tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336698922024-03-07T02:40:25.048-05:00The Classy People HouseIn a Classy People House we knit, we crochet, we work in the library and we chase the cats around!Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.comBlogger144125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-10466978626578580712014-10-09T12:38:00.001-04:002014-10-09T12:38:50.702-04:00Redheart group new logo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2XqlaZxZizG2Y8hCGAmHiVNuDQ-2UXUZclApdD29hHMBTF8OfOzMMkf7YUeJ9RrAQVpKdeVmkAAX_QB2sZJb3pHOqraCxPcS9ybIatcXA0KVCIOotiQf0pkTNDctKDgfwWYr/s1600/redheartlovers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2XqlaZxZizG2Y8hCGAmHiVNuDQ-2UXUZclApdD29hHMBTF8OfOzMMkf7YUeJ9RrAQVpKdeVmkAAX_QB2sZJb3pHOqraCxPcS9ybIatcXA0KVCIOotiQf0pkTNDctKDgfwWYr/s400/redheartlovers.jpg"> </a> </div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-59026616919488105932014-03-02T08:51:00.001-05:002014-03-02T08:51:40.456-05:00Snazzy yoga bag<p dir="ltr">I was asked by a coworker to knit her a new yoga bag.  She wanted one just like mine.  I knit a lace yoga bag a few years ago using a cotton yarn.  I used the yoga mat bag pattern from Interweave Knit magazine Summer 2007.   I told my coworker if she bought the yarn and I would knit it.  She brought me two skeins of Red Heart Soft in teal and purple.   The yarn is lovely for an acrylic.   It's soft and shiny and easy to knit.  She wanted a striped bag.  I tried following the pattern but the lace didn't good striped so I improvised.   I gave her what she wanted a striped bag with a lace element.   I modified the tube and knit it in the round and followed a simple pattern.  Knit 3 rows in color A, knit 1 in color B, the lace eyelet row is a simple K2 YO to end, Knit 1 row in color 2.  The rest of the pattern follows exactly.   I like the results,  it reminds me of an 80s sweater and my coworker loved it.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Project details</b><br>
Pattern: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lacy-yoga-bags"> Lacy Yoga Bags</a> Interweave Summer 2007 by <a href="http://www.alisongreenwill.com">Alison Green</a> here is my project on <a href="http://ravel.me/cphouse/symc">Ravelry.</a> <br>
Yarn: Red Heart Soft in Teal and Grape<br>
Needles: 6,7,9<br>
Modications: knit in the ro<b>und</b>,  changed body pattern</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pCFa0hdwTB6_KZG5KdJUV4VNxZVPNy2tnUSDxOrE4bSJKH6HKIvZF7MR_w_0Z1ubMd22TmsJGuS1M-jTEJg-YKa1xFMUmYuJl9jMjzrwggxwiGAfMiFAAF9tLvECBuYW_sBu/s1600/IMG_20140226_121532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pCFa0hdwTB6_KZG5KdJUV4VNxZVPNy2tnUSDxOrE4bSJKH6HKIvZF7MR_w_0Z1ubMd22TmsJGuS1M-jTEJg-YKa1xFMUmYuJl9jMjzrwggxwiGAfMiFAAF9tLvECBuYW_sBu/s400/IMG_20140226_121532.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1SpTNQ854BNvCeYXoMZxjUkSqmMssupsUwv-kjSICRGoJqKgFNR8UWYQcrGa49-MiGmiFeFn141AjIuDMjIr5KkVwyBofHlDh0A7KQcuWHxOlAbsjalntvqpOfzenTmQcvraW/s1600/IMG_20140226_121605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1SpTNQ854BNvCeYXoMZxjUkSqmMssupsUwv-kjSICRGoJqKgFNR8UWYQcrGa49-MiGmiFeFn141AjIuDMjIr5KkVwyBofHlDh0A7KQcuWHxOlAbsjalntvqpOfzenTmQcvraW/s400/IMG_20140226_121605.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYoN11v5CRyAVCeg2rJkKu84c8nUpj8fwXzvuKKMRkKSnLSSXjtBFb3hyziHZagUuc8PYMAKAfNJZRhREHFjsEbMDIJBr8X2OK9uxPwO8UEv8RUc3C-x3tPnI1PGKb6RsnIi6U/s1600/IMG_20140226_121725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYoN11v5CRyAVCeg2rJkKu84c8nUpj8fwXzvuKKMRkKSnLSSXjtBFb3hyziHZagUuc8PYMAKAfNJZRhREHFjsEbMDIJBr8X2OK9uxPwO8UEv8RUc3C-x3tPnI1PGKb6RsnIi6U/s400/IMG_20140226_121725.jpg"> </a> </div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-27058815842413000802014-02-15T10:24:00.001-05:002014-02-15T10:24:26.594-05:00Slip stitch watch cap (hat 5 of 100)<p dir="ltr">Slip sitches are wonderful things.  A few years ago slipped stitch wash clothes were all the rage and it's no wonder.  Slip stitches create ba wonderful dense fabric good for keeping you warm or sturdy for cleaning.  This pattern which comes from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/60-Quick-Knits-Scarves-Collection/dp/1933027975/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392476882&sr=8-1&keywords=60+Quick+knits">60 Quick Knits from Cascade Yarns</a> is called the Tweed watch cap.  It combines slip stitches with a right twist column used as a mock cable.  The pattern is designed ny <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/lynn-m-wilson">Lynn M. Wilson</a>.  It's a fun pattern but it's hard on the hands.  Something about twists really kills me.  The brim is my favorite part of the pattern. Mine flared out slightly like a bell, I like the way it cupped around almost like a cloche.  The hat is thick, somewhat rigid and very warm.</p>
<p dir="ltr">My hat is made of good old Red Heart Supersaver from the stash. I used a varigated for one color to add a splash.   It's called Fall.  I picked up a small ball it leftover from a baby blanket my mom crocheted.   I had a small issue with my twist column lining upbut by the time I noticed I decided not to frog the hat is for me so I didn't mind. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Overall the pattern is well written, easy to follow,  and varied enough to keep a seasoned knitter happy.  I would reknit this pattern.  If you knit this one watch your twist the fist couple of rounds and try it with bold contrasting colors it's a fun hat, the color possibilities are endles.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Pro<b>ject</b><b> details:</b><br>
Pattern: Tweed watch cap from the book 60 Quick Knits <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/5-tweed-watch-cap">(ravelry)</a><br>
Needles: 7s circulars and double points<br>
Yarn: Red Heart Supersaver from the stash in Fall, Coffee,  and Buff<br>
What I liked: interesting pattern , slip stitches are fun, density of the fabric,  the brim pattern, color choices. <br>
Keep in mind the twists need to be watched closely during set up.<br>
My project on <a href="http://ravel.me/cphouse/5twc">Ravelry</a></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxXWFHwnZkWa1OmX1IbY9nxwABp5Rt2XmTe8n04h3lLbWecPh02oKhVD0rpRindYUn6GEKnZ_YVp23a2nKsulGP9ZAXRfzAVbtlR0c7OU-0WffsMZRYbnq5zaR6V5ybDkqA_b/s1600/IMG_20140215_093756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxXWFHwnZkWa1OmX1IbY9nxwABp5Rt2XmTe8n04h3lLbWecPh02oKhVD0rpRindYUn6GEKnZ_YVp23a2nKsulGP9ZAXRfzAVbtlR0c7OU-0WffsMZRYbnq5zaR6V5ybDkqA_b/s400/IMG_20140215_093756.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUlbgvXLZ5E2mgQeZmKnpcj-Y1pIlzroul30HMvrwBB6I-Sg31pJHlijITf78297ndib8yT_W6RjJGp5NvG7HD4o5GBA4B5QU7wY-VFz_zuKUwAR4GinRN5GFM5POsoejcbXd/s1600/IMG_20140215_094148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUlbgvXLZ5E2mgQeZmKnpcj-Y1pIlzroul30HMvrwBB6I-Sg31pJHlijITf78297ndib8yT_W6RjJGp5NvG7HD4o5GBA4B5QU7wY-VFz_zuKUwAR4GinRN5GFM5POsoejcbXd/s400/IMG_20140215_094148.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif5SY4rKUErioWRnKSHyoYXESJOzy3Ax7yWbJsuxD1bjvcS68BkZyaDMcdIw0rT4RoRH7Ztj-mBJyo1U-yG2-mZgdfpZ8PMILfcu4qrxhUNzNRy3u2j-PsPuEwsxDx3y2tHX_j/s1600/IMG_20140215_094040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif5SY4rKUErioWRnKSHyoYXESJOzy3Ax7yWbJsuxD1bjvcS68BkZyaDMcdIw0rT4RoRH7Ztj-mBJyo1U-yG2-mZgdfpZ8PMILfcu4qrxhUNzNRy3u2j-PsPuEwsxDx3y2tHX_j/s400/IMG_20140215_094040.jpg"> </a> </div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-72992670422517674712014-01-23T18:37:00.001-05:002014-01-23T18:37:29.936-05:00Othmerelia<p dir="ltr">Check out this pretty cool tumblr <a href="http://othmeralia.tumblr.com">blog</a> that my coworkers and I are doing. It's all about the things that we as librarians find in the library collections that we work in. If you're interested in books, libraries, or really cool scientific things then check us out. A quick disclaimer there probably won't be any knitting but I will try to sneak something in.</p>
Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-10477052212762564552014-01-22T11:27:00.001-05:002014-01-25T11:52:15.209-05:00The Imzir Hat (4 of 100)<p dir="ltr">The Imzir hat is done!  This interesting pattern was designed by Shana<br>
Schasteen who blogs as Needyl.  The pattern is a free pattern that can be found on her blog. The Hat looks simple but the construction is what makes it unique. This hat is a top-down beanie knitted in fingering weight yarn with a purl ridge band that is sewn to create what looks like a butterfly to me. This with my first time trying a top-down hat and despite the difficulties I had starting out with a small number of stitches on double points and the difficulty and doing M1s I think the Hat turned out beautifully.<br>
I have to say even though I like the hat I don't like down construction for hats. I can't tell if it is the fact that I hate to do M1s on double points or I just don't like the way they look in the crown.   I prefer to do my hats bottom up. I think that this hat could been made that way but I followed the pattern.  Top down just isn't fun. I really like the yarn I used it was a was a custom dyed Merino <u>fingering</u> weight yarn that I got in a swap a few years ago. If I remember correctly I think it is Knitpicks natural that was dyed a deep Sapphire blue which has slight variations in it.<br>
After blocking that looks a little larger but it doesn't affect the fit of the hat.  I would recommend this pattern to someone wanted to try to top down construction and was confident in their M1s.  Overall the pattern is well written and the results are beautiful.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Project details:</b><br>
Pattern: <a href="http://www.needyl.com/knitting/izmir-hat-pattern/#patternstart">Imzir</a> found here and on <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/izmir-hat">Ravelry</a><br>
Needles:  6 double points and 16 inch circulars<br>
Yarn: Knitpicks <a href="http://www.knitpicks.com/yarns/Bare_Gloss_Fingering_Sock_Yarn__D5420163.html">bare</a> merino and silk dyed blue<br>
What I learned: Top down construction on double points is not for me.<br>
