Nisse to be . . . . . .

This is part of my cork stash. I did not take the ones I sent out of this stash, they were already upstairs waiting to be dressed. I still have a few more upstairs (about as many as I sent D). I just didn't want you to worry that I had sent you all I had . . . . . .

I Wish

I wish I could knit as fast as I can find projects to knit.

I wanted to get the elves knitted, the ornaments knitted, all my started projects finished and all my stash yarn knitted into stuff plus some Christmas gifts made before the end of the year.

It isn't going to happen.

Christmas Wreaths

These are the little Christmas Wreaths I made - they can be used as pins to wear or as ornaments. I am going to use one as a pin and give the other two away. I thought they were cute.

The pattern can be found here:
http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/patterns/christmas/i-cord-wreath.htm

I altered the way the berries were made because they had a hole in them using the pattern. I cast on 3 stitches and then purled in the back and front of the first and last stitch on the next row (made 5 stitches). Then I knit a row and then purled a row. On the next row, I knit two together, knit one, knit two together (left 3 stitches). Last row I purled 3 together and then pulled the yarn thru the one stitch to tie off. I left 6" of thread at the cast on edge and 6" at the bind off edge. I took a needle and ran the ends thru the side stitches (one on each side) then pulled the ends tight and gathered the stitches - made perfectly round little berries. Then I took those ends and the green ends from the icord and tied them in a bow behind the berries.

Korknisse

These are my korknisse. The two in the center are made on regular wine corks and the rest are made using champagne corks and I think they are cuter. The hats will have to be glued on if they are to hang on the tree, but right now, they are just hanging around being cute.

The pattern can be found here:
http://www.saartjeknits.nl/patterns/Korknisse.html

Different Felted Fish

Made these from some bats of raw wool that my friend and I picked up at SAFF. They are wet felted over a template then you open them and stuff them with any old wool you have around. Then we needle felted the side fins and eyes and lips. It was a lot of fun to make them and they are really cute in person . . . . about the same size as the knitted fish I have been making.

Lots of Angels

I knit a whole choir of angels. I like the tiny angels, but not as much as the fiddle faddle angels. I knit 14 of each in pairs - most will be gifts and I knit one big fiddle faddle angel for me. I decided I didn't like the hair any way that I tried it, so I went out and bought some doll hair. Then I decided that I kinda like them naked and plain so if the girls want to put hair on them, they can, but I'm not going to do it.

You two should be worth . . . . .

an awful lot of rice. Go to this website and play the vocabulary game . . . . for every word you get right, you send 10 grains of rice to hungry people. The girls love to play and do pretty well, but you two, you should be able to feed entire nations!

http://www.freerice.com/

Saartje's Booties

I thought this pattern was so cute that I made a pair just because . . . . knew someone would turn up pregnant at some point. Sure enough, the tech teacher is pregnant with triplets!

The pattern can be found here:
http://members.home.nl/tdpj/Patronen/Bootees/Saartjes%20bootees.pdf

The 2nd Rat has a Face

Thought you'd like to see it. Gonna make a third and write down the pattern because so many people on Ravelry have asked for it. Miss S is going to give this one to the director at the State Competition on Saturday.

Hemlock Ring

I started the Hemlock Ring Blanket out of the soft and lovely alpaca I bought at SAFF. It's very lovely, but significantly smaller than the one Jarrod knit. I have 1200 yards of the yarn tho, so it should be a nice size when done anyway. I really love working with this yarn - soft and warm on your hands - but don't make mistakes because it fuzzes if you have to unknit it over and over and over.

Not Knitting

But still cool. Your son/grandson helped me build this to keep all my beautiful passiflora alive this winter . . . . and a few other plants too.

Beautiful Old Patterns

Found this website and thought you might enjoy it. There are hundreds of old pattern books and booklets scanned and available for download or printing. There are knitting, crochet, tatting, etc patterns. Might be fun to look at them and see if there are more like the Hemlock Ring that we might want to do as shawls or blankets or just for fun.

http://www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/completelist.htm

Next Project -

There is only one day left to vote for the next project. I (along with someone else) voted for something else.
I am working on three baby afghans which I would like to get done before Christmas, and on the pocket pets which I would like to get done before Christmas and the elephant sweater (yes before Christmas).
But I would like to start work on a shawl.

How about you guys???

Entrelac

All things considered - I am considering taking the entrelac project off the list of projects. Both of you have done entrelac before but I hadn't.
I have created a pattern for an entrelac baby afghan so that I couold learn entrelac and so I could use up some yarn.
Having done the first little bit, I have decided that I would have to love someone very much to knit anything entrelac, which means that when I finish this afghan I will never do that (entrelac) again.
But I did it once.
So, I am removing it from the project list and one of you can add it back if you are so inclined and so insane.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween to all! (The ghosts are getting their faces right now - maybe I'll take another pic tomorrow when they have them!)


P.S. Jon arrived safely and the girls are thrilled to have him here!

More from the weekend . . .

Got this yarn this weekend too . . . .
The brown in the back is pure Alpaca - undyed. It's so soft and nice that I couldn't resist. I'm going to make the Hemlock Ring blanket with it.

The gray, in front, is also undyed wool - not as soft, but very nice. I'm going to make some socks out of it.

The red is kid mohair and so soft and lovely. Gonna make a shawl out of it.

What I did this weekend . . . .

I went to the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair in Asheville and spent lots of money . . . . got real purdy stuff tho. This batch is for the girls to do felting with - we're going to make the felted fish here: http://www.spinsterstreadle.com/felt_fish.pdf

And the girls in the girl scout troop are going to make the felted balls here: http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=1f45c137bf22f010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&autonomy_kw=felt&rsc=ns2006_m6

And there should be enough left over to needle felt this and that . . . . .

'Nother Rat

Made another Rat for Miss S to keep. This one has a better body shape, but she just won't get off her butt and give it a nose and eyes . . . . . may have to let the little sucker go . . . .

Choir of angels

Angels and Fiddle Faddle

I've been fiddling with Fiddle Faddle and this is what I came up with. I made a mistake on the star and did it wrong in two different ways, but it's cute anyway. The tree is much too large, so I think I'm going to felt it. It also has a mistake in the grafting (which you can see clearly if I turn the tree over). I was so excited about learning to graft garter stitch and then it didn't work - there are three rows of reverse stockinette in the middle and if I turn the tree over, 3 rows of stockinette. Figure that will show less if I felt it too. And the angel pattern has no wings, but my angel needed them. She's about 8" tall, so I could either use finer yarn or felt her too.












This is Elizabeth's Fiddle Faddle Angel next to the Lucybug Tiny Angel. I don't like the little angel's hair. My plan was to unply the plies, but I couldn't see them well enough. I might be able to convince a younger female to do it for me. They both need halos and the big one needs hair.

Socks, Socks, Socks . . . .

I don't really like knitting socks, but some children I know like wearing them. So here are three pair I made for them. One pair in each color that the girl liked and one pair that there wasn't quite enough of the original color for, so it's toes match the other girl's socks . . . . .

Here is the pictyre of the dianond.

Texas Washcloths

These are my Texas washcloths. I also have an angel one somewhere.

More items for list

I think we should add to our project list:

tiny angels (mom and I are making them)

elves and pixies (need pattern from Ritza)

Anyone else want to add these or add something else???

And I'm Done

I have knit all eight of the washcloths, each in its own color.

And, because I was feeling left behind by you two, I have knit three different angel washcloths - all in the same color. There is the green cotolino that Ritza sent and I might do something in that BUT

I am done.

Since Ritza is done, and I am done, and mom has had it - Now what shall we do???????????

I can't believe I knit a RAT!

I saw so many of these this summer that you'd think I could recreate one from memory, but I needed help. I searched the internet for a pattern cuz I was sure there weren't any patterns in my books . . . . . found pics, but no patterns.

This is the body, finished but not stuffed . . . . . the final rat is supposed to be about 9" long with a 9" tail . . . .

This is the body stuffed. I stick grocery bags inside to keep it from sticking to itself during the felting process. There is an opening in the belly that is sewn shut (woven) with dental floss. That way I can open it up and take out the bags and put in the stuffing. It's supposed to be heavy, so it needs beans or something in with the stuffing.

And this is the bottom side with it's little feet up in the air. It is supposed to be a dead rat, so it's ok that the feet sorta stick up in the air.

It is in the washing machine now . . . . I'll take another pic when it's felted and stuffed . . . . .

The finished rat . . . . .

The Gift and I'm done with Washcloths

I've knit 7 of the washcloths from the book - well, technically I knit six from the book and one I made up. Either way, I'm done knitting them and it's time to move on to other things. Here's the last one - no, there's one more that I haven't taken a pic of, but it's the same as one of the gift ones - a lace pattern similar to the vine but with small flowers. This one is my version of the moss stitch stripe - similar to theirs but I didn't do the ribbing, just did stockinette stitch because it didn't pull in. I did the ribbing on the gift cloths.

The turquoise are the gift cloths . . . . the top right is the pattern I made up and the bottom left is the moss stripe as the book says to do it.

More stuff finished

I have knit several more washcloths - two more of the turquoise smaller one and I dunno how many more of the bigger ones. I was going to post pictures - I keep meaning to do that and somehow never manage to do it. I will have the time tomorrow - my washing machine caused a nasty leak and now the front hall has no ceiling - I'm stuck at home for the day.

Will try to get out and mail a box to you guys too.

I'm proud of you two

I have accomplished no where near the quantity of things you two have done. I have 4 washcloths and 1 sweater.

Someday I am going to be able to knit as fast as you guys.

Found it!

I searched and searched and seached and finally found this little guy. He's lost one shoe, but he's in remarkably good shape considering how old he must be by now. He was clearly made in three pieces and sewed together over a pipe cleaner with little felt hands and shoes. If I were to do him now, he'd be in one piece or at least fewer pieces. Might just have to try to make him a girlfriend.

Look what came in the mail yesterday!

They are just as cute as they can be. I haven't started knitting them as I want to finish the washcloths. But as soon as I finish them, I'll have to start one or two of these. The patterns for the elfs are on light paper, but the pattern for the pixies is on dark green. Miss S said she'd give it a try, but I may need to brush up on my typing. Not to worry tho, I'll manage it somehow.

More washcloths:

I finished a couple more of the washcloths and then took a break to do a few as a housewarming gift. The gift ones are slightly smaller. I had a third one mostly done, but it seemed to have so many ends to work in that I tore it out and restarted it with a new ball of yarn.

Knitting Video

Here is a knitting video that you both should watch . . . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6ZjMWLqJvM

We should all check our copies

Corrections to Knitter's Stash

Corrections in PDF files are usually highlighted in or in bold font. Your edition of this book may already include some, or all, of these corrections because corrections are made before each reprinting.

Page 9 - Graduated Ribbed Top (704 KB) Pages 12-13 - Age of Aquarius Trio (704 KB) Page 28 - Marie Louise's Lace Sweater (387 KB) Page 41 - Quick Knit Rug (474 KB) Pages 42-43 - Farmhouse Rug (1.17 MB) Page 46 - Ladders of Elegance (37 KB) Page 51 - Sonoma Spring Cantata (263 KB) Page 53 - Sonoma Spring Cantata (592 KB) Page 54 - Sonoma Spring Cantata (362 KB) Page 58 - Heavenly Camisole (64 KB) Page 82 - Fog Chaser Jacket (270 KB) Page 107 - Cable-Wise Cashmere (255 KB) Page 114 - Baby's First Luxuries Sweater, Hat & Stay-On Socks (1.3 MB) Page 120 - Point Fire Raglan Jacket (594 KB) Page 140 - My Constant Companion (715 KB) Page 148 - Tweedy Cashmere Pullover (96 KB) Page 157 - Oppulent Evening Shawl (416 KB)