a complete homebody and very unfocused. I wanted to use every yarn I own (which is a challenge given the size of my stash...) all at once and couldn't wait to start many projects. As a result, very few got very far along and I finished none of the projects I had started before Christmas. I can see what January is shaping up to be - a FO month!

Here are Jason's socks, of course I made them like just big enough to fit him. So chances are they will be Charmie socks very soon! And yes - they don't match on purpose!

And from the Twisted Sister's Sock Workbook, they had the idea of treasure bags. Basically a chance to play with sock patterns and techniques, but not have to do a heel or two of them!! I love sock yarn and I wanted to try out some new techniques so this was a great idea. Here is my first treasure bag!


And two more treasure bags in progress:


And lastly - I have not stopped with crochet. I read an idea for a crochet scarf, so this is it in progress. My plans for it is a lot more exciting than it looks right now, but it is taking a loooong time with sc with fingering weight!