My project: <a href="http://ravel.me/cphouse/ih">Imzir Hat</a></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVCA0PAwmoaBv51Y9v5519NvmGgI7vA49N6jTNYSWbs-53diYN180VVYAUxu35eSTTHDekyF7NHbKkPAkLRHM6a890tS1deOQwMzFXaWn8S_EY3ziW-oKzhUxMLX6X3bECLCa/s1600/IMG_20140125_114657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVCA0PAwmoaBv51Y9v5519NvmGgI7vA49N6jTNYSWbs-53diYN180VVYAUxu35eSTTHDekyF7NHbKkPAkLRHM6a890tS1deOQwMzFXaWn8S_EY3ziW-oKzhUxMLX6X3bECLCa/s400/IMG_20140125_114657.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7GVUJfVkVHMaNMWtOunci9ovm2fBykDUpPROE7H6CQozb2WhS7TffV0mOey0_fvjjogzwliOj8UfHadA5liw_4stknwRVLCrQMLigJnn2PH7NzMwg0UHCHfhzmk8Jkov5tc8V/s1600/IMG_20140125_114805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7GVUJfVkVHMaNMWtOunci9ovm2fBykDUpPROE7H6CQozb2WhS7TffV0mOey0_fvjjogzwliOj8UfHadA5liw_4stknwRVLCrQMLigJnn2PH7NzMwg0UHCHfhzmk8Jkov5tc8V/s400/IMG_20140125_114805.jpg"> </a> </div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-17335915801066706162014-01-20T08:07:00.001-05:002014-01-20T08:07:43.515-05:00The perfect knitter's gift.<p dir="ltr">My friend Linda gave me the most wonderful row counter last week. I was complaining about how I constantly losing my stitch counters and how you can't keep them on the needles when working in the round. She reached in her bag and pulled out this gadget. It's a digital row counter that you wear on your finger! Hit the big button and it counts the rows, hit the small button to reset. It even keeps the count when it's asleep. It comes in my favorite color teal and it's easy to get used to using. Get one for only $4.95 from the <a href="http://knittershelper.com/products.html">Knitter's Helper.</a> </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdy3I2gwrTJ2J7jGUw3TZkbtWQCPygOP1MmN_AHtd0_5RwC7nuyUgxK4tN3ieLWCOvM9wBUG13MdgmenUdxBZw5pFWaiZB803mgqBA9NH5Hv7CvHWkYiL64OBuxdVyuo0BXyI5/s1600/IMG_20140118_103605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdy3I2gwrTJ2J7jGUw3TZkbtWQCPygOP1MmN_AHtd0_5RwC7nuyUgxK4tN3ieLWCOvM9wBUG13MdgmenUdxBZw5pFWaiZB803mgqBA9NH5Hv7CvHWkYiL64OBuxdVyuo0BXyI5/s400/IMG_20140118_103605.jpg"> </a> </div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-57169165316691471292014-01-16T18:39:00.001-05:002014-01-16T18:39:04.735-05:0052 weeks of dishcloths<p dir="ltr">I just got this in my email today and I have to share because it's super cool and you get free patterns . <a href="www.knitpicks.com">Knitpicks</a> is offering a free dish cloth pattern every Thursday for the entire year. You can find out more about it by clicking <a href="http://blog.knitpicks.com/wpblog/52-weeks-of-dishcloths/">here</a> and go crazy making yourself shit load of dishcloths this year.  They are great as purse projects and with some nice soap make a great gift.  this picture is for the first pattern of the year call this orbital dishcloth I got it from the Knitpicks blog.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuuE9jpWPGGTfBMplWcn__eDdiVYK27B7u1bhLsJsbGCHH2Uw8E5k2jJEW2dviICkE8B8Ro-eA3VRYKncfgaSwyoN4xoAL3XlWgc8OlmRzXuJxo7YoXuOhsYpVsQb4ATbRjU4t/s1600/55542220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuuE9jpWPGGTfBMplWcn__eDdiVYK27B7u1bhLsJsbGCHH2Uw8E5k2jJEW2dviICkE8B8Ro-eA3VRYKncfgaSwyoN4xoAL3XlWgc8OlmRzXuJxo7YoXuOhsYpVsQb4ATbRjU4t/s400/55542220.jpg"> </a> </div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-31114871136657242052014-01-14T12:54:00.001-05:002014-01-28T18:25:36.299-05:00Tools of the trade -- Stitch markers<p dir="ltr">I'm a little picky when it comes to my tools for knitting,  my yarn choices not so much.  In the beginning of the year after digging in my supply stash for a stitch marker I came across some handmade stitch markers I got in a swap a few years ago.  I had never used them and since my goal is to buy less I decided to use them.  So I got them out for the Imzir hat project.  After a few frustrating rounds I got so agitated by them I frogged.   The metal markers snagged the yarn, twisted around to the back, made a racket on my metal needles, and made it hard for me to tell the start of the round.  Truthfully I think they were poorly crafted but it made me realize that when it comes to my knitting I like what I like, and what I like are flexible rubber stich markers.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Flexible stitch markers really are the best choice in my opinion.   They are standard sized, come in neutral colors, are pretty inexpensive and the never damage your work.  I have been using them for years and I love them.  A few good ones are from <a href="http://www.clover-usa.com/product/453582/329/_/Ring_Markers">Clover</a> or <a href="http://www.knitpicks.com/accessories/Flexible_Stitch_Markers__D80593.html">Knitpicks.</a>  You can also buy O rings from your local hardware or big box in the plumbing section.  I buy #41 as the larger size and #6 for the small.  They are pretty cheap but you only get black.  I have a few remaining Knitpicks in white that I always save for the start of the round.  </p>
<p dir="ltr">For double points I use an open crochet marker to mark the start or a jumbo locking stitch markers.  These I got from <a href="http://www.lionbrand.com/6030/PictPage/1922208413.html">Lion brand</a> and  <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Bates-Stitch-Marker-Package/dp/B000QHD6FS">Susan</a> Bates.  The rings that open are great for when you forget to add a  marker or for frogging back, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Boye-Jumbo-Stitch-Markers-Set/dp/B00114OSIY/ref=pd_sbs_ac_4">Boye</a> makes some nice ones.  I like the round ones and not the ones shaped like safety pins.  They move on the needles easier.  The open crochet markers can be used as cable needles or to hold stitches for mittens or small projects.  </p>
<p dir="ltr">Ultimately stitch markers are a personal preference some rogue knitters don't even use them and some knitters use whatever they have around like bread ties, pieces of string, or paper clips   I've been known to use all of those depending on the circumstances it's kind of like being in mcgyver knitter. Here's a snap of my stitch marker tin I keep in my knitting tool kit.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje30fKrJi-uJjZD4MvDHs_IBneucmltd3R3BHUuffMCvFHXusEO0z3k6Bd70B2JlmkbofQTIex2cFPkCHqY-sL99wN0LQtEi7OqtAabNkPS4pZN_bH4UzKQA1VlnSAMzWBqaKM/s1600/20140125_141545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje30fKrJi-uJjZD4MvDHs_IBneucmltd3R3BHUuffMCvFHXusEO0z3k6Bd70B2JlmkbofQTIex2cFPkCHqY-sL99wN0LQtEi7OqtAabNkPS4pZN_bH4UzKQA1VlnSAMzWBqaKM/s400/20140125_141545.jpg"> </a> </div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-80452325182612715392014-01-12T15:41:00.001-05:002014-01-12T15:41:15.173-05:00The Vermont hats (hats 3 of 100)<p dir="ltr">My latest finished project is the Vermont hat by Shannon M. Simonelli who blogs at Welcome to the Knitosphere.  This is a free pattern available free on her blog and as a ravelry download.   The pattern is so easy.  It's a color work hat that has full written directions, no charts. I can see this as a beginner pattern for first timers.  Its a good introduction to two color stranding.   It works up fast, has a good fit and uses worsted weight yarn so you can stash dive.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I knit two hats in a few days thanks to a snowy weekend here in Philadelphia.   Both used stashed Red Heart Supersaver.  The first is a blue and white scheme the second which is my favorite is a tan and teal color way.  The hats have a small rib band which I did on 7s and then switched to 9s for the hat body.  The top is a simple K2 decrease.  The hat fits snug with a small slouch.  This hat is cute and fun to knit.  It's a quick knit for advanced knitters  and good fo beginners wanting to try color work.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Project details:</b><br>
<b>Pattern: </b><b><a href="http://knitosphere.blogspot.com/2008/11/vermont-hat.html">Vermont Hat</a></b><b> or here on </b><b><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/vermont-hat">Ravelry</a></b><br>
<b>Yarn: </b>Red Heart Supersaver<br>
<b>Needles:</b> Size 7 and 9 (16 inch circulars)<br>
<b>What I liked about this pattern:</b><b> </b>Easy to follow pattern, fast knit, good hat fit, color work kept my interest.  I didn't miss a chart at all.<br>
Here is my project on <a href="http://ravel.me/cphouse/vh">Ravelry</a></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbKmezoVC3PUk1AWM3eaBY1ayYlZ34UB1jCpFA2wLws8lmxRB9r6R-F8gnGHuemT8VrkULitShtKFY_7FEHiTJrc8KUsEpwY20wEq8jM6mVANsT0OegVaLd-U71opgP8LIHao/s1600/IMG_20140112_150643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbKmezoVC3PUk1AWM3eaBY1ayYlZ34UB1jCpFA2wLws8lmxRB9r6R-F8gnGHuemT8VrkULitShtKFY_7FEHiTJrc8KUsEpwY20wEq8jM6mVANsT0OegVaLd-U71opgP8LIHao/s400/IMG_20140112_150643.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7An9gqW9YjYgymDbyul8HBi0zMWAMeYTKOO1IG7ReijKY3b72pDv_0FXd2GRE93ehk48XdS-FbMYjiVu2E29DVT1C-yo_xzEqiolRa2xWFf3sj7Pp_4Ir-NEWFazdj8QG9RkF/s1600/IMG_20140112_150825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7An9gqW9YjYgymDbyul8HBi0zMWAMeYTKOO1IG7ReijKY3b72pDv_0FXd2GRE93ehk48XdS-FbMYjiVu2E29DVT1C-yo_xzEqiolRa2xWFf3sj7Pp_4Ir-NEWFazdj8QG9RkF/s400/IMG_20140112_150825.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSPnFLTTVB3cSfQO6TFG9H-Dlk_Sc3DUWot61_UxczeboMrqpCkkaC-p2OjZERrbGqBkHoqAtU4sQEvwql9KpjPKj82L5SgolBTR4uGufTQzRNvyZeW0qzda4qcWnPvr9pWnnf/s1600/IMG_20140112_150556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSPnFLTTVB3cSfQO6TFG9H-Dlk_Sc3DUWot61_UxczeboMrqpCkkaC-p2OjZERrbGqBkHoqAtU4sQEvwql9KpjPKj82L5SgolBTR4uGufTQzRNvyZeW0qzda4qcWnPvr9pWnnf/s400/IMG_20140112_150556.jpg"> </a> </div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-53680894355470640162014-01-04T12:33:00.001-05:002014-01-04T12:33:29.269-05:00The Inge Hat (hat 2 of 100)<p dir="ltr">Can I be in love with a hat?  I think so and it's this one. I love everything about this hat.  The pattern, the color, the fit, and the yarn.  It is just perfect.  I have to say that there is something about wool that I love, I honestly think it is the blocking magic that you only get from wool.  It transforms the project.  From a bumpy wet lump to a smooth shiny hat that cups you head in a way that acrylic can't.   Don't worry RHSS I still love you.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The Inge hat is a free pattern from Théonie Poilderat that I found on Ravelry.   The pattern is in French but don't let that stop you its pretty simple to translate and if you want you can do what I did.  I made a simple folded brim using the main color. I just cast on 112 stitches in the main color and knit 6 rows I then did 1 row of purls.  After that I just followed the chart.</p>
<p dir="ltr">When I was finished I just washed and blocked the hat until it was nearly dry. I folded the brim at the purl row and sewed it using matching yarn.  When it was done i soft blocked it until it was fully dry. I like to sew my brims when it is still damp so I can smooth out the brim and let it dry completely. That way I never get a bell-shaped brim.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Project details</b><br>
<b>Pattern: </b><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/inge-2">Inge</a> hat only on Ravelry but its free<br>
<b>Yarn: </b>Wool of the Andes and Paton classic wool<br>
<b>Needles: </b>size 6 circulars and double points<br>
What I love is easy style, chart, fit, easy of knit.<br>
Check out my <a href=" http://ravel.me/cphouse/i1">project</a> page on Ravelry. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDccMonmVxPZSBiO0elTf1fh176BaPVHrkFmmdPfrJGV05VYvFB9gFEgH1GRBi0mLXKa5Z36cBUyinGPVZw7Y2nuYgsjvW6KMVD34SmVOkar2r4gKivGvp91vHeFjNEGlJDGPE/s1600/IMG_20140104_115138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDccMonmVxPZSBiO0elTf1fh176BaPVHrkFmmdPfrJGV05VYvFB9gFEgH1GRBi0mLXKa5Z36cBUyinGPVZw7Y2nuYgsjvW6KMVD34SmVOkar2r4gKivGvp91vHeFjNEGlJDGPE/s400/IMG_20140104_115138.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLfwdE6EBDxnVt70EmbZ-BBQiq0Aby3QtDeknlkSO-ZPIuQE49HInErWwREcEw2sEvBcTUrgwGopvW-8Lvt-0qGirkx5cCroGkPRGUnH_ANptR3iNQBJS8TzOLVbXacmSnGMmV/s1600/IMG_20140104_122830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLfwdE6EBDxnVt70EmbZ-BBQiq0Aby3QtDeknlkSO-ZPIuQE49HInErWwREcEw2sEvBcTUrgwGopvW-8Lvt-0qGirkx5cCroGkPRGUnH_ANptR3iNQBJS8TzOLVbXacmSnGMmV/s400/IMG_20140104_122830.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1Q-tAO3wVlUYcG3Ys_iMHbXyaBmgEFJh6aEhnNJVOrjODlTXZHBw9mpZLOr24cPK14TJNF3vEiA_2WQxFJ8B1TzdAs6wZkexVLfCviKY82ZtxM7PzaW10-JXo81g1144K-wv/s1600/IMG_20140104_122935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1Q-tAO3wVlUYcG3Ys_iMHbXyaBmgEFJh6aEhnNJVOrjODlTXZHBw9mpZLOr24cPK14TJNF3vEiA_2WQxFJ8B1TzdAs6wZkexVLfCviKY82ZtxM7PzaW10-JXo81g1144K-wv/s400/IMG_20140104_122935.jpg"> </a> </div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-13145597192676061282014-01-01T11:13:00.001-05:002014-01-01T11:14:04.626-05:00Let's begin again<p dir="ltr">Happy new year everyone. It's cold here in Philadelphia and everything looks worked over but its a new beginning, a fresh slate, so let's alk do our best to be our best.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The first hat for the new year is the Belugah Slouch hat designed by Kelly McClure of Bohoknits. This is the hat pattern I fell in love with in December and I ended up making four of them. Let me tell you but I like about this pattern. It's well written easy to follow instructions, it knits up super fast and it uses worsted weight yarn. Basically the hat consists of a band of ribbing on smaller needles followed bu a two line repeat pattern done in the round on larger needles. The pattern isa knit and purl repeat that creates a vertical stripe pattern. The pattern comes in a slouch or beanie variation. I made all of mine with the pom pom because face it pom poms are just cute and fun.</p>
<p dir="ltr">My hat the one I kept is made from some vintage wool I had in the stash but the other three were my trusty RHSS.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Project details:</b><br>
Needles: sized 6 and 9<br>
Yarn: Worsted weight <br>
Pattern: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/belugah-slouch-hat-and-beanie">ravelry</a>, <a href="http://bohoknits.blogspot.com/2011/10/belugah-slouch-hat-and-beanie.html">Bohoknits</a><br>
What I liked: fast, good instructions, modern trendy styling, good tv watching knit.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9Qkh9no-z_Im17-8BTalNRlQaaPk9HToqFvxsSL5-gudeivE7I4vZejpqFdnJCa4g63Mlmk6fdUNt69Zfix0-0X3ZOpGdcmyCdtTkjfS5I0r-AVEwvl5CIL1nm-lFdW1wELq/s1600/20140101_090156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9Qkh9no-z_Im17-8BTalNRlQaaPk9HToqFvxsSL5-gudeivE7I4vZejpqFdnJCa4g63Mlmk6fdUNt69Zfix0-0X3ZOpGdcmyCdtTkjfS5I0r-AVEwvl5CIL1nm-lFdW1wELq/s400/20140101_090156.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirRTy13eCELjckbWHHDaSjG-wWzD606ORuYtMsesX5WGc-FobeQ-dJq-me0GGnkry7-elzu4EpV0hN9sicTXV3_orJwxryT_HSt3H4r-4EMXFWCzt5NrNRLwwIHqnWHEJYj7UT/s1600/20131228_123646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirRTy13eCELjckbWHHDaSjG-wWzD606ORuYtMsesX5WGc-FobeQ-dJq-me0GGnkry7-elzu4EpV0hN9sicTXV3_orJwxryT_HSt3H4r-4EMXFWCzt5NrNRLwwIHqnWHEJYj7UT/s400/20131228_123646.jpg"> </a> </div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-9403798932752365842013-12-27T11:52:00.001-05:002013-12-27T11:53:10.122-05:00100 hats for 2014<p dir="ltr">So it seems a lot of time has past since my last post and a lot has changed. To say I've had a knitting slump would be an understatement. I don't know what happened but nothing has peaked my interest in knitting in a long time. Until now. Recently my family started asking me for new hats. After dusting off my needles and banging out five hats in two weeks I got really excited again about making hats! I remember why I love to knit and how great it feels to make something for someone who appreciates it and uses what you make to keep themselves warm. Which brings me to my new project for 2014.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I call it 100 hats for 2014. The name says it all. I will try to knit up 100 hats andshare my progress along the way. I'm going to revisit some of my favorites and find some new patterns to share. The patterns will come from many places but I will share what I can. I will also have a pinterest board you can follow as well as on Ravelry and the blog. Join me on instagram (@ahtomlinson) where the hashtag will be #100hats2014. Look for hat number one on January 1, 2014.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQQIOdhnzqxKwXv9ZzR5XAWDh4Bp3SP8uNiAVQFAVdpe7s3EGj8DQINShOxzxgGHU3Lknn-yfp4PAbl3dISgGGfUC1lIT0IYMtXbazV0XPJt0DnSM0_R9kkzg61iL1qpAT0wf9/s1600/20131227_113223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQQIOdhnzqxKwXv9ZzR5XAWDh4Bp3SP8uNiAVQFAVdpe7s3EGj8DQINShOxzxgGHU3Lknn-yfp4PAbl3dISgGGfUC1lIT0IYMtXbazV0XPJt0DnSM0_R9kkzg61iL1qpAT0wf9/s640/20131227_113223.jpg"> </a> </div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-54015574757099949322011-10-04T18:38:00.001-04:002011-10-04T18:38:13.443-04:00The Knitter’s Life List: To Do – To Know – To Explore – To Make A Review<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-HknBDOPh91bsQCq3JeH933WUnih5bVc1hZZnvKca0JP95Gczho4kyojDXsu4KgPf6qEDWE0oSx24jhGbZHU2Iv86vm4H8_MkqqqZa4zGrCX3gx0JoNDvWOquhKPn6Jdpb5G/s1600/pic_display.php.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-HknBDOPh91bsQCq3JeH933WUnih5bVc1hZZnvKca0JP95Gczho4kyojDXsu4KgPf6qEDWE0oSx24jhGbZHU2Iv86vm4H8_MkqqqZa4zGrCX3gx0JoNDvWOquhKPn6Jdpb5G/s320/pic_display.php.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Knitters Life List.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
T<b>he Knitter’s Life List: To Do – To Know – To Explore – To
Make</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Gwen W. Steege</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Storey Publishing, 2011</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://draft.blogger.com/goog_1139835106"><br /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Knitters-Life-List-Know-Explore/dp/1603429964/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317767640&sr=8-1">The Knitter’s Life List</a> is a unique knitting book. It is not a book of patterns or a book about
knitting skills or techniques. It is a
book about the craft of knitting and all that it encompasses. It is a book of lists, articles, biographies
of designers and important knitters, technique notes, and observations about
knitting. The book is divided into
chapters which are based on topics and broad subject areas such as yarns,
sweaters, socks, fiber etc. In each
chapter you will find articles, photos, stories, and the lists. The book is filled with short well written
articles about the history of knitting, the role of knitting in society and fun
entertaining pop culture facts about yarn and knitting but it is so much more
than a compilation of articles. The
lists and articles are designed to motivate and inspire you as a knitter to
take your craft to the next level. It
encourages you to learn more, push your self and be brave enough to try new
things. The book is meant to be an inspirational
starting point for knitters of all levels.
A beginner can get excited about knitting and learn new skills while an
experienced knitter can use the lists to delve deeper into techniques and move
their craft to the next level. I can see
a book like this being popular with knitting groups or with people hoping to
connect to other knitters of all levels.
I also think that the lists in this book are great for people who are
feeling a little unenthusiastic about knitting.
Face it we all go into a knitting slump sometimes. This book will get you excited to try
something and sometimes that is all you need to get motivated again.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The lists are into sections such as meet, discover, do/try,
and learn, go, experience, extra credit and a place to create my lists. The items on the lists vary depending on the
chapter but encourage one to take the subject to a different level. You are encouraged to learn more, try new
things and think about knitting in a new way.
These lists are fun and will get you excited about your craft. They are not designed to be a check list of
things you need to do to be a master knitter.
Your creativity, curiosity, or your competitiveness can be sparked by
the lists or you can get a sense of accomplishment by what you already
know. The book itself is lovely. It is full color and chock full of beautiful
photos. It has a casual modern layout
style that makes it easy to flip through or to browse as a coffee table book. I liked the historical information,
especially sections about traditional styles of knitting and the depth of
information about different fibers. The
historical photos are fun to look at. Overall
I found the book to be interesting and fun to read. I kept picking it up and reading sections and
drooling over the photos. The only
things I thought it lacked as book about knitting as a culture was that it had
very little about Ravelry which is such a big component of the knitting community
these days. As a librarian I have to say
I loved the reading lists at the end. It
was a nice touch. I liked the book and
think you will too. Gwen W. Steege has a
love of knitting that shows in her enthusiasm and in the depth of her
knowledge. Well done.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So if you are looking to be inspired, want to move your
craft to the next level or want to learn more about fiber, techniques, or the
history of knitting this book would be perfect for you. I think this book would make a great gift for
a knitter of any skill level. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To make
things even better Storey publishing has generously offered to give one book
away to any reader of this review. All
you need to do is leave me a comment and at the end of the month one reader
will be selected to get a brand new copy of the book! Also Storey is having a contest called the
Knitter’s Life List Sweepstakes. Check
out <a href="http://www.storey.com/">www.storey.com</a> for details.</div>
Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-8560891342227730872010-09-26T14:51:00.000-04:002010-09-26T14:51:34.240-04:00Vintage Crochet for your Home - A book review<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLVuKxC1LPTJAqnKfb61YIQg2cUp4V_remxzmZax0uADwF27B-8keLbBInXGnCQ8yfFM0taTi8735uXOhTGXWaOz_4GQDCf3gPJk445z91-LAAmVd6lenPCJ06Ihiwmnbbi1e4/s1600/Z8579+Crochet+for+your+Home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLVuKxC1LPTJAqnKfb61YIQg2cUp4V_remxzmZax0uADwF27B-8keLbBInXGnCQ8yfFM0taTi8735uXOhTGXWaOz_4GQDCf3gPJk445z91-LAAmVd6lenPCJ06Ihiwmnbbi1e4/s320/Z8579+Crochet+for+your+Home.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cover of the book.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Crochet-Your-Home-Best-Loved/dp/1440213704?ie=UTF8&tag=ahtomlinson&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank"><strong>Vintage Crochet for your Home: Best Loved Patterns for Afghans, Rugs and More.</strong></a><strong><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=ahtomlinson&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1440213704" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px! important; padding-left: 0px! important; padding-right: 0px! important; padding-top: 0px! important;" width="1" /></strong></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span></span><strong>From the Coats & Clark Company 2010</strong> </div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Coats & Clark are celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Red Heart Yarn line this year by releasing this new book. The book has an interesting concept. It takes vintage patterns designed and published by the company from 1920-1959 and redesigns them for the modern crocheters. The patterns are written using modern terms and crocheted using readily available yarns from the Red Heart line in modern fresh colors. The book fully takes advantage of the resurgence of interest in the mid-century modern aesthetic and the rising trend of vintage modern styling. Crafters are very interested in vintage patterns but are often put off on using the patterns because of the way they are written the lack of charts and the difficulty in finding or even understanding the yarn weights in older patterns. This book takes a nice selection of vintage patterns for the home and transforms them into fresh and modern patterns with a vintage flair.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcPR8Gom8Fkz52K5j8ujt4z3vz-_TNo6IAN_Sp8mPFpgrOVcnyss4piDPjCyWj40t-TFAJLvowdXJLFUu4AJR0-BLP7mEOBZ33TkuWF0B4P8vWWaVmi9foEQLqr00UYLNKVc4/s1600/Z8579_VinCro_mitered%2314AFE7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcPR8Gom8Fkz52K5j8ujt4z3vz-_TNo6IAN_Sp8mPFpgrOVcnyss4piDPjCyWj40t-TFAJLvowdXJLFUu4AJR0-BLP7mEOBZ33TkuWF0B4P8vWWaVmi9foEQLqr00UYLNKVc4/s320/Z8579_VinCro_mitered%2314AFE7.jpg" width="242" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love these mitered clothes and the hooks</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The book consists of four main chapters with over 30 patterns, a brief history of the company and a how to crochet basics information section. The patterns are broken into three sections Beginner (1 pattern), Easy (24 patterns) and Intermediate (5 patterns) so the patterns are attainable for nearly everyone. The patterns are well written and have a good layout and all the patterns include colored charts which make it easy to follow along when working the projects. The book is filled with great colored photos of all the projects and in some cases has the original photos from the pattern along side the new redesigned project.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Chapter 1 Kitchen Aids consists of dishcloths, potholders, and shopping bags. I love the mitered dishcloths and think they would be adorable in any kitchen or as a house warming gift. Retro dishcloths are so hot right now and these cloths have a 50ish vibe that would be great in any style kitchen. I know that the mitered dishcloth is a mini trend on Ravelry and this will let crocheters in on the trend. The color combinations are endless and this pattern makes good use of variegated cottons which can become overwhelming in a full project. The potholders and the shopping bags are also very nice all are small projects that would make great gifts.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQSVPdHWbasBNVdGQK9PHboeCK6vrfVJLc3LZyR1LEg-trSzRDqOhU8xM74blfR2jb4UVMOkZD3DowqgTR6R5eI_okGPNggZoIEYQoSAnXUFsRmw7E3vXgpNk23OeFVmbneCa/s1600/Z8579_VinCro_pineapp%2314AFD3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQSVPdHWbasBNVdGQK9PHboeCK6vrfVJLc3LZyR1LEg-trSzRDqOhU8xM74blfR2jb4UVMOkZD3DowqgTR6R5eI_okGPNggZoIEYQoSAnXUFsRmw7E3vXgpNk23OeFVmbneCa/s320/Z8579_VinCro_pineapp%2314AFD3.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Covered bottle caps the variations are endless.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Chapter 2 Entertaining Tables has a selection of placemats, doilies, and a hot pad. The placemats are lovely but I am fascinated by the Pineapple Hot Plate mat. This pattern takes metal bottle caps crochets them into a cover and then the covered caps are sewn into the shape of a pineapple which is then used as a hot pad. How clever is that? The pattern is interesting but what I love how the technique can be applied to other projects. I am imagining plastic water bottle caps sewn into circles for table runners, rugs, and coasters. It really is a clever idea and I can see it being used as an eco friendly project repurposing all kinds of lids and caps and different kinds of yarns.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Chapter 3 Bed & Bath Décor has rugs, edgings and an appliqué. What is it with crochet books that they always add some type of crochet edging? I think they are a bit fussy on bath towels but could be nice on other things. I guess I just am not the decorative towel kinda gal! I love the water lily appliqués but see them on other things than towels. I think they would look cool on a bag or a rug. The rugs are nice. I like the circular rug which uses a puff stitch. I can see how the choice of yarn and colors could suit this rug to any décor from modern to traditional. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdP_d__v9aNB7s6qSDQts9gGsQP582M-bWCN5Aqyd50Loa6zXqgL3-9ubd37hKReoZgPPWsdO1CnIoEXpfgkgKKYN9wN5n4_-fFyiD5TQdJ1iUFzwRFK-CswrFLxwUbyJv7rJ/s1600/Z8579_VinCro_TweedyPillows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdP_d__v9aNB7s6qSDQts9gGsQP582M-bWCN5Aqyd50Loa6zXqgL3-9ubd37hKReoZgPPWsdO1CnIoEXpfgkgKKYN9wN5n4_-fFyiD5TQdJ1iUFzwRFK-CswrFLxwUbyJv7rJ/s320/Z8579_VinCro_TweedyPillows.jpg" width="253" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love the pillows and the styling</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Chapter 4 Cozy Rooms is the longest chapter with them most patterns. It has the afghan patterns (with matching pillows) this section has the best styling of afghans I have seen in a while. I love the mid century feel of the styling. I guess Coats has had over 75 years of experience making afghans look appealing. I also like the modern and vintage photos which show you how modern color choices and yarns can reinvent a classic design. My favorite is the Checkmate Afghan & Pillow. It is a nice take on the buffalo plaid trend that is very popular right now. It has a 50’s bachelor vibe which is also popular right now. My college age son would love this afghan for his dorm. I like the use of a solid and a variegated yarn. It makes it look more complex than it really is. I also like the Tweedy Square pattern. It uses 2 skeins of Red Heart Super Saver which makes it economical as a housewarming gift. With the color choices and the variety of buttons you can find the pillow has endless variations.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Overall I like the book. The styling is lovely, the color photos well done and the variety of patterns is nice for a home book. I like the fact that the patterns are things people would want to use in their house no magnets or cozies (ok just one cup cozy but it matches the placemat and it’s actually more of a coaster with a lip) I like it when vintage doesn’t pander to kitsch, not that I don’t love kitsch. The only thing I didn’t like about the book is that some of the styling on the placemats obscured the project. Not a major problem since the instructions and charts are clear and some projects have multiple photos. Oh wouldn’t it be nice if Coats did a vintage home knitting book as a companion? Check out this book and of course decide for yourself I personally found it to be a nice well done book with great patterns and an interesting premise.</div><br />
<span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Crochet-Your-Home-Best-Loved/dp/1440213704?ie=UTF8&tag=ahtomlinson&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Vintage Crochet For Your Home: Best-Loved Patterns for Afghans, Rugs and More</a> for sale on Amazon.com.<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=ahtomlinson&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1440213704" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px! important; padding-left: 0px! important; padding-right: 0px! important; padding-top: 0px! important;" width="1" /></span>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-53906132727240211682010-09-13T20:12:00.002-04:002010-09-13T20:26:17.489-04:00Squirrel friend where you been?<a href="http://www.amazon.com/More-Big-Girl-Knits-Designs/dp/0307586383?ie=UTF8&tag=ahtomlinson&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="More Big Girl Knits: 25 Designs Full of Color and Texture for Curvy Women" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0307586383&tag=ahtomlinson" /></a><span><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=ahtomlinson&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0307586383" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px! important; padding-left: 0px! important; padding-right: 0px! important; padding-top: 0px! important;" width="1" /></span>Ok I should be ashamed of myself. I feel like I should be brought up before the yarn council for dereliction of duty. I can not believe that I haven't posted a blog post since June! This summer has been super crazy and I have to admit that sending Nate off to college really looped me more than I thought it would. I have been busy knitting and reading but I haven't had the heart to do much else. Let's never speak of this again.<br />
<br />
What have I been doing with all my free time? Knitting and reading. I am working steadily on my Top 100 list I swear. I took a mid summer break to read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stieg-Larssons-Millennium-Trilogy-Bundle/dp/0307594777?ie=UTF8&tag=ahtomlinson&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy Bundle: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=ahtomlinson&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0307594777" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px! important; padding-left: 0px! important; padding-right: 0px! important; padding-top: 0px! important;" width="1" /> which are all <br />
awesome. I also watched the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Dragon-Tattoo-Michael-Nyqvist/dp/B003FBNJ4U?ie=UTF8&tag=ahtomlinson&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">movie </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=ahtomlinson&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003FBNJ4U" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px! important; padding-left: 0px! important; padding-right: 0px! important; padding-top: 0px! important;" width="1" />in Swedish (how classy) I also caught up on the<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&tag=ahtomlinson&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&search-alias=aps&field-keywords=Kathy Reichs" target="_blank">Bones book series</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=ahtomlinson&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px! important; padding-left: 0px! important; padding-right: 0px! important; padding-top: 0px! important;" width="1" /> by Kathy Reich and the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&tag=ahtomlinson&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&search-alias=aps&field-keywords=dexter book series" target="_blank">Dexter series</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=ahtomlinson&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px! important; padding-left: 0px! important; padding-right: 0px! important; padding-top: 0px! important;" width="1" /> including the newest book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dexter-Delicious-Jeff-Lindsay/dp/0385532350?ie=UTF8&tag=ahtomlinson&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dexter Is Delicious</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=ahtomlinson&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0385532350" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px! important; padding-left: 0px! important; padding-right: 0px! important; padding-top: 0px! important;" width="1" /> <br />
(not for the faint of heart I must say but wow what a page turner) I love the series but the books are my favorite!<br />
I have been knitting but not like crazy. I finished a few small projects and did a shawl <br />
for a swap. Right now I am avoiding starting my christmas knitting and working sporatically on the Bountiful Bohus from More Big Girl Knits in a nice blue color. I broke my Boye Needlemaster size 7 on it and had to get a new needle. I went with a fixed circular this time and it is working fine. I don't know what it is about cardigans in the round that make my needles go pop. I can't decide if it is a combo of weight and the number of stitches or both!<br />
<br />
I promise to post more regularly. I have some awesome projects, hot book reviews and some fun cat photos to share if you stick with me! Here is a sneak preview:<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2UTGqztXaYq9fNbwFRBx7PesQ399FgifloNmvo9_G2IyGgfJ_7S5fq2JJGln6yaKXmPK1Mn4Ap2CAZTQXbvTXJOMCkVQZ3LjlFVLmmzEu94hYfb9R6W3tpnJrlxaRIaKR6CVB/s1600/osci3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="305" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2UTGqztXaYq9fNbwFRBx7PesQ399FgifloNmvo9_G2IyGgfJ_7S5fq2JJGln6yaKXmPK1Mn4Ap2CAZTQXbvTXJOMCkVQZ3LjlFVLmmzEu94hYfb9R6W3tpnJrlxaRIaKR6CVB/s320/osci3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tasha snuggling with the Oscillope Shawl</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_CbVnMj1IAsBlZlG33a8paWMvx5IiHYVFtooi5qFF0PGslVmZgYrnyuwzFITQUYy6cd1c9xCujzheknU7gzsA6ae0xa7xrY54spMZMlRhZhnpB-Yoz_rYxQF3F0PR0Hs2mL4N/s1600/osci4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_CbVnMj1IAsBlZlG33a8paWMvx5IiHYVFtooi5qFF0PGslVmZgYrnyuwzFITQUYy6cd1c9xCujzheknU7gzsA6ae0xa7xrY54spMZMlRhZhnpB-Yoz_rYxQF3F0PR0Hs2mL4N/s320/osci4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luna with the Oscillope Shawl</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I call Luna the squirrel friend. I heard a little girl on the bus say to her sister "Squirrel Friend you're nuts" I thought it was super funny so now Jazzy and say it all the time!Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-54809988169237008432010-06-27T11:42:00.000-04:002010-06-27T11:42:51.986-04:00Mr. Funky's Super Crochet Wonderful Book Review.<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyxfRb08al6gmZ7i34ctbWI23oOrkiNOBNK-oqTed77SljW7nQB8r7JJuwU4v-Sos4QOlV-NYCZ9rUlGR3PlMLHFl_b48DINyWmhs-RLNkjlgr82NM6LfYVav5xWTXaqWmIOr2/s1600/book_funky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyxfRb08al6gmZ7i34ctbWI23oOrkiNOBNK-oqTed77SljW7nQB8r7JJuwU4v-Sos4QOlV-NYCZ9rUlGR3PlMLHFl_b48DINyWmhs-RLNkjlgr82NM6LfYVav5xWTXaqWmIOr2/s320/book_funky.jpg" width="312" /></a></div> Mr. Funky's Super Crochet Wonderful<br />
<br />
By Narumi Ogawa<br />
Illustrated by Dylan Haley<br />
Published by: North Light Books, 2007<br />
Website <a href="http://misterfunky.com/index.html">http://misterfunky.com/index.html</a><br />
<br />
Mr. Funky’s Super Crochet Wonderful is a pretty cute crochet pattern book. It has patterns for both amigurmi animals and small fashion accessories. The book has full patterns with charts for nine animals with variations and sixteen patterns for accessories. Some have multiple parts such as a hat and scarf set. The patterns are fun and easy to follow and allows for an endless variations. Switching up ears, tails, clothes, and eyes can lead to a numerous different types of animals. For example the book has a pattern for a cat that could be a dog, a bear or even a person with some mods. I especially like the bear bottle cover. The pattern is written for a plastic water bottle but can easily be made to fit a baby bottle, or a thin tall reusable plastic or metal bottle.<br />
<br />
<br />
I like the simple shape of the animals and the uncomplicated construction. I think the design of the animals is accessible to younger crafter who want to make amigurmi but may be nervous about some of the other more articulated styles found on the internet or in other books. It is a good staring point for making animals.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The accessories are basic accessories made more fashion forward with the use of creative yarns. The book has hats, scarves, a bag, some pins and a pair of mittens. All are good basic shaped patterns that can be customized with unique yarn choices or add ons. I think the mitten pattern is especially nice and can be customized in endless ways. I don’t often see crocheted mittens. This book could be a good resource for basic go to patterns in a variety of yarn sizes.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFcX4heGcw9bPhj0yyeW3Lpn-3Ft5GoJFPGy_oYViyoCNwsB1YTjPIUXVc5oyNITFi5mGyYUbWCDqBhQeERbh58VymSWCPAuJN7L34TMOVrYzE5PzyZgSNFQG6OSoy2hKf4HRa/s1600/car2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFcX4heGcw9bPhj0yyeW3Lpn-3Ft5GoJFPGy_oYViyoCNwsB1YTjPIUXVc5oyNITFi5mGyYUbWCDqBhQeERbh58VymSWCPAuJN7L34TMOVrYzE5PzyZgSNFQG6OSoy2hKf4HRa/s400/car2.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>I liked this book it is so cute. It has adorable illustrations, the color and layout of the book is young and fresh and geared towards modern crocheters without being cloying. The pattern style is fresh, easy to follow and well laid out. I think it would be great for younger crocheters who have mastered the basics of the craft. The illustrator has taken the photographs of the finished projects and drew backgrounds and accessories around the photos. Also the accessories are modeled by animals instead of people so cute. My niece thought it was the” cutest ever.’<br />
<br />
None of the patterns are overly complex so I would rate it an intermediate level book. However be warned the book doesn’t have a how to crochet section so you should know how to crochet before you start. I also like the fact that it has both charts and written instructions. The charts are big and easy to read and come with a symbol guide. It does have a tip section at the back with some basic assembly information. I learned a tip from the book, use a one size smaller hook to do your decreases. This makes a smaller gap and keeps the stuffing from popping out! Nifty.<br />
<br />
I was disappointed to see that it did not have a basic stitch guide in it but it is not a deal breaker. I also found that some of the patterns such as the mittens had illustrations drawn on top of the project photos. The mittens had snow drawn on the tips of the mittens and thumb, very distracting since that is something you want to see when you are working on the project. Even though the animal models are super cute I wonder about the fit of the hats on real people I guess that is what Ravelry is for.<br />
<br />
Overall this is a very fun book with good patterns. I am planning on making the Bunny in a Dress pattern and the On the go Water bottle cozy for Christmas gifts so look for those in the future. I would recommend this book for teens and fashion forward crocheters looking for something fun and fast to work on.<br />
<br />
<span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=ahtomlinson&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1581809662&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-38937688806520754302010-06-16T19:23:00.002-04:002010-06-16T19:26:00.061-04:00Meet Natasha<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0xa6xdc5K49VsLDxlpw5H72cifgRn0U5xMRzVB2lOB7PUecuIwo9jt4oejGahZUu5ilu_stNQFy-LGZO4KCN3eGWOsPnyZ19795-l8PDztvi0-V8rf81uUcQ9iu0bdWqWjMxC/s1600/kitten.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="193" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0xa6xdc5K49VsLDxlpw5H72cifgRn0U5xMRzVB2lOB7PUecuIwo9jt4oejGahZUu5ilu_stNQFy-LGZO4KCN3eGWOsPnyZ19795-l8PDztvi0-V8rf81uUcQ9iu0bdWqWjMxC/s320/kitten.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luna has a sister ! Meet Natasha.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>So the boss thought that Luna needed a sister. He thought she seemed lonely. So we went to the Bucks County SPCA last Sunday to see if we could find a male 1yr fixed cat to be a companion for Luna. As soon as we got in room this little show off started to put on the charm and won the heart of the boss and the decision was made.<br />
<br />
Luna had a hard time on Sunday but progress was made on Monday. I was able to broker a tentative peace agreement using half a bag of kitty crackers and a blanket covered with the scent of the new kitten. Now I see signs of them getting closer. Less hissing and more physical contact. I saw Luna lick the kitten's face this morning. Of course when she saw me watching she hissed and ran away.<br />
<br />
Natasha or Tasha is full of energy and so curious. She already destroyed two of our plants and has staked a claim in Luna's favorite sleeping space. She has the boss wrapped around her cute mitten paws.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-58164183598996048582010-06-06T08:54:00.001-04:002010-06-06T08:58:39.489-04:00Summer Breezes make me feel fine.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2LswymPOlDMEuSiYpLyFqc90lu75-WE8dv47D_5AfFvqlsNjhRxp5zaoGi3OF5co0L9cKHFHHRsDDsi3CDJmYqUar9FfNJZ-i4zrlloQKLfKmXU929CS4tXGz2Bw3U7EB1V7S/s1600/mcowl2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2LswymPOlDMEuSiYpLyFqc90lu75-WE8dv47D_5AfFvqlsNjhRxp5zaoGi3OF5co0L9cKHFHHRsDDsi3CDJmYqUar9FfNJZ-i4zrlloQKLfKmXU929CS4tXGz2Bw3U7EB1V7S/s320/mcowl2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This photo is how I broke my camera. <br />
Apparently pugs don't like to wear cowls!<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table> I am really going to try to be more regular with my posting. I don’t know why I wait and wait to post anymore half the time I have a blog post written and ready to go. Something happens to me when I sit down to my computer after work, ok what happens is Facebook. I spend way too much time on Facebook stalking my family and playing Café World. Ok I admit it so let’s just move on; unless of course you are on Facebook and play Café World then we need to talk about being neighbors!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This week I am still working my way through the FO pile. I was given a wonderful cowl pattern from Hanna over at Ever Green Knits. It is called the Manzanita Cowl. It has everything I love about knitting lace. The pattern is semi open and has bobbles how can you go wrong with that? You really can’t the pattern is well written and complex enough to be interesting. It fits well and has a nice slouch without being too floppy. I really like my cowls to be more like neck warmers and less like eighties cowl sweaters and hang over and down. I used Red Heart Eco-Ways in the Cinnabar color. I had two skeins left over from my Ditto. The cowl used less than a half of skein so you could get two out of one skein making it great for gift giving. The only thing I would change in the next one is that I would do the bobbles on both ends I just like the finished feeling of the end with the bobbles. Right now one end has a plain edge that rolls a little. I know why Hanna did that and it makes perfect sense but I get itchy when things don’t match.</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSXITUyZ_eqfwPFkYYKkR4vtkUDZx0FH0ZDgzSgzgizRtGrARR-na5sBAmmS1BPmHz-iB1UKnSZH1vapSkXgkhptcqavV0YdaowmJsmLwxTJ8B3ipG-49LB5QXZS5wHVZdETEg/s1600/lunablanket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSXITUyZ_eqfwPFkYYKkR4vtkUDZx0FH0ZDgzSgzgizRtGrARR-na5sBAmmS1BPmHz-iB1UKnSZH1vapSkXgkhptcqavV0YdaowmJsmLwxTJ8B3ipG-49LB5QXZS5wHVZdETEg/s320/lunablanket.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had this idea that Luna needed a mat to sleep on, she didn't!<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Work continues on Citron. I just finished a section of the ruching that was over 600 stitches! Realistically I am not going to go much bigger on this one it is getting too boring. I will finish this band and go with only 7 bands and then the ruffle. I don’t have a time issue but I can only do so much lace weight purling and my wooden needles are starting to get dull and having trouble on some of the purl side rows. Yuck. I am also working on the body of my top down cardigan which is going fast on size 8 needles definitely perfect for movie watching knitting. I am searching for the perfect knitting project for my Red Heart Summer Swap partner. If she is <br />
reading this I haven’t found the perfect pattern yet but I am having fun searching. I really need to do a stash inventory. I have been working almost exclusively from the stash and my little cheat sheet is out of date so I don’t know what I have in there anymore I doubt I have any sweater’s worth of yarn stashed away anymore but who knows what a little digging will uncover!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQsXogVIvvMtA80AIskL4Y3Q2oPOHmC84zMKDFrUiphDkKnHIk_wQtGEbl_J2xm8rZ9n5KE6WVY_NmUJY02gQdgnr6N0X8lehBo2_15s7W2oBki0VDmseGgpg2XchtTf5GCtxi/s1600/mcowl1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQsXogVIvvMtA80AIskL4Y3Q2oPOHmC84zMKDFrUiphDkKnHIk_wQtGEbl_J2xm8rZ9n5KE6WVY_NmUJY02gQdgnr6N0X8lehBo2_15s7W2oBki0VDmseGgpg2XchtTf5GCtxi/s320/mcowl1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cowl is lovely. It is soft and squishy and very warm.<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I found a great new podcast that I want to share. It is called The Savvy Girls and is by two sisters Melanie and Deborah. I love the repertoire these two sisters have with each other. The podcast is funny and intelligent. I recommend it. I was listening to one of the back episodes on the bus and I actually laughed out loud!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Links</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/manzanita-cowl">Manzanita Cowl</a> (rav link)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.savvygirls.ca/">Savvy Girls</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1077273542">Facebook (friend me)</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-20598937290129086792010-05-26T21:38:00.000-04:002010-05-26T21:38:55.494-04:00Tight as Owls<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8cTMUm_UUQlP77u19H2WELsyvOGeUUncGU3lbzi-b7Ur9mqUsqt3oKkAhHTpJWjj25u1iracyy_GkvB3x4HIskoZ0rTCGWGbTxKQWTfsu9ZQm9pcuu8VS5c0kV_BUD9iP6Fj/s1600/shawelette3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8cTMUm_UUQlP77u19H2WELsyvOGeUUncGU3lbzi-b7Ur9mqUsqt3oKkAhHTpJWjj25u1iracyy_GkvB3x4HIskoZ0rTCGWGbTxKQWTfsu9ZQm9pcuu8VS5c0kV_BUD9iP6Fj/s320/shawelette3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see how light and airy the shawl is.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> I read the title in my book today and thought it sounded funny, two soliders were on leave in France during WWI and they went out drinking and got “tight as owls” I think it is the best way to describe being drunk that I have heard in a long time.</div><br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I am not getting as tight as an owl because I am working on the additional rows of the Citron. I am on repeat six which has 294 stitches after the first increase row. I am still on my first ball of yarn. I was hoping to do seven repeats and a longer ruffles but I just might die of boredom before then. I also haven’t finished Luna’s kitty blanket and during a moment of weakness I cast on for a top down raglan using the yarn my mom brought me back from Ireland. I am still working on the yoke of that one but I have to strand two colors in a striping pattern to make sure I have enough yarn which makes things go slower since they are constantly getting tangled or attacked by rogue cats. I am so trying to be good and only use stash yarn but I have to say I am hitting rock bottom. I was actually thinking of what to make from a lone skein of homespun someone gave to me a few years ago.</div><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJoFTgr-abIh9Sh6bLEQFIZcA9AtpJaWS04srg-EGmXerrZx3HjbYbk0KKIRHE8o9wOzuEmW4Yc_tCs46WkCnDmFBGZ9cGCBaObUofABzSMBXvz5oI5HccArJG3rRO9ANeItHH/s1600/shawelette1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJoFTgr-abIh9Sh6bLEQFIZcA9AtpJaWS04srg-EGmXerrZx3HjbYbk0KKIRHE8o9wOzuEmW4Yc_tCs46WkCnDmFBGZ9cGCBaObUofABzSMBXvz5oI5HccArJG3rRO9ANeItHH/s320/shawelette1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the haze of the yarn and the subtle ruffling.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A while back I bought two bags of Lion Brand Midnight Mohair at the JC Penney outlet. Each bag had (4) balls of yarn in it. I love the color and thought it would be similar to the pink mohair blend I made my Shetland Triangle out of but it’s not. It is at two strand blend and not quite as soft as the pink stuff. So I was looking around for something to make with the yarn and found a pattern called the Storm Cloud Shawelette by Hanna Breetz from Ever Green Knits. She also designed the Manzanita cowl which I also knit recently.</div><br />
My blue color way called Glacier Bay reminded me of cloudy skies so I cast on. The Shawelette is pretty neat. It is a half circle with a drop garter stitch pattern. It works up super fast and looks amazing. It really showcases the yarn. The only problem and it is solely mine own is that I didn’t have quite enough yarn. I was so sure I had enough to cast off on my ruffle but I didn’t. I was too lazy to rip back and put hundreds of stitches back on to cast off that I started to scavenge every scrap of yarn I had to cast off. I wove in all the ends and clip the yarn. I split it in half and put it together but no luck I still needed yarn for about four more inches of binding. I checked my entire stash, all my scraps and tried to find something that matched no luck. I finally found blue colored mohair that matched sort of and used that for the last few inches. It doesn’t match exactly but I don’t mind. I love the way this shawl wraps around and stay put and the ruffle is super girly. I still have one more bag of the yarn and so I can make a second if want to.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSIPyBp7PHgISn4mZ2bNGES5ANJwwVtaoRjMKiNDRinQJZ8NGA2YLG8HQH5mn4whLCfNRIskuxBa4GptaL7xV_WfKBpG80-PSzTFIHqtuzLfvWZiGbOrGASZEtAECJ0XQKuZg/s1600/shawelette2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSIPyBp7PHgISn4mZ2bNGES5ANJwwVtaoRjMKiNDRinQJZ8NGA2YLG8HQH5mn4whLCfNRIskuxBa4GptaL7xV_WfKBpG80-PSzTFIHqtuzLfvWZiGbOrGASZEtAECJ0XQKuZg/s320/shawelette2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A healthy sized half circle shawl.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Reading will be pretty slow for the next few months. I am working on John Dos Passo’s U.S.A which is a trilogy. I reserved it for the summer but found it so interesting I started reading it early. I am also still working on Nostromo by Joseph Conrad and Appointment in Samarra by John O’Hara. I have been working on a project list for the summer. I want to get in some sewing time and I have about 30 squares sewn that I want to put together to make a few sit upons for the summer. We go to festivals and spend time in the park and having small pads for sitting on is so much easier than big blankets.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We are getting ready for Nate’s graduation and party and I am starting to realize that sending a kid off to college is a full time endeavor. We have forms to fill out, physicals, tests, shopping lists, and driving lessons to keep him busy for the next three months. The boss has been teaching Luna to fetch a piece of crumpled up paper. She thinks it a ball. Luke my 4 year old nephew says that Luna is a “dog with cat parts”. Hilarious!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Links <br />
<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/storm-cloud-shawlette">Storm Cloud Shawelette</a> by Hanna (<a href="http://evergreenknits.blogspot.com/">Ever Green Knits</a>) This pattern is free and awesome!Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-32987129502604633602010-05-12T19:40:00.002-04:002010-05-12T20:00:38.302-04:00Back from the windy city<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciMYsbjXB9A3x1_S5L3axiVZGuDKx6UC7j43fxbENWooRxlvGBjGqS5Dzm7UwRL0y1rXSKL13Ey_Yon1FjraMGSAWpKoiXK_OvD_D-G1eKoV41E446RsoukQfZuoN1uw-3vVu/s1600/valkkitty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciMYsbjXB9A3x1_S5L3axiVZGuDKx6UC7j43fxbENWooRxlvGBjGqS5Dzm7UwRL0y1rXSKL13Ey_Yon1FjraMGSAWpKoiXK_OvD_D-G1eKoV41E446RsoukQfZuoN1uw-3vVu/s200/valkkitty.jpg" width="200" wt="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kitty likes knitting!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Wow it has been a long time! I can barely remember what I have been up to since the last post. I promised myself I would post more but things get away from me so fast. I did spend a week in Chicago for a library conference which was amazing. Chicago is a beautiful city, amazing buildings and great food. We spent a day sight seeing around downtown and at the Art Institute. I saw one of my favorite painting Nighthawks by Edward Hopper. His style is so delicate. You cannot see a single brushstroke on the surface of the painting but it has such a depth of color. I saw it across the room and it took my breath away.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirT6BoRjBh3m4Xs3lw2qx8VDjFd_yXLHde-T7EhQQiy7mE9tL1q32dQFBENmZg0kuENh_B-8sZHJ37-We5pO2bizCgj2fL0pG1tweQAlfCwfmSzlppcflV9lCV47CZkJ_QlGM8/s1600/valk2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirT6BoRjBh3m4Xs3lw2qx8VDjFd_yXLHde-T7EhQQiy7mE9tL1q32dQFBENmZg0kuENh_B-8sZHJ37-We5pO2bizCgj2fL0pG1tweQAlfCwfmSzlppcflV9lCV47CZkJ_QlGM8/s320/valk2.jpg" width="223" wt="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cables have strong definition<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This post is supposed to highlight my Valkyrie Vest. I knit this for the Ravelympics as part of Team Redheart. Those crafters are great. They are funny, supportive and so loyal to RH. No yarn snobs in that group. I have to say that the RH group is my favorite Ravelry group. They make everyone feel welcome.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The vest is made from the staple RHSS. I used 2 skeins in Real Teal to knit up the 36 bust size. The pattern is from Interweave and I believe a free download. The vest in knit in two pieces. The cables start at the bottom and spread across the back and front splitting into a v neck. I love the way the cables move across the vest and it knits up so fast since you are always eager to do one row of cabling to see it move across. The pattern charts are easy to follow but this is not a beginner pattern at all. Fit wise I like it. It was written as a plus size pattern and has a nice rounded shaped that doesn’t make me feel like a sausage in it like other vests do. I plan on wearing it with short sleeves or a tank. I am pretty happy with the way this one turned out. It makes me want to tackle a cabled cardigan. I keep mulling it over but I want to do a cardigan for Nate before he heads off to school.</div><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0U2ZfjhEa4BBS4KaC6FKq3O1e-tGAqiZpq1gZ61ApVIoIj5IyhNBUpRMqG0ALHrR-uozqjvJnJBWiLWxj8FlcCa3YMdzpWhNcKt9nkPKT_TWfsDh7cgltl8oSp2qt8djuarDm/s1600/SSPX0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0U2ZfjhEa4BBS4KaC6FKq3O1e-tGAqiZpq1gZ61ApVIoIj5IyhNBUpRMqG0ALHrR-uozqjvJnJBWiLWxj8FlcCa3YMdzpWhNcKt9nkPKT_TWfsDh7cgltl8oSp2qt8djuarDm/s320/SSPX0005.jpg" width="320" wt="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In progress shot. I love the back center cable.<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Right now I am working on the front bands of my top down raglan I had to stop carrying it around in my backpack it is just too big. I love the fit of it and want to finish it so it can become my at work summer sweater for the air conditioning. I am also zipping along with the Citron. The only bad thing about it is that it gets bigger after each section so progress slows as you work but I love the ruching and the yarn is very nice. I am finally using the Knitpicks Shadow in Redwood I bought when I finished my undergrad degree in 2006. It took me so long to figure out what to make out of it!</div><br />
Quickly, quickly. I finished reading Henderson the Rain King by Saul Bellows (very funny and sad), Kim by Rudyard Kipling and A Passage to India by E.M. Forster. This one was so good but the ending got pretty weird with the whole religious episode but it was well written not my favorite Forster but well worth the read. I am working on the U.S.A. trilogy by John Dos Passo and Nostromo by Joseph Conrad.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUxC2Wibvm9G3TqEl0jIoAWZb3PBobnEYdnZpfvCOskmn1rExETKqD7dFQ9JGJYtbYxYn0QI8wF-qEUUZOk9UHai7h3FvPAq74yKzGi89-Cbd2OfCHzHdW1AIB-w5q3G09h_Z/s1600/P4300028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUxC2Wibvm9G3TqEl0jIoAWZb3PBobnEYdnZpfvCOskmn1rExETKqD7dFQ9JGJYtbYxYn0QI8wF-qEUUZOk9UHai7h3FvPAq74yKzGi89-Cbd2OfCHzHdW1AIB-w5q3G09h_Z/s320/P4300028.JPG" width="320" wt="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I just emptied the litter box get cleaning human.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> Luna is doing well we are still getting used to each other. She is a digger and will empty out her litter box if she gets mad. We are trying to figure out a solution to that since she refused to go inside anything so we can’t get her a box with a lid. Right now we have the tallest dishpan we can find that she still get into but she just sees it as a challenge! Cats are sooooo different than dogs! It is a good thing she is so cute!<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8cd5dRxKbhpkm7cz1hCQZ6GHWaAKPOJMF-_49IE5fF5erHGACFl_vtYdhJYEgOaYvEasK7Kh-9wRY6-OdUbOX2BkaPiCZwG4QRWDax5VVL4WZSvsq8tDQFSHfbP_wwfsabiAR/s1600/P4260015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8cd5dRxKbhpkm7cz1hCQZ6GHWaAKPOJMF-_49IE5fF5erHGACFl_vtYdhJYEgOaYvEasK7Kh-9wRY6-OdUbOX2BkaPiCZwG4QRWDax5VVL4WZSvsq8tDQFSHfbP_wwfsabiAR/s320/P4260015.JPG" width="320" wt="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luna needs her beauty sleep.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/valkyrie-vest">Valkeryie Vest</a> (rav link) It is a free pattern from Knitting Daily but you need to register<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter09/PATTcitron.php">Citron from Knitty</a><br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/smokin">Nate’s sweater?</a> Smokin' by Jared Flood.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/111628">Nighthawks </a></div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-48090141461092350832010-04-12T18:42:00.000-04:002010-04-12T18:42:26.851-04:00And the winner is...<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBJheAD_PuMVrYHSIHvqqwOmVhlYVjRFYe1ByUt1zQRQgSGPkY0zIZWHSQ0ghox5m5civ_gHNnxkcDFac5N664DwFjPTJt-xSgY3jmzJ2kOnyurt7ELx7zKk55gVki8JnArrd/s1600/natesmittencloseup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBJheAD_PuMVrYHSIHvqqwOmVhlYVjRFYe1ByUt1zQRQgSGPkY0zIZWHSQ0ghox5m5civ_gHNnxkcDFac5N664DwFjPTJt-xSgY3jmzJ2kOnyurt7ELx7zKk55gVki8JnArrd/s200/natesmittencloseup.jpg" width="200" wt="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> Oh wow it seems like I fell off the face of the earth. I am so sorry I said I would post the winner of the Stitch Nation booklet on the 9th but I totally flaked out. I have been spending the last few months waffling between anxiety and hysteria about Nate getting ready for college but enough about that I am sure we will all hear much more about that in the coming months. Let’s get to the good stuff. The winner of the booklet is Mercy or midwifemom on Ravelry she was the 8 poster. Enjoy the booklet I think you will.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Nate has been accepted into and has accepted the offer he got from <a href="http://www.arcadia.edu/">Arcadia University</a>. It seems like such a good fit. It is close to home but far enough away for him. It has a great English and Film Studies program and it is a gorgeous campus. We went to visit for a family day on Saturday and everyone liked it. Jazzy was stoked about the possibility of living in a castle. I am just happy that he is going to have a great college experience. He will be living in the dorms, staying on campus and traveling abroad. I already decided I wanted to knit him a sweater for school!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihomKIVygzjhHYEMZlINv53PIJsHHWse8v4pN-NgLEYPgPyLFBX6wpSISgFNXkhWthIN4knyx7ACPCfsRgc7MQdq7lBaegMwe0RxoswciJXxU8C71zGo4nD5_NGVQhiitLBAIT/s1600/natesmittencloseup2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihomKIVygzjhHYEMZlINv53PIJsHHWse8v4pN-NgLEYPgPyLFBX6wpSISgFNXkhWthIN4knyx7ACPCfsRgc7MQdq7lBaegMwe0RxoswciJXxU8C71zGo4nD5_NGVQhiitLBAIT/s320/natesmittencloseup2.jpg" width="320" wt="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One done with no thumb.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">On the knitting front I have been in a slight funk. I have a backlog of smallish projects to talk about but haven’t had the mojo to get started on a big project. I did start a short sleeved top down raglan for the summer months. I also am planning on doing Citron for my conference knitting. I am off to a library conference on Saturday I get to spend a week in Chicago so that should be pretty cool. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">These mittens were knit way back in January using all the wool yarn scraps I had on hand. I made them for Nate well because he asked and I was anxious about the college applications. The pattern is from one of my favorite knitting books Andean Folk Knits by Marcia Lewandowski. They are the Mitones Ivenos pattern. I think they turned out pretty nice and he seems to like them. He needed them with all the snow we had this winter. The gray is Wool Ease and the other colors are a mix of Cascade 220 and the new Stitch Nation yarn I had around. I always take it as a good sign when his friends say they want a pair too. Of course Nate will not let me make them for them since he wants to be the only one with them.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I have been reading like crazy. I finished Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, Native Son by Richard Wright, and Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad. Right now I am working on Henderson the Rain King by Saul Bellows, A Passage to India by E. M. Forster and Kim by Rudyard Kipling. The last two are both about England and India so they complement each other in a weird way. So far I have 47 out of 100 books read. Boy I have been busy.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Luna is doing great she is fitting right in and has stolen the boss’ heart away. They are so cute together snuggling on the floor watching the Phillies. That man is a soft touch but don’t let him hear that! We also have a new cat cousin in the family. My sister has a new cat named Freddy who was adopted from the shelter two weeks ago. Welcome to the family Freddy. He is too sexy for his collar for sure!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-K3UebeKHnsBy8v2Eh2_OHIeHHZ7GUVBA3XwRbaNzCn7OXeZJivB22LHVThBrlvWuO4vzeF5M6YKE-menqlxaNNyrKBGQ9HF-se0NHi-gKRVLQqLkRdQ8FSgra9jHN-VU3U6y/s1600/natesmittendone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-K3UebeKHnsBy8v2Eh2_OHIeHHZ7GUVBA3XwRbaNzCn7OXeZJivB22LHVThBrlvWuO4vzeF5M6YKE-menqlxaNNyrKBGQ9HF-se0NHi-gKRVLQqLkRdQ8FSgra9jHN-VU3U6y/s320/natesmittendone.jpg" width="320" wt="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All done just in time for the snow.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Wish me luck at the conference last year we went to CA and they had an earthquake! The boss tells me it is not tornado season.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mitones-iveos-mittens-from-ivo">Mittens from Ivo (rav link)</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/citron">Citron (rav link)</a> from <a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter09/PATTcitron.php">Knitty</a><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cropped-raglan-sweater">Top down Raglan</a> from <a href="http://cache.lionbrand.com/patterns/70111.html">Lion Brand </a></div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-60900840501063393862010-03-26T13:09:00.001-04:002010-03-26T13:17:51.202-04:00Stitch Nation Collection Booklet Review (and giveaway)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSGDd_tx8Bf7R2nJfMcKVs_oeR9XtzJpwGXZnLPT90AyF6UXAZPMxmntusez6Yd39iuhUUK-0CYwGmwvmgiSAMW3qdqA5fyc53DxrZD42WWoCwFcnhSZfJOh6YuOqeZP6hqnM/s1600-h/J29.0001_project+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSGDd_tx8Bf7R2nJfMcKVs_oeR9XtzJpwGXZnLPT90AyF6UXAZPMxmntusez6Yd39iuhUUK-0CYwGmwvmgiSAMW3qdqA5fyc53DxrZD42WWoCwFcnhSZfJOh6YuOqeZP6hqnM/s320/J29.0001_project+1.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How lovely is this styling?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I was very lucky to get a copy of <a href="http://www.stitchnationyarn.com/">Stitch Nation By Debbie Stoller Collection</a> 1 in the mail to review from Coats & Clark. This full color booklet has 13 patterns (14 if you count the flower corsage that goes with the capelet) in it all using the Stitch Nation Yarn. You will find 10 knit and 3 crochet patterns. The breakdown is 3 neck patterns (scarf, shawl and a capelet) 2 hat patterns, 2 blankets, 1 bag, 1 pair of mittens and 5 sweaters. Of the 13 patterns only 1 of them is an easy pattern. This book is definitely for the intermediate or confident beginners. Just like most yarn specific booklet it doesn’t have a “learn to” section. Let’s start out by saying this is a very attractive booklet. The styling is very nice the pattern layout is great and the instructions are clear and full. Charts and schematics are clear and easy to understand. If you are looking for a booklet that is in the same vein as the Stoller books you won’t find it here. The photos are well done and the booklet layout is attractive it just doesn’t have the feel of the books and it doesn’t pretend to.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLAT8SkEJQUG8dIHYcyYGSvHe3JcVz0nXOq4JBfObpRA0iSs_PSF16PtiZ50qrwNCdE77iCetcg38g2ehLOUWZax6lvIJ1biPqeQ0cK27-FJGTRn27pw3QcLD54J31aCFX1vw/s1600-h/J29.0001_projects+7-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLAT8SkEJQUG8dIHYcyYGSvHe3JcVz0nXOq4JBfObpRA0iSs_PSF16PtiZ50qrwNCdE77iCetcg38g2ehLOUWZax6lvIJ1biPqeQ0cK27-FJGTRn27pw3QcLD54J31aCFX1vw/s320/J29.0001_projects+7-8.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This hat is so cool and slouchy</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">To me the patterns are very safe and mostly conservative. When I think of the Debbie Stoller and her books I think of trendier, avant-garde and fashion forward knitting designs. These patterns seem pretty basic and straightforward. You won’t find weird stitches, techniques or innovative cables. The stitch patterns and cables are pretty traditional and come straight from a stitch dictionary. The booklet does have a good range of small and large projects.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I liked the variety in the patterns from hats to sweaters it is a nice mix. My favorite pattern is the Flying Colors Hat. I made this hat for a test knit and I loved the blister stitch. The hat has a Bohus feel to me and the back of the pattern is very slouchy. You can’t see it in the pictures but the back of the hat is purled giving the hat cool texture which balances the color work in the front. I thought the mittens looked huge on the models hands. The booklet has a lot of color but for the most part the most of the projects are either one color or a small blend of colors. I feel that the Stitch Nation yarn color palette screams color work to me. The Over the Rainbow blanket and the Gardening at Night Bag have nice color work but I wanted some Fair Isle or Intarsia in a young and fresh way.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTrbT36A80wsNpUkhLb_NqXiO4KnDbiEiXZmBwbdwr9_tQ6-GyCLiyg3roOytkFu-ILDkj2yb71q7Fk0oMYPGX8MCCUl-y0rTdBBjwFdnXLxKhu83DjSQ7w46h0BcBUBt7WbY9/s1600-h/J29.0001_project+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTrbT36A80wsNpUkhLb_NqXiO4KnDbiEiXZmBwbdwr9_tQ6-GyCLiyg3roOytkFu-ILDkj2yb71q7Fk0oMYPGX8MCCUl-y0rTdBBjwFdnXLxKhu83DjSQ7w46h0BcBUBt7WbY9/s320/J29.0001_project+12.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I want this in a heather brown</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I also was disappointed that the projects did not list the designer. In the SNB books I really liked the designer bios. It should be known that <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/stitch-nation-by-debbie-stoller-collection-1">Heather Dixon</a> designed some of the patterns. She is listed as the designer on Ravelry for about half of the patterns with Debbie listed as the designer for the rest. The Cable Car Coat is nice and would make a great go to sweater for the fall sweater. The photo for the Morning Frost Wrap is so lovely and romantic it is a super simple wrap that would feel great around the neck especially if you did it in the Bamboo as suggest. Basically the booklet is nice; the patterns have a good variety range and a good vehicle for the yarn. I realize that Coats is trying to reach a broad audience and this does that very well. Don’t forget you can also find some great <a href="http://www.stitchnationyarn.com/Patterns/">free patterns</a> on the Stitch Nation website. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So now the fun stuff! Coats& Clark has given me a fresh new copy of the booklet to give away. If you want to try to win a copy then just leave me a comment. Put your Ravelry name in the comment so I can contact you. If you don’t use Ravelry than just leave a comment and check back in two weeks (April 9th) to see if you won.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://classypeoplehouse.blogspot.com/2010/01/full-o-sheep-review.html">Full o Sheep Review</a><br />
<a href="http://classypeoplehouse.blogspot.com/2010/03/alpaca-love-review.html">Alpaca Love Review</a><br />
<a href="http://classypeoplehouse.blogspot.com/2010/02/bamboo-ewe-review.html">Bamboo Ewe Review</a></div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-3179745523908259002010-03-21T21:28:00.000-04:002010-03-21T21:28:01.008-04:00Meet Luna!We just adopted a wonderful new cat today. We went to the Bucks County SPCA and fell in love with this face. So we took her home and promptly named her Luna. She is all black with a white tip on her tail. I think she fit right in. This afternoon she was laying on the couch with the boss watching the Phillies. Jazzy told me that knitters need cats and I think she is right.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtdWE5J7U_Z72BOckx9kH_rwJF0kLrewVij0TKfp6YrpP7-514UdTYkxUShHk9eScai2qk7LGebfUXoTHLrc1WKQsSQ4e7NMpzYZHAcww-uTv5yv0x_Vv3tFQk2WeyY_UEZiy/s1600-h/luna1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtdWE5J7U_Z72BOckx9kH_rwJF0kLrewVij0TKfp6YrpP7-514UdTYkxUShHk9eScai2qk7LGebfUXoTHLrc1WKQsSQ4e7NMpzYZHAcww-uTv5yv0x_Vv3tFQk2WeyY_UEZiy/s320/luna1.jpg" vt="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJwlDpZT26T5bpjaoOD7UmB-p50gS0SpmLNlvHRv7ZQ_fo71yW6M0WrnJdgKxaSctVw1j3ow8fBuYH17K03d6QEnln0TVTDaplogKYimzbNvsWPnJB0L6YmnFqauYhwCKALN1d/s1600-h/luna2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJwlDpZT26T5bpjaoOD7UmB-p50gS0SpmLNlvHRv7ZQ_fo71yW6M0WrnJdgKxaSctVw1j3ow8fBuYH17K03d6QEnln0TVTDaplogKYimzbNvsWPnJB0L6YmnFqauYhwCKALN1d/s320/luna2.jpg" vt="true" width="320" /></a></div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-50334125300785045812010-03-17T19:14:00.002-04:002010-03-17T19:21:16.037-04:00Yarn on the run<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7x4MeeaEiRhTAvltA4d7Rd65-XTInkOcYSSN2vP8fCb9xy3mdRyHdjJfz8coj9m2LiTB_41qnbv_o6noMpOq-eochUm0fncKCZmWv7_jlIKSCKsBCt8jmMj1l-PvkkMdqwmP/s1600-h/S1053205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7x4MeeaEiRhTAvltA4d7Rd65-XTInkOcYSSN2vP8fCb9xy3mdRyHdjJfz8coj9m2LiTB_41qnbv_o6noMpOq-eochUm0fncKCZmWv7_jlIKSCKsBCt8jmMj1l-PvkkMdqwmP/s320/S1053205.JPG" vt="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Today I started a pretty crazy knitting in public event on my regular morning bus. I was knitting along on a hat on the bus when this woman that I see everyday starts yelling and laughing hysterically. I turn off my mp3 player and try to figure out why she is gesturing frantically to me. Apparently my small golf ball sized ball of yarn that I thought was in my bag had popped out and rolled to the front of the bus. It had gotten tangled all over the place and was twisted around a sleeping mans leg! She was trying to catch the yarn ball but the yarn was so slippery and the bus was moving. A couple of people helped me chase down the ball and wind it back up we all laughed. I told the woman I would give her the hat when I finished it! I guess a lot of people will be hearing a story about a crazy lady on the bus lost her ball of yarn!</div><br />
January was NaKniMitMo10 or National Knit Mittens Month 2010 since I love to knit mittens I decided I would participate again. Last year I busted out four pairs of mittens for the event. This year I did two. I did the Latvian Inspired Mittens and the flip tops for Jazzy that I wrote about earlier. I decided that I wanted to make my sister a pair of color work mittens for her birthday which is in late January. She tries to make me give her my Lapland mittens and I always say no. So I found this great pattern on free Ravelry and dug out some RHSS from the stash in some girl colors. I wanted to make sure the mittens were machine washable and didn’t itch! The pattern is pretty straight forward and it looks beautiful. I chose purples and gray for the mittens. So I went like gang busters on the first and then was easily distracted on the second. I let it languish until the very end of the month. I knit like crazy wove in all the ends and left the thumbs until the last Saturday of the month. I had to measure my sister’s thumbs. In the past my mittens had thumbs that were too small and it really hinders movement. Well long story short she loves the mittens. She wears them when she drives which is weird but she hates cold hands. They washed up nice and soft and haven’t fallen apart I guess that is a win - win in my book!<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQlRCS0gVBG-vY-4JO8cfUY553J5-YEsmVG5-DQPjT4WoB5UIP0UWtL0SIURnWTm5tYiO5PdYEXxMfdKLNiuxbw2wK-Lkd5DFJQnIQgAPfu1eNr9JIaf-PID-HD1sInYkyB8dB/s1600-h/latvian1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQlRCS0gVBG-vY-4JO8cfUY553J5-YEsmVG5-DQPjT4WoB5UIP0UWtL0SIURnWTm5tYiO5PdYEXxMfdKLNiuxbw2wK-Lkd5DFJQnIQgAPfu1eNr9JIaf-PID-HD1sInYkyB8dB/s320/latvian1.jpg" vt="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In other news I am still working through my Modern Library 100 Best Book list. Since last check in I finished I, Claudius by Robert Graves, To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, and the Old Wives Tale by Arnold Bennett. I am working on Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison and Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad. I have to say the To the Lighthouse was wonderful and Mrs. Ramsay is a knitter. In the story she spends a summer at the seashore working on a brown sock. Much of the story develops around the act of her knitting. It was fascinating to see how knitting was used to convey the mood of Mrs. Ramsay and how her husband sees her. I would love to find an audio book of this title to listen to while I knit.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJH-zAftROZxRqTzsaDvo5oljHqJ9Rb9JCrBojUBHydK5l5tPpwimbKX_PovMGFKqFaGNFoF0PJgDlaWnK2kp5qSy8euSD4rfFQbEBbsQz7HrDZDQW3_qQ8IRO01TjkY8konX/s1600-h/latvian2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJH-zAftROZxRqTzsaDvo5oljHqJ9Rb9JCrBojUBHydK5l5tPpwimbKX_PovMGFKqFaGNFoF0PJgDlaWnK2kp5qSy8euSD4rfFQbEBbsQz7HrDZDQW3_qQ8IRO01TjkY8konX/s320/latvian2.jpg" vt="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">At last count I have six projects that I have yet to blog about. I will get to those in the coming weeks. Right now I am working on a hat from the new Stitch Nation Booklet and thinking about an afghan for Nate to take away to college. Oh wait if he ever finds out which college he is going to. You rush and rush to get everything ready and then you wait! I bought two new color work books. The New Stranded Colorwork by Mary Scot Huff and Color by Kristen by Kristen Nicholsas both of which are drool worthy. I want to make the Southwest-Style Sleeved Wrap from Kristen Knits and the Being Koi vest from Huff’s book. Maybe when I am the empty nester my sister keeps telling me I will be soon!</div><br />
My mother finished an amazing crocheted fisherman inspired afghan for a fundraiser. It is amazing. I am awed by how fast she can crochet. She mixes and matches the stitches in panels so each blanket is unique and she always does them in the creamy aran color. I have to jump on the band wagon and say I did the fringing. She hates fringe but people love it. She sold raffles for the blanket and made over 150.00 for her charity. Mom, please make me an afghan and don’t tell me to bid on the next one or make my own!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WZMF_QRcm_G5ShL0midOZYquLv7WPLbg_0p6bZZfjdeBkND1uUq8S22pZmQklG3AQWVakaal56ZSZwTt7HAjgZ0TsCu4zAjFwDhY9Lp5EJsNa5UwjkZ7JhiefGA9rISHQqsL/s1600-h/S1053203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WZMF_QRcm_G5ShL0midOZYquLv7WPLbg_0p6bZZfjdeBkND1uUq8S22pZmQklG3AQWVakaal56ZSZwTt7HAjgZ0TsCu4zAjFwDhY9Lp5EJsNa5UwjkZ7JhiefGA9rISHQqsL/s320/S1053203.JPG" vt="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><em><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Links:</span></strong></em></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Latvian Insprired Mittens by Jennifer Little<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/latvian-inspired-mittens"> (rav link) Free pattern</a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Color-Kristin-Design-Beautiful-Knits/dp/1933027835">Color by Kristen by Kristen Nicholas</a> </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/New-Stranded-Colorwork-Techniques-Patterns/dp/159668111X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268867965&sr=1-1">The New Stranded Colorwork by Mary Scott Huff</a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33669892.post-82303290449974212162010-03-07T18:37:00.001-05:002010-03-26T13:18:53.881-04:00Alpaca Love - A review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1N_E5qwmEVeSqKNWQTlx710JJD0hMdtdmlcroHOFJfonGLytMofsWHtseWent4glFFXoPCRQ8UQGdJbAOu89tBbm1tuwum6aUXi1cUpOHKg-6JCw4pE-qLXqqy360HetDptv2/s1600-h/Stitch%20Nation_logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1N_E5qwmEVeSqKNWQTlx710JJD0hMdtdmlcroHOFJfonGLytMofsWHtseWent4glFFXoPCRQ8UQGdJbAOu89tBbm1tuwum6aUXi1cUpOHKg-6JCw4pE-qLXqqy360HetDptv2/s320/Stitch%20Nation_logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1EO-MFX90qK8lyG4lvZ-cSNKHtn0FiGQwDp6B5ThrmDIsWhOiPfYyTXp4yGsLbTxLqGCOfPp0zjsRmH1Fql-zPasIOBEE0u_KsoQ6GrNr2IyNLwR2ZHwJxzi8JKwpovSdn4WT/s1600-h/T102_3420_product.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1EO-MFX90qK8lyG4lvZ-cSNKHtn0FiGQwDp6B5ThrmDIsWhOiPfYyTXp4yGsLbTxLqGCOfPp0zjsRmH1Fql-zPasIOBEE0u_KsoQ6GrNr2IyNLwR2ZHwJxzi8JKwpovSdn4WT/s320/T102_3420_product.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The third and final skein of yarn I received in my press kit is Alpaca Love. This yarn is a worsted weight yarn that is comprised of 80% wool and 20% alpaca. It is a plied yarn that comes in 131 yard center pull machine wound skeins. It comes in eight pretty nice colors I like the Espresso brown and the Peacock Feather teal colors. My sample was the green color Fern. The website says that the yarn adds a “touch of luxury” to any project. I decided to test out this yarn by creating a one skein project. I decided that I wanted to try to make a pair of socks. The yardage is a little small to make a full size adult pair of socks so I went with a child’s size hoping to make a pair of inside or house socks. I know that my niece likes to wear socks to bed and around the house because of the hardwood floors are cold in the mornings.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So I wound the skein in advance and despite a small yarn barf it was very consistent with no knots, joins, slubs, or fuzz balls. I used the 5 Stitch per Inch Socks by Ann Budd from Getting Started Knitting Socks by Ann Budd to knit the socks on size 7 bamboo dpns. The knitting went very quickly and I was happy with the way the ribbing and stockinette came out. Both were smooth and consistent which is nice, the ribbing has a nice stretch but sprang back to without stretching. The socks had very little fuzz and the yarn was pretty soft. It is not as soft as the bamboo but not as stiff as full wool.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When my socks were done I washed them. I didn’t see any dye in the water but I did notice a wet dog smell from the socks which were gone when the socks dried. It wasn’t overwhelming but it was there. The socks seemed to take a long time to dry which I am not sure whether this was the yarn or the weather but it wasn’t a major issue. I gave Jazzy the socks to try on after I washed them so that I could take a picture of them. She liked the way they felt she said that was soft and smooth but she thought the color was for boys! I don’t know how well alpaca kid’s socks will wear but they sure looked and felt pretty good. I could see this yarn being used for winter outer wear such as warm snuggly cowl and slouchy berets. Just like Bamboo Ewe and Full O’ Sheep Alpaca Love a nice yarn at a good price in great modern colors. I have to say my favorite of the three was the Full O’ Sheep. I would love to make a Fair Isle yoke sweater out of it. (Hey Coats kick me the yarn.)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The only thing I would have to say about the yarn line is that it annoys me that it is only available at Joann’s which is not technically a yarn or even a craft store. I would have liked to seen this yarn at some other places such as craft stores or the major online yarn stores. I think it should be more widely available. Next time I check in with Stitch Nation I want to take a look at the pattern support.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil8htn5vvfQAVVWo2mrYYttFkllUMi19EbmfkztlwK6yTSmVlNzn9sA_ARcXSZuL6NARlWSP46uVlOM0uGnfcnDYubzSj6SR19Ier_IG9msxDGSWm9k2WwZpz9CivNbUWEzaOL/s1600-h/socks1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil8htn5vvfQAVVWo2mrYYttFkllUMi19EbmfkztlwK6yTSmVlNzn9sA_ARcXSZuL6NARlWSP46uVlOM0uGnfcnDYubzSj6SR19Ier_IG9msxDGSWm9k2WwZpz9CivNbUWEzaOL/s320/socks1.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqnVmQik6LIaeto1xiaL_rlMwtJMR2q3IvRFffNdLbJy-fX2wzVY7noPlXTP7gPdqPcdZwyLH69yAY_nM6sWaHAn47yOCq08nouEMipaMkGBnUoVYFbgisJoBFx39n_9pR1qMu/s1600-h/socks2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqnVmQik6LIaeto1xiaL_rlMwtJMR2q3IvRFffNdLbJy-fX2wzVY7noPlXTP7gPdqPcdZwyLH69yAY_nM6sWaHAn47yOCq08nouEMipaMkGBnUoVYFbgisJoBFx39n_9pR1qMu/s320/socks2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmJgefMIXJPCPSS8mj6kpRZwkMHPakmelT-MbG_LmwrsQTVmWo5_3RERMWBcZsbqPDSv4WZ-MsZmNOOEWcGRiKzwxPeNfSyBxECB5Rkyl20ltHfrtFNBuYx3F8pqGoKVRIQWZx/s1600-h/socks3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmJgefMIXJPCPSS8mj6kpRZwkMHPakmelT-MbG_LmwrsQTVmWo5_3RERMWBcZsbqPDSv4WZ-MsZmNOOEWcGRiKzwxPeNfSyBxECB5Rkyl20ltHfrtFNBuYx3F8pqGoKVRIQWZx/s320/socks3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Links</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.stitchnationyarn.com/">Stitch Nation Yarns</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/5-stitches-per-inch-sock">5 Stitch Socks (rav link)</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031843186326339017noreply@blogger.com1