Tabitha Knits

Clue 3

2011-11-26T11:52:00.001-06:00

Clue 3 of the Treasure Hunt has been posted on my website.

Tam with a Name

2011-11-22T18:50:00.001-06:00

Mermaid Coin

Here is my latest adventure in stranded colorwork. This faux Fair Isle hat is created using variegated sock yarn along with a coordinating solid. This is a great pattern for that beautiful skein of hand-painted yarn that is uncooperative with most stitch patterns.

The pattern requires knowledge of knitting in the round, double decreases and basic stranded colorwork, as well as reading color charts. Colorwork is fully charted with written instructions for basic techniques.

Introductory Special - Through December 31st, buy this pattern together with Fire & Water Beret and get a $3.00 discount using coupon code TH-Stranded at checkout. Use the redemption link below for this offer.

Redemption Link

Fire & Water

2011-11-17T11:32:00.001-06:00

I just listed my 48th design on Ravelry. Fire & Water Beret

This colorful stranded colorwork beret was inspired by the Aztec art of Mexico. Doubly warm because of the stranding, this colorful hat will cheer the coldest winter day.

Pattern is suitable for intermediate knitters. Skills required: knitting small circumference in the round, stranded colorwork, chart reading. Charts are in color. I purchased Loopy Ewe Solid Series yarn for this pattern but the contrast colors can be worked easily with scrap yarn from your stash. All together I used approximately 90 - 100 yd of the blue, and approximately 20 - 25 yd of each of the three contrast colors.

$5.00

Be watching for matching pieces for this hat.

Treasure Hunt - Clue 2

2011-11-12T12:32:00.001-06:00

Clue 2 in the Treasure Hunt on my website is up.

Saturday Surprises

2011-11-05T08:04:00.003-05:00

I have a game running on my website that you might be interested in.

Finally Fall

2011-09-23T10:00:00.006-05:00

Today is the Autumnal Equinox, so you all know what that means. It is officially fall. Fall here is a little less pronounced than in other parts of the country. Here, our summer gradually blends into winter and fall is that blending period. It means that the high temperatures are in the mid-80s instead of high-90s. It means that is is cool enough to sleep without the air conditioner and the leaves start changing. Here, they don't all seem to change at once. You see a tree here and a tree there but often we don't get that blaze of color typically associated with autumn. Also, there are lots of evergreen trees here so even in the dead of winter, there are still plenty of patches of green.

We have a few flowers that only bloom here in the fall, like the spider lily

and the confederate rose. My confederate rose hasn't bloomed quite yet this year but that first bloom of the year is always reason for celebration. It tends to get featured in a knitting pattern.

I also still have azalea blossoms. Our mild climate is suitable to a variety of azalea that blooms in the spring and fall. I rather like this particular plant.

With the temperatures not being so miserably hot, I have renewed creative energy so my knitting and designing tend to kick into high gear. This year is no exception. Here is my latest design.

Debbie's Diamonds Shawl

I have been working on this pattern for a while. It was my first attempt at a fully charted lace design. This shawl was designed for my friend Debbie of Dodge Creations. The sample is knit in her lovely hand-dyed yarn - Dodge Creations Dye Works.

This lovely rectangular shawl featuring a bold diamond motif will be a versatile wardrobe addition. It looks as fabulous with eveningwear as it does with jeans. Shawl is knit in one piece using basic lace techniques. Design is fully charted, and no line by line written instructions are included. Pattern is suitable for Intermediate to Advanced knitters. You will need to know basic lace techniques as well as chart reading.The pattern file is quite large (over 3Mb in size) so please contact me if you have trouble downloading it and I can send a multiple file version of the pattern.

$7.00

Before I shut up, I need to announce the winner for my "The Thing about Summer" contest. The winner is Joyce. I will be sending your patterns to you through Ravelry later today. Congratulations and thanks to everyone who played. The next contest will be in October - it will be a scavenger hunt.
Until next time, happy knitting.

Paint Chips and Socks

2011-09-02T15:41:00.002-05:00

We have finally gotten to the stage in rearranging where it's time to do the fun stuff. Time to pick the paint. So which color do I want on my walls?

And when I am not working on getting everything in the house back in order, I am knitting socks.

That's about all for this week. Don't forget to enter the contest from the last post and the contest on my Ravelry group. Winners for both contests will be chosen on 10 September 2011.

The Thing About Summer (Contest)

2011-08-26T12:04:00.000-05:00

...is that it gets away from you really quickly. This summer is no different. It has zoomed by a light speed.

Here is a quick update on what's been going on this summer.

Summer Reading Program
Everyone in the family, except Mr H, took part in a summer reading program. With all the other stuff going on none of us read an astronomical number of books but we still won some prizes. SmallFry won a game, Buttercup won a gift certificate to her favorite restaurant and I got tickets to a play. Plus we all tried out some new authors and have a list of books to read for the rest of the year.

Gardening
We tried but the weather just didn't cooperate much. It was exceptionally dry this spring so the plants just didn't do much. We did get some fresh veggies but not as many as we would have liked. We are hoping for better luck with the fall garden.

StarFleet Fiber Arts Corps
I mentioned this group in my last post. I am still knitting away for Starfleet. I should have at least one more promotion by the end of the summer but I am hoping to jump two ranks.

Home
The house has tied up a lot of my time this summer. First, there was the series of appliance failures and car woes to deal with. And then we turned the house totally upside down to create an office space for me and a more functional school space. When all is said and done, there will probably only be one piece of furniture in the entire house that didn't get moved. On the bright side, I love my new bedroom and office. I think this new arrangement, once everything finally returns to its proper place, will be more conducive to creative work.

Designing
I've been working away on a number of designs but I haven't quite got them ready to show you yet. Just know that there will be a lot of new things to see for fall.

Contest
Finally, a contest since I haven't given away anything on the blog lately. Many of you who read this will be aware with my family's fondness for the TV show Doctor Who. In celebration of the start of Season 6.5, how about a chance to win my Doctor Who-themed patterns? Just post a comment about your favorite Doctor Who moment. Please include your Ravelry ID, an email addy or some way to contact you if you win. One winner will be chosen using the Random Number Generator and will receive a copy of the following patterns - Medusa Cascade Shawl, Medusa Cascade Socks, Time Lord Socks and Sprinkles Socks which are affectionately known as TARDIS socks because the lace looks like little TARDISes hurtling through time and space. In the event that the winner already owns some of these pattern, he or she will be allowed to choose a different pattern or even gift the duplicate pattern to a friend.

For more chances to win, join my Ravelry group, like my Facebook page or follow me on Twitter and then post another comment for each social outlet to let me know you are following me and you will receive an extra entry. So that is four chances to win per person. As an bonus prize, the winner will also receive the Who-themed pattern that I am secretly working on as soon as the pattern is released. That is a total of 5 patterns! All in time for holiday knitting.

There is also another contest going on my Ravelry group so if you join that group, make sure you play the game.

Catching My Breath

2011-08-15T16:40:00.000-05:00

The whirlwind of summer things is starting to settle down as we start to get ready for fall. I have been getting year end/new school year paperwork ready. Have been preparing materials for a beginning knitting class that I will be teaching in September. Been trying to do a little cosmetic work on the old blog and rearrange the house to accommodate the needs of the new school year, while allowing me a bit of office space.

I have been also knitting away to earn another promotion in Starfleet. Here are some of the little things that I have knit so far. My goal is to be a Lieutenant or higher before the end of the summer.

Here are some of my completed missions:

A disguise

A bracelet

A plethora of dishcloths

A communicator cozy

A fez for Timmy

which is in the process of being shot off his head by Doctor River Song.

A timelord worthy scarf for Timmy

which is proving to be quite handy for a variety of tasks.

Substitute hat after River has destroyed fez

Thinking aid

Tree climbing apparatus

Wild horse taming device

and Escape tool

On the whole, Timmy was very pleased.

To round out my Starfleet knitting, I also completed a pair of Rainbow Medusa Cascade Socks

A Shawl - my design.

and a hat - also my design.

I am disappointed that I don't have a new pattern ready to show you. Those last two are about to enter the testing phase so I should have the ready in a few weeks. I also have a second shawl that will be ready as soon as I get the yarn for the last 5 rows.

Until next time, happy knitting.

Too Busy to Blog

2011-07-12T12:03:00.000-05:00

Between Timmy, the garden, the dead freezer, last week's problems with car glass, computer issues and the kids, that is how my life has been.

So let's catch up, shall we?

Timmy has been properly fitted

Though it's not an easy thing to do with someone so small.

Dead Freezer has been removed. It was a good freezer that served us well. It survived 18 years and at least 5 moves. It will be missed.

However, I have suddenly discovered that its removal gives me much more room in my kitchen. So it may not soon be replaced.

All glass has been repaired but I thought I might show you what happens when I have a bad week with car glass.

Now one but 2 windows drop into doors without reason or warning.

This is only the seventh repair (technically, we could call it 9 since they replaced the parts on all 4 windows this time) we have had on the 4 windows of the Jeep. Can you say "factory defect"? I really hope I don't have further problems with this vehicle. Maybe we should have gotten a van instead.

But as if two window replacements weren't enough, Mr. H decided it might be fun to catch flying scrap metal with his windshield.

There were three other vehicles damaged by the same flying scrap metal. Truck that tossed it into the air was oblivious to the situation. Fortunately, Mr. H wasn't hurt, other than in the wallet.

So hopefully, you all will forgive my temporary absence and consider yourselves fortunate that you aren't me right now.

Next post will be about knitting. I promise.

My New Boss

2011-06-24T10:51:00.000-05:00

This is my new best friend, Timmy.

Timmy is the ~~CEO~~, ~~mascot~~, ~~code monkey~~, ~~manager~~, top banana at ThinkGeek, one of my favorite websites on the planet. Timmy has commissioned me to do a little knitting for his convention wardrobe.

Timmy's travels are legendary so he needs a flexible and extensive wardrobe that will have him prepared for whatever adventure might arise. He never knows who he might meet or where he might end up.

Timmy is a monkey who appreciates the beauty and quality of hand-knits and I am totally honored to be knitting for such an prestigious business monkey. I hope that he will enjoy the things I knit for him. I will be keeping you posted as my work progresses.

Gulf Breezes

2011-06-22T08:25:00.010-05:00

I've neglected to share my latest design with you. This one is just perfect for summer. It was designed for Sunflower Yarns June Simple Pleasures Kit. (if you are really lucky their might be one or two available still). I thoroughly enjoyed working with Sunflower's Farmington yarn. The color is rich and lovely and the yarn handles nicely.

Gulf Breezes

This versatile little shawl will be a must have addition to your wardrobe. Not only is it a wrap for those cool evenings, a topper for a sundress, or a chic kerchief-style scarf; it even works as a beach cover up when tied around the hips.

It’s knit from the center back down with a single 100-gram skein of luxury sock yarn. The unusual shaping helps it stay on the shoulders nicely. Pattern is suitable for the Advanced Beginner to Intermediate knitter. Techniques required: basic stitches, increases and decreases, simple shaping, basic lace techniques. Available as a download through Ravelry.

$5.00

Things I Learned from Camp

2011-06-19T16:23:00.013-05:00

We are starting to settle back into a routine after summer camp. The kids had a blast and I learned a few things too. So here is my list of

Things I Learned from Sending Kids to Summer Camp

It takes half-a-century and an act of congress to get kids ready to go to camp.
It takes a week to recover from packing for camp.
I can really get a lot accomplished when I am not distracted by kids.
After about 2 days, the lack of distraction gets lonely.
Having a week alone with Mr. Heart is really quite nice.
The house stays cleaner without kids in it.
No matter how many clothes you pack at least one kid will complain about not having enough to wear
Packing soap and towels is no guarantee that boys will shower.
The kids don't miss you nearly as much as you miss them.
You must explicitly tell boys how often they must shower. Otherwise, they will think that the shower they took before they left home is enough to last them for the whole week.
Boys can come up with really creative excuses for skipping showers.
Teenage girls might just be more homesick than their younger brothers.
Boys can bring home approximately 3.8 metric tons of red dirt on their belongings when they return home from camp.
Packing healthy snacks is not a guarantee that kids will actually eat them.
It will take longer to unpack the stuff that went to camp that it did to pack it.
New shoes and clothes that went to camp will never, ever look new again.
Even if you don't go to camp, your clothes are going to get red dirt in them.
Sometimes, what looks like sunburn is actually red dirt.
It is really good to have the kids back home.
But whatever you do, don't tell them how much I missed them.

The long awaited...Because I Felt Like it - A tutorial (Part 4)

2011-06-16T16:43:00.001-05:00

Seems like ages ago when I posted the rest of the felting tutorials. This one was a bit delayed because the photos came out fuzzy and had to be retaken so please ignore the multiple backgrounds. And now for the long awaited conclusion to the continuing drama of As the Wool Shrinks.

Lesson 4 – Felting isn't the last step. Or Blocking is Important. Really, really important.

One of the first things you will notice when you finish felting your knitted piece is that it sometimes looks very little like the desired finished product. That is because most felted items also require blocking to look the way they should.

For example, here is what the Lily Alexania hat looks like right from felting.

And this is what the finished hat looks like.

Not a lot alike, huh? This is the time when blocking comes in really handy. Here is what you do to block your felted hat.

First, you will need to gather a few supplies.

You could use an expensive hat form or you can gather some household items to form the hat into it's desired shape. I used a cookie tin, a can of chicken and a couple of plates but anything you find around your home that is the right shape and size will work.

Next, stretch your piece lengthwise.

During felting the stitches tend to bunch up lengthwise more than widthwise. A good stretch helps return them to a more proportionate shape.

Now, stretch your hat over the form.

This will give the hat its basic shape. You will need to stretch and shape around the form. You want to hat to really hug the form.

Smooth the top of the hat.

Make sure you stretch it to make the top smooth and flat. Then smooth out the sides of the hat along the side of your form.

Now, shape the brim.

Roll the brim so that your hat can rest flat on your work surface. Then using your thumbs and fingers work your way around the brim stretching and shaping until you have coaxed the brim into your desired shape.

Continue, shaping until you have shaped all edges of the brim.

Once you have the desired shape, place you hat on a surface to dry. I used a plate to help support the brim during the drying process.

When your hat is dry, decorate the band as desired and enjoy.

I learned a lot from this adventure in shrinking but there are still more questions that I have about the process. Don't be surprised if you see more adventures in felting later.

To market, to market...

2011-06-08T12:25:00.000-05:00

My friend Lucy is mad for market bags. She positively loves them and she has been nagging me for ages to come up with a pattern for one. Well Lucy, here you go.

Green Chic

Everybody is going green now. This market bag will help you save the earth while still looking stylish. The lace panel stretches to accommodate all your shopping. You will swear the bag is bigger on the inside. And if you don’t want to bring home groceries in it, the bag makes a great project bag.

Pattern is suitable for the intermediate knitter. Skills required include knitting in the round, crocheted provisional cast on, lace skills including double decreases. This bag is worked in the round beginning with a provisional cast on. The handles are worked flat and then grafted to the side. Chart for lace pattern is provided but full written instructions are included in the pattern.

The pattern includes two sizes. The larger one is particularly suited for shopping. The smaller one is a good size for a project bag or purse. Instructions are also included for making the bag in more than one color, like the yellow and orange bag. The pattern is available as a pdf download through Ravelry.

$5.00 USD

Vanilla Just Needs Sprinkles

2011-05-24T15:14:00.002-05:00

I have tried for ages to knit a plain vanilla sock. I much prefer the feel of a plain stockinette foot and for socks that are worn with boots who is going to see the cuff anyway. I do okay with them until I get to the cuff and then I get bored. My latest pattern is another case of me getting bored with a plain, vanilla sock.

Sprinkles Socks

This is what happens when you decide to add a few sprinkles to your plain vanilla sock. This lace and cable pattern is perfect for spring and summer wear. The easy-to-memorize stitch pattern makes it a great traveling sock.

Pattern is worked from toe up on circulars or dpns using a wide toes and an easy-peasy reversed gusset heel with not wrapping and not picked up stitches. It includes instructions for either Plain Vanilla foot, worked in stockinette stitch (as shown here) or the Vanilla with Sprinkles foot, with the lace pattern worked along the top of the foot.

$5.00

Knee High

2011-05-21T16:52:00.000-05:00

Imagine my surprise when the Booksneeze website had a knitting book available for review. Naturally, the minute I saw it available, I grabbed my copy of Knitting Knee-Highs Socks from Classic to Contemporary by Barb Brown. I confess I had never heard of Barb Brown and really don't care that much for knee socks but I was intrigued because I hadn't seen a book dedicated solely to knee-highs so I thought I would give it a go.

Brown begins by showing us how to convert standard socks into knee-highs. She includes a formula for constructing a top-down knee-high sock that actually fits. The steps are clearly explained with examples given to clear up any confusion you might have. The calf shaping section was something I found especially interesting because it wasn't something I had seen covered in other sock books. Brown also includes a handy dandy table of foot length vs. shoe size, in case you are knitting for someone else.

Brown next includes some great tips for making sure your knee-highs fit properly and stay up. For example, were you aware that knee-highs should have a longer ribbing than standard socks?
She then presents a section for converting knee-high patterns into other sock styles so if you don't want knee-highs you can still knit the patterns from this book.

One of my favorite sections is how to swatch without swatching. She gives you dozens of ways to use that swatch-that-isn't-a-swatch. Her humorous presentation makes it much more likely that the swatch-reluctant knitter will actually knit that swatch. As a knitter who has frogged my share of projects because they were the wrong size, I appreciate her method of making swatching pain free.

The book then presents 20 sock patterns, most including the instructions for knitting each pattern as a knee-high, a standard sock, leg warmers and/or ankle socks. Her colorwork is quite beautiful. She has some great combinations of solid and semi-solid yarns. The pattern instructions are a combination of charts and written instructions. The main stitch patterns are charted and there are written instructions for the heel, gusset and toe of the sock.

I guess my biggest complaint with the book would be the photos. Some of them are just plain, silly. Socks with slip dresses. Seriously? If it is warm enough for a slip dress, why would you want to wear knee-high wool socks? Once you get to more sensible fashion combos the photos are much better.

On the whole this is a nice sock book. It is probably not something I would have purchased simply because I am not really that fond of knee-highs. However, now that I have read it I find it to be a valuable asset to my library.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

A New Hope

2011-05-10T18:48:00.000-05:00

My heart still aches for those who lost so much in the 27 April tornadoes that ravaged my state. The clean up has started and much work has already been done but there is still so much to do. To help with the relief effort, I am committing 100% of the profit from the sale of my latest pattern for relief to the many areas of Alabama devastated by the tornadoes. I plan to donate the first profits to area churches that were damaged or destroyed. Once those needs are met, any additional proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross.

May I present to you...

From My Heart Bath Set

This bath set includes a total of 4 patterns - a towel with matching wash cloth...

along with a soap bag that doubles as a bath mitt and finally a larger drawstring project bag. The small bag also makes a great holder for small items in your knitting bag or purse and the larger bag is a great size for a traveling knitting project. Perfect for that one skein shawl or a pair of socks.

The set is fantastic for gift giving. Just drop in a bar of your favorite luxury soap and you have a quick yet personal gift. And since you are getting four patterns for one price, it is a great bargain.

$5.00

The news stories that originally broke my heart are now encouraging me. Seeing so many people come together to help in the relief effort restores a new hope for the future of my wonderful state.

Humbled, Heartbroken but Hopeful

2011-04-29T09:49:00.000-05:00

In case you weren't aware, Alabama was hit hard by a series of tornadoes earlier this week. I spent the biggest part of two days without electrical service so I am only just becoming aware at the degree of devastation but what I have seen so far is heart wrenching. Last count, over two hundred people lost their lives and thousands have lost their homes. At least 3 tornadoes have been confirmed. A number of neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble. So much destruction. My heart breaks for the families who have lost so much.

The experience has humbled me greatly. I feel so insignificant in the face of a force as great as a tornado. I feel immensely blessed by God to have survived the storms with little more than few minor inconveniences. And I feel a bit overwhelmed by the outpouring of love for me and my family.

The brief times that I had access to the outside world, I found my e-mail inbox overflowing with well-wishes and prayers from friends all over the world. My phone has been constantly ringing with people checking on me. People I have never even met have offered to send me supplies and come help with the clean up. Others have frantically tried to get updates about my family as the news reports started rolling in. Friends offered to come help me rebuild a roof on a hen house, help me empty my refrigerator and freezer, provide me a place to take a hot shower seriously rethinking the whole electric water heater thing now and bring me coffee or other essential supplies. The church let me use their freezer and gave me coolers to store my food until we had power. You just don't realize how many things you depend on, and take for granted, until they are taken away from you.

Electricity, internet access, phone service and the like have become necessities in our modern times. It is only when they don't work, that you realize how much you depend on them. You also don't realize how much local television and radio stations do to keep people safe and informed until that friendly voice is telling you the path of the storms and when to seek cover. My heartfelt thanks to all the utility workers who are working relentlessly in terrible conditions so to restore electrical, phone and internet service. And thank you to the radio and television crews who gave up sleep and personal comfort to keep us provided with essential information for our safety. Finally, thank you to all those people who have offered help, support, prayers and comfort to my family as we have lived through the wild ride. I am humbled by your outpouring of love.

It's going to take me a day or two to get caught up with all the things that stacked up while the utilities were out and to get back into the groove so don't be alarmed if I still appear to be a bit MIA. We are all happy and healthy and feeling richly blessed in the Heart household. I am enjoying a freshly brewed cup of my favorite coffee made from freshly ground coffee beans and delivered by my darling husband. It is a glorious spring day. My children are sleeping safely and soundly in their own beds and I know that life will soon return to some level of normality. There are a lot of people that are hurting but there are so many people willing to offer a helping hand. So while my heart bleeds for the families who have lost so much, the willingness of people to offer help to strangers renews a spirit of hope within me.

Because I Felt Like it - A tutorial (Part 3)

2011-04-23T10:59:00.002-05:00

Thank you for joining me for today's adventure in the continuing drama of As the Wool Felts.

Lesson 3 – Felting time is unpredictable.

My third lesson learned is that it is difficult to predict exact felting time. Some yarns felt relatively quickly but others take a bit of effort. Here are the times that it took to thoroughly felt my samples.

(Note:I only counted agitation time in the hot water pan. I ignored the 30 seconds spent in the rinse pan as well as the few seconds spent transferring from one pan to another. All times were calculated in increments of 3 minutes so the exact felting time might be a minute or two less than the time recorded.)

Rose: 9 minutes
Blue: 12 minutes
Cream: 15 minutes
Yellow: 18 minutes

In general, the darker colors felted quicker than the lighter ones. It took twice as long to felt the cream sample as the rose one even though both were the same brand of yarn and presumably the same quality of wool.
I also compared the felting time for a completed hat in Cascade 220. It was felted in about 10 minutes so its felting time was comparable to the blue Lion Brand sample but significantly shorter than the yellow Cascade 220 sample. This gives credibility to the theory that darker colors felt faster. I intend to make a color to color comparison of one brand of wool next time I have a chance to go shopping.

Stay tuned for the final chapter in the continuing drama of As the Wool Shrinks...

Because I Felt Like it - A tutorial (Part 2)

2011-04-22T11:31:00.002-05:00

Welcome back to continuing saga about lessons learned while deliberately shrinking wool.

Lesson 2 – Yarn doesn’t felt evenly.

My second lesson learned from my felting adventure is that yarn doesn’t felt evenly. You probably noticed from the results of the first part of our felting adventure that yarn generally felts more lengthwise than widthwise but again the amount of difference varies from brand to brand. For example, the blue sample had a marked decrease in length (29%) but an almost negligible decrease in width(6 %) while the yellow sample had a more even shrinkage with 36% loss in length and 28% loss in width.

The most interesting of the results, however, were the two samples of Paton’s Classic wool. The rose sample shrank less than the cream sample both in length and width but the ratio of length to width shrinkage was similar (both about 2:1 [for the math geeks the exact rations are 2.2: 1 and 1.7:1 but they both round to 2:1]). Compare this with the blue with a shrink ratio of 5:1 and the yellow at just over 1:1 and you can see that swatching for felting matters. Really, really matters. The cool thing is that if you work with 4 X 4 inch swatches before swatching, you will end up with a nice coaster after you have completed your felting.

I would also like to point out that there will also be differences from side to side and top to bottom of the same sample. The rose sample, for example, shrank in width about 0.5 inch more on the cast on edge than it did on the cast off edge as you can see from the photo. Fortunately, these slight differences can be corrected in blocking so I used an average of the extremes as my recorded measurement. Still, it is rather funny to place a square piece of knitting in the wash and end up with an irregular polygon. You can see the wonky shapes in the unblocked samples in the photo.

Tune in tomorrow for the continuing drama of As the Wool Felts when we will take a look at felting times.

Pleasant Surprise!

2011-04-20T11:51:00.000-05:00

The American Patriot's Almanac
by William J. Bennett and John T. E. Cribb

I have been meaning to post a review of this book for ages but today seemed appropriate since it is so historically significant. When I ordered this book I wasn't entirely certain what to expect. It was described as "365 reasons to love America" and it intrigued me because William J Bennett was one of the authors. Basically, I hoped to glean something from it to help the U.S History my kids are studying this year. But what I received is truly a rare gem. Not only is the book quite beautiful, it is a invaluable resource for any library.

The almanac is broken into single-page daily readings related to something that happened on that day in history followed by a listing of other significant events from that day in American history. For example, did you know that April 20th was the day Edgar Allan Poe's The Murders in the Rue Morgue was published; the day Robert E. Lee resigned his command; the day when Fenway Park opened; the day RCA demonstrated the first U.S. electron microscope; the day of the Columbine shooting and the day the Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling rig explosed?

Interspersed between the daily readings are other fantastic resources. You will find a history of the flag as well as flag handling etiquette, information on state flags and symbols, as well as quotes, songs and poetry from famous American patriots. The thing that impressed me most though was that the book also included the full text of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights and amendments (two documents that every American citizen should read in their entirety at least once) as well as the full text of the Gettysburg Address and the Emancipation Proclamation. There is a wealth of information in this book but it isn't presented as the dry prose of a standard history text. These readings make history interesting, inter-connected and vibrant. This may be one of the few resources that make history actually entertaining.

This book is a must have for any history buff but it is also something that every American would find inspiring and uplifting. There is so much information about American history that is all collected together in one place, you may never need another history book. I highly recommend it.

Disclaimer: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Because I Felt Like it - A tutorial (Part 1)

2011-04-16T20:38:00.003-05:00

I have been fascinated by felting since I first started to knit. I love the bit of surprise that results when you put your knitting in water. The results can be surprising sometimes. To help you sort out some of the mysticism and magic that is felting, here are a few things I have learned in my experiments with shrinking wool.

Lesson 1 - All wool doesn’t felt the same.

Different fibers, different brands and even different colors of the same brand will felt at different rates. Annoying, confusing, logic-defying but sadly true. To be certain of results, it is advisable to, and yes, I know you are going to hate me for saying this, knit and felt a swatch. This is recommended for every yarn that you work with and wouldn’t hurt for each individual color since dyes used can affect the felting rate.

To get an idea of how much variation there is between different brands of yarn, I conducted an experiment. For my test, I knitted four squares in worsted weight 100% wool. I used the same needles for all four squares to achieve as close to the came gauge as possible.
The dark blue square is worked in Lion Brand Wool; the yellow one is worked in Cascade 220 heather; and the rose and cream squares are both worked in Paton’s Classic Merino. To make each square, I cast on 40 stitches using size 8/5.00 mm needles and worked in stockinette stitch until each piece was about 7 inches/18 cm in length. Each sample was then carefully measured and the results recorded. The samples were then felted by hand as described below and dried without any stretching of the fabric. The samples were then re-measured and the amount of change calculated.

Lion Brand Wool Color - Navy

Paton's Classic Wool Color - Rose Heather

Cascade 220 Tweed - Color Yellow

Paton's Classic Wool Color - Cream

Hand Felting Method

The idea behind felting is that with the correct amount of temperature change and agitation the fibers of wool will begin to cling to each other. To get results that are as uniform as possible, all four samples were felted by hand at the same time using this method.
1. Two identical plastic pans were prepared; one pan was filled with hot water with a tablespoon of wool wash; and the second pan was filled with cool tap water.

2. All four samples are placed in hot water and agitated by squeezing together for 3 minutes.

Notice the left hand was caught in motion.

3. Samples were then plunged in cool water for 30 seconds.

4. Each sample was examined to determine degree of felting.

5. Steps 2 – 4 of the process were repeated until the fibers of the sample looked uniform and you could no longer see the individual stitches.

This sample is felted enough.

This sample needs more agitation.

6. When a sample was sufficiently felted, it was gently squeezed to remove the excess water and placed on a towel until all four samples were completely felted. The time it took to felt the sample was recorded.

7. When all samples were felted, the four samples were rolled in the towel to remove more of the water, measured and then laid on a drying rack to dry.

8. When completely dry, each sample was measured again and the results recorded.

Below is a table that outlines the results.

Blue sample
Length Before felting - 7 inch
Length After felting - 5 inch
Percent change 28.6%
Width Before felting - 9 inch
Width After felting - 8.5 inch
Percent change - 5.6%

Yellow sample
Length Before felting - 8.25 inch
Length After felting - 5.25 inch
Percent change - 36.4%
Width Before felting - 9 inch
Width After felting - 6.5 inch
Percent change - 27.8%

Rose sample
Length Before felting - 8.5 inch
Length After felting - 6.25 inch
Percent change - 26.5%
Width Before felting - 8.5 inch
Width After felting 7.5 inch
Percent change - 11.8%

Cream sample*
Length Before felting - 8.5 inch
Length After felting - 5.25 inch
Percent change - 38.2%
Width Before felting - 9 inch
Width After felting - 7 inch
Percent change - 22.2%

As you can see, there is a surprising amount of difference between samples. There are some general rules but there is enough difference that it is advisable to felt a swatch any time you use a different yarn. I used wool for all of my samples, but the principles apply to all feltable animal fibers. With each fiber or combination of fibers, with each brand and with each color of the same brand you will see some differences in the rate at which they felt.

In the next part of the tutorial, I will share you some interesting discoveries about felting times.

*Yarn for cream sample was from a ripped project so gauge might account for some of the difference between the Rose and Cream samples.
Measurements were adjusted on 17 April 2011 to reflect dimensions after samples were thoroughly dry.

In my Easter Bonnet

2011-04-14T11:19:00.000-05:00

Lily Alexania

Inspired by the bold hats worn in the Edwardian Era and named for a survivor of the Titanic, this felted hat is ridiculously quick to knit due to the loose gauge and large needles. It practically knits itself. Hat can be customized a variety of ways to make it truly unique.

Please ignore the bits of pollen in my hair and on the hat.

Pattern is suitable for the advanced beginner to intermediate knitter. Techniques include basic stitches, knitting in the round, simple decreases and felting. Pattern includes basic felting instructions but I will be posting detailed tutorials for felting and blocking later this week.

Pattern available as a pdf download through Ravelry.
$5.00

add to cart

As a special treat, how about a giveaway. Leave comment to this post and I will draw 9 names at random to receive a discount coupon code for 15% off the purchase of this pattern and one lucky person will receive the pattern for free. If you Like my Facebook page or Follow Me on Twitter or leave a comment about the hat either Facebook or Twitter, you will be entered into the drawing a second time. Just leave a second comment telling me which you have done.

What is it with azaleas?

2011-04-10T14:56:00.000-05:00

I am beginning to think that I need to pick a different time of year for photos. For some reason, azalea blooming time spells disaster for me. If you remember last year, I managed to severely sprain my ankle while photographing a sock. This year the spring photo shoot also proved to be quite the adventure.

First, there were the bees. Big, giant, threatening bumblebees. Not the sweet little honey bees. Or even the cute, fuzzy, docile bumblebees.

These were get-in-your-face-and-talk-about-yo-mama kind of bees. Ready-for-a-fight gangsta bees. Try as I might, I couldn't avoid wincing when they dive bombed my hat.

"You think you can hang out in my flowers? I don't think so!"

"You need to take yo' human self outa here right now before things get ugly."

And what would a photo shoot be without a fall. This time I fell flat on my tooshie while trying to get posed in the place Princess Buttercup found to be most artistically pleasing. Did I mention I landed in a container of rainwater? Or the feet in the air look that has SmallFry laughing hysterically? Who knew that photography was so hazardous to your health?

Hat in photos are a preview of a soon-to-be-released pattern. Details next time.

Ubercool

2011-04-02T17:44:00.000-05:00

Cooperative Press is an independent publisher that is publishing a new series called Fresh Designs, that features emerging designers. I am so excited to have been selected to be a part of this project. Part of those stealth projects that I worked so diligently on will be appearing in the soon-to-be released books. The publication dates are getting nearer now.

To make the books the best they can possibly be, Shannon Oakey, the owner of Cooperative Press, has started a Kickstart program to help raise some of the up front expenses of independent publishing. As part of this drive, there are some cool rewards that you can get if you choose to make a donation.

Here is the video that does a much better job of explaining the program.

The coolest thing is that one of my designs is featured there. Anybody want to hazard a guess as to which one is mine? You do understand that I won't be able to tell you if you are right or wrong yet, but it will be fun hearing everyone's guess. And just to make it interesting, how about a contest. Leave a comment telling me which of the featured patterns you think is my design, one person will be chosen at random to receive one a $20.00 coupon good toward the purchase of any of my patterns or ebooks.

Here are a few clues to help you out:
1. My pattern is knit.
2. My pattern features a fantastic yarn.
3. My pattern is a design I really love.

That should be enough clues for you to guess it with no problems.

In the spring a young girl's fancy...

2011-03-26T10:54:00.008-05:00

...lightly turns to thoughts of lace.

~Alfred Lord Tennyson (if he had been a knitter)

Yes, lace is a veritable obsession with me lately. I have lace on every one of my needles. Okay, maybe not that many but I do have a LOT of projects cast on. Some of them I will wait to share with you later but I want to share these because I want to share the new yarns I am trying out.

First up is The Crafts Meow Ice Cream Sundae Sock in Cherries Jubilee colorway.

The yarn is a firmly twisted fingering weight 75% merino, 25% nylon. I like the tight twist. It makes the yarn an excellent choice for lace. It took the yarn a bit before it decided what it wanted to be but finally we decided that it was perfectly suited for a fun and lacy shawl.

Next is Knit Picks Chroma in Mesa colorway.

Chroma is a single ply yarn that reminds me a lot of handspun. Because of that it tends to have a bit of fuzz when you knit it so it takes a little time to get used to. The coolest thing about it is the color. It is one of the yarns with long color repeats. It transitions beautifully from one color to the next.

Finally, is some BFL lace from Meadowalake Arts in Phoenix Tail colorway.

This one is on the needles but I haven't bothered to take a photo of it yet since it is only big enough for a Barbie right now. I did get a photo of the yarn. The yarn is soft and light laceweight that will be perfect for warding off the chill from the air conditioner.

The design is inspired by one of my favorite characters from The Hobbit, that I have been reading for Tolkien Reading Day. Because I am feeling rather nostalgic about all things middle earth, I have a special treat for you. Enter the code TH.HobbitKAL into the "use coupon code" box of your shopping cart, any you will get a 15% discount on all my Lord of the Rings themed patterns (the patterns in the Arwen and Aragorn series). You should see the discount applied before you go to check out. This code is good until midnight 31 March 2011.

Happy Spring and happy knitting.

Cooking with tabitha

2011-02-03T16:59:00.001-06:00

A number of you have asked for a couple of recipes that my family has liked lately so I thought I would post those before I forgot how I made them.

Miracle Chinese Vegetable Soup

This soup was inspired by a fantastic soup that was served by a family-owned Chinese restaurant in a town where a used to live. We jokingly called it miracle chicken soup because it seemed to cure the common cold. I always crave this yummy soup when I am getting a little sick. This recipe is my attempt to recreate that delicious and healthy soup.

1 cup Chinese rice sticks (also called rice noodles or rice vermicelli)
1 tsp olive oil
2 chicken breasts, sliced in bite-sized pieces
2 qts chicken or vegetable stock
1 teaspoon ground ginger or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon Oriental five-spice powder, according to your taste
2 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup baby corn
1 cup celery, slicked diagonally
1 cup carrots, sliced diagonally
1 cup onions, chopped
1 cup fresh green beans, snapped
1 cup fresh broccoli florets
1 cup garbanzo beans, cooked
1 cup snow peas
1 cup bok choy, pak choy or some of each, sliced diagonally
1 tsp sesame oil

Soak rice sticks in hot water for 10 minutes. While rice sticks are soaking, saute chicken in olive oil until no longer pink. Add small amount of stock and deglaze pan. Add remaining stock, ginger, soy sauce and five spice powder. Bring to boil. Drain and rinse noodles and add to stock. Reduce heat to simmer and simmer until chicken is tender (about 5 minutes). Add all vegetables except bok choy and cook until bright in color and almost tender (5 minutes) Add bok choy and cook for 3 more minutes until all vegetables are just tender and bright in color. Remove from heat and stir in sesame oil.

Black Beans of Complete and Total Awesomeness

Dried beans are a real budget saver. I am aways looking for new ways to cook them. Inspired by the savory flavors of Cuban black beans, I designed this recipe for the crock pot. It is delicious served with brown rice. My kids liked it so much they named the recipe.

1 pound Dried black beans (turtle beans)
1 large onion, chopped coarsely
3 large cloves garlic, sliced
1 cupk celery, chopped coarsely
1 large sweet green or red pepper, chopped coarsely
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
3- 4 cups broth
1.5 cups salsa
4 - 5 chicken breasts

Soak black beans overnight (or do quick soak*). Drain and rinse beans and add to 6 qt or larger crock pot. Top with onion, garlic, celery and bay leaf. Add broth and enough extra water to bring liquid level almost to the top of beans. Top with half the salsa. layer chicken breasts on top of beans. Top with remaining salsa. Cook on high for 4- 5 hours, on low for 6 - 8 hours or until chicken and beans are tender and chicken juices run clear. Serve with brown rice.

* Quick soak for beans - Rinse beans. Place in medium stock pot and add enough water to equal twice the depth of beans (1 pound of beans will take a minimum of 6 cups of water). Bring to a boil and boil for one minute. Cover, turn off heat but leave pot on the burner. Leave beans to soak for 1 - 2 hours. Drain and rinse beans and cook as described above.

Now lest you think you have stumbled upon a cooking blog, here is my latest knitting. My latest pattern is one that I created for Sanguine Gryphon.

May I introduce you to Tess?

Tess of the D’Urbervilles follows the life of its tragic herione from maiden to mother to milkmaid to mistress to murderer. This corset-styled vest adorned with a delicate, crocheted lace edging is something I can imagine Tess wearing. The neckline is a flattering U-shape and the waist is shaped with ribbing for a snug but comfortable fit.

This vest is knit in one piece from the bottom up. Part of the waist shaping will be done with 1x1 ribbing, to reduce the number of decreases and increases necessary. This will allow a little more flexibility in the waist sizing.

The pattern is available from Sanguine Gryphon.

For a limited time, Sanguine Gryphon is offering a 10% discount if you purchase the pattern and yarn together. And as a bonus, I have a couple of copies Tess to give away. So let's have a blog contest. Since the theme of the Sanguine Gryphon winter line was literature, leave a comment and tell me about your favorite book. To give you even more chances to win, if you mention this contest on your blog, Facebook or Twitter, I will add your name to the hat another time. Just leave another comment here telling me about each place you mentioned the contest - include a link to your blog, or tag me from Twitter or Facebook (I am @tabithaknits on Twitter and @Tabithas Heart on Facebook). I will draw one winner at random to receive a copy of the Tess pattern along with another of my patterns of your choice. Winner will be chosen on Valentine's Day.

A week later

2011-01-16T15:50:00.000-06:00

..and this white stuff is still on the ground. This may be the first time in my life I've seen snow remain on the ground for an entire week. How do you people who have snow on the ground all winter stand it? And the cold. I am absolutely not accustomed to winter being this cold. 12 degrees is just plain ridiculous unless you are a frozen turkey. I am ready for spring now. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease.

One good thing about being snowed in is that I got lots of knitting time. I am still knitting hats like crazy. They are quick to knit; rather like knitting instant gratification. I am especially enjoying stranded colorwork hats because it is so fun to watch the pattern emerge.

And I have done a lot of pattern writing. I currently have 2 patterns in testing and four for which I am lining up testers. This year has started off with a bang.

Last week, I introduced you to my first pattern of 2011. Today, I would like you to meet the second pattern for 2011.

Dirty Double Crosser

This deceptively simple cabled hat uses an easy-to-memorize cable pattern that is attractive but quick-to- knit. It looks good with the brim rolled up or down. The hat makes a great gift for guys or gals.

Pattern is suitable for advanced beginner to intermediate knitters who can knit in the round, have basic cable experience, knit, purl and work basic decreases. Instructions included for customizable brim length. Pattern includes 2 sizes which fit heads from 20 - 24 inches which will cover larger children through adults. Written and charted instructions included. Available as a download through Ravelry.

$5.00

This doesn't bode well.

2011-01-10T11:45:00.000-06:00

Winter isn't even a month old and this is our second snow. I really hope this isn't starting to be a pattern. I suppose since it has been 10 years since we have seen this much snow I probably shoudn't complain though.

This snow is mixed pretty thoroughly with sleet so it is hard and crunchy but not very good for making snowballs or snowmen but the kids are still enjoying the novelty. Our yard is covered in a blanket of 3.5 - 4.5 inches of snow. It makes everything look like a Christmas card or in SmallFry's description, a movie.

Even the covered porch had 2 inches of snow on it. Like my house shoes and fluffy PJs? The kids say that pair is spun from fluffy unicorn fur straight from the Sisters of Radiant Farms.

The thing that always amazes me about snow is how quiet it makes everything. I don't really live in a highly populated area but still there is a good deal of noise from the leaves rustling, the animals moving and so forth. You don't really notice just how noisy the country is until it's completely quiet. The snow gave me a rare moment of complete solitude this morning. For that I am quite thankful.

Another good thing about being snowed in is that it gives plenty of opportunity for knitting. So I am bundled up in my unicorn fur PJs and my Doctor Who scarf with a lap full of wool and a cup of tea on the bedside table. True bliss.

Speaking of knitting, I have been meaning to share my latest pattern with you

This is Athyrium Beret.
This stylish spiral lace beret is named for the graceful fronds of the lady fern that gently bend in the breeze. The hat looks great on the wrong side too. You get twice the wardrobe enhancement for half the knitting. In cotton, it’s a cool, clever summer hat; in wool or alpaca it’s a surprisingly warm but fun winter hat. You might want a hat that is a bit warmer on a day like today but this one is fun for indoor winter wear.

Available as a download through Ravelry.
$5.00

I have been in a hat mood lately so you will be seeing lots more hats in the coming weeks. Now if you will excuse me I need to supervise my kids who are currently attempting to design show shoes using cardboard and duck tape.

White Christmas? Here??

2010-12-25T12:25:00.000-06:00

The Heart family is celebrating Christmas. This has been a unique Christmas in many ways. We have broken from tradition on a lit of things this year but the biggest difference here is the weather.

I am experiencing my first ever White Christmas. Now, I know that this is not big surprise for those who live in northern climates but here in the temperate south snow in December is rarer than hen's teeth.

In fact, there has never been snow here on Christmas Day in recorded history.

I know this isn't a great deal of snow to those of you used to such things but it is a big deal here. And the snow hasn't slowed down so I will be able to post updated photos throughout the day.

I wish all of you a very merry Christmas. Those of you who are members of my Ravelry group might want to visit the group when you get a chance as there is a surprise there from me.

Has it really been that long...

2010-12-10T14:41:00.000-06:00

Time really flies when you are having fun. Working almost exclusively on projects for publication left me with little to blog about for a long while. But as the time for the release of some of these patterns nears I can start sharing a few hints here and there.

The Cashmiracle project is due to be released later this month. It has been difficult to keep quiet about it but since Gryphon has spilled the beans, at least a few of them, I can tell you a little about it too. I am thrilled to say that one of my patterns will be featured in the Winter pattern collection for Sanguine Gryphon. It has been a real pleasure to work with the Sanguine Gryphon crew. I have been madly in love with their yarn for a while so it was a huge treat to get to try out their newest yarn, Gaia Fingering, affectionately dubbed Cashmiracle. Here is an in progress photo.

And another little teaser:

Now that I have finished with all the stealth projects for a while, I have had a chance to work on a couple of designs for myself. This lace hat is destined for a Christmas gift.

The yarn is Sanguine Gryphon Skinny Bugga in Beyer's Scarab Beetle told you I was addicted to their yarn. I love that vibrant green. Hope the lucky recipient will love it too. The really cool thing about this pattern is that it looks totally cool on the reverse side so it is like getting two hats in one. The pattern is currently in test knitting so it should be available in a few weeks.

I have also have a new shawl design in test knitting.

This is an in progress photo because I had to rework the border a tiny bit. The yarn is Dodge Creation Dyeworks in Plum Blossom. As soon as it warms up a little I hope to get some decent photos. This pattern is also in test knitting and should be available in two to three weeks.

I also have several other hat designs in progress that I will be telling you about in the coming weeks.

Cashmiracle

2010-10-20T16:52:00.000-05:00

That yarn that I had been waiting for finally arrived. And I am totally in LUV. I want to knit an entire wardrobe of this yarn. I want sheets knitted from this yarn. I want to wrap myself in it from head to toe.

The object of my affection is Sanguine Gryphon Gaia Fingering.

This is a brand new yarn for Sanguine Gryphon. It is a grown up version of their Gaia Lace. It is a 40% cashmere/ 60% silk blend. This color is so new it doesn't even have a name. My photo doesn't show the color accurately. It is much richer and more beautiful in person.

Here is the swatch for my latest design.

Looks surprisingly like stockinette stitch, doesn't it? It has been a pleasure to knit. I wish you could all feel this yarn. It is scrumptious. You will be hearing more about this yarn as the design takes shape.

Waiting is the Hardest Part

2010-10-13T10:58:00.000-05:00

As I wait for yarn to arrive for my next project and for responses on the latest designs submitted for publication, I find myself in a position of having little to talk about. So naturally, I will talk about books.

I mentioned in my last post that I had increased the size of my library a bit lately. Two of my recent acquisitions were Alice Starmore books. I have been reading Starmore for a while but so many of her books are out of print, that I hadn't purchased many. That changed with the re-release of Aran Knitting.

I have been wanting a copy of this book for several years. I read a library copy from but couldn't find a used copy for under $250, which just wasn't in the budget. So I tried to memorize everything in the book and hoped that some day it would be released again. In September, my dreams came true!

The book isn't your typical book of knitting patterns. It is more an instructional book on the history, and process of Aran knitting. Oh, there are patterns. Beautiful, fabulous, wonderful patterns. But the main focus of the book is to teach you what Aran knitting is and how to design it. The book opens with a chapter on the history of Aran knitting that includes photos of some gorgeous museum pieces. Starmore makes the history of the region and technique come alive. Who know history didn't have to be boring?

The second chapter, on Aran patterns and technique, is worth the price of the book by itself. Starmore explains all of the different types of stitches commonly used in Aran knitting taking you step-by-step through the Aran design process, including some new information on Celtic knots.

Then just for fun, she adds the spectacular designs. Each one is more beautiful than the last. The photography is breath-taking and the knitwear superb. These are some of my favorite patterns. Ever. Even the names are beautiful - St. Brigid, Maidenhair, St. Ciaran, Eala Bhan.
The book ends with a chapter on designing your own Aran.

Aran Knitting is over 200 pages of sheer knitting genius. It is a must-have for any knitting library. And the Dover price is far more budget friendly than the $250+ that the original version sells for. Thank you Alice for allowing this book to be republished.

While I was in a Starmore mood, I took the opportunity of a sale to add her Alice Starmore's Book of Fair Isle Knitting to my collection.

This is another Dover re-publication of one of Starmore's most popular books. It is arranged in a style similar to Aran Knitting beginning with a bit of history, a thorough study of the technique, followed by a section of her own patterns and ending with a chapter on designing your own Fair Isle. It is loaded with charts for every sort of Fair Isle stitch pattern imaginable. Her instructions on the technique are thorough and clear. I found the chapter on color to be particularly helpful.

Starmore does an excellent idea of illustrating the difference between stranded colorwork and true Fair Isle knitting. Even though the terms are often used interchangeably, they are not the same. She has a fantastic section on the dreaded steek and some of the clearest instructions on underarm gussets I have ever read.

Alice Starmore's Book of Fair Isle Knitting is another 200-page powerhouse of information worth every penny of the cost (especially when you find it on sale). It too is a must-have addition to your knitting library.

Just so you know, I am not related to Alice Starmore; don't work for Alice Starmore; have no connection to Alice Starmore whatsoever; never even met her, though I hear she is lovely. I am just an avid fan of her brilliant designs. And Alice, if you are reading this, knitters would also love to have a copy of Tudor Roses too. hint, hint, hint

Daleks, Needles and Scarves, Oh My!

2010-10-09T10:56:00.001-05:00

Some days, life is like staring down the blaster gun of a Dalek wondering when he will yell EX-TER-MI-NATE. That pretty much sums up the last few weeks. However, I won't bore you with the details of this Dalek adventure that is my life. Let's just leave it at this. The last few weeks have been a blur of sinus meds, stealth knitting, tetanus shots, leaky faucets and broken appliances. So what do you say we talk about something more fun.

I have freed the last of my super stealth knits and am finally working on some things that I will be able to talk about. Clearing my needles of stealth knits has allowed me some time to work on this shawl design I have had in the works for a while.

I have also discovered a new yarn store that is within a reasonable distance my house. I visited a couple of weeks ago and bought a new pair of needles for my Doctor Who scarf.

These are Lana Grossa needles and I have to admit that, though they are wood and I am normally a metal needle kind of gal, I really like them. They have a super pointy tip, the cable is completely flexible with no pesky memory and the joins are positively smooth. The needles have a nice weight and balance and are quite comfortable to use. All in all, an excellent addition to my needle collection.

And speaking of my Doctor Who scarf, it continues to grow. And as it reaches monumental proportions, I have been exploring options for blocking it.

Do you think Princess Buttercup is going to be willing to hold it there until it dries??

I have also gotten a number of books lately which I will be reviewing for you one by one. First up is a book that I received through the Book Sneeze program. Though Thomas Nelson provided me with a complimentary copy of the book for review, the opinions below are my own.

The book I chose was God's Promises for Women of Faith edited by Jack Countryman.

God's Promises for Women of Faith is a pretty gift book that is small enough to carry in one's purse or Bible case. The front cover is adorned with a ribbon decoration. The book is a collection of scripture promises aimed at helping women grow their faith.

This book was a pleasant surprise for me. Since it is marketed as a gift book, I was expecting it to be a lot of fluff and very little actual content. But in this book all of the content comes from the Bible. The approximately 200-page book is arranged in a series of topics that are pertinent to women - "God's Plan for Women is to..."; "God Delights in Women Who Are..."; "God Walks with Women..."; and so on. When you turn to the page for a specific topic, you will find a selection of scriptures, quoted from the New King James Version of the Bible, that relate to that particular topic. For example, under the topic of Being a Friend, you will find such verses as Proverbs 17:17 and Ecclesiastes 4:9. No commentary, no fluff, just scripture.

The pages are attractively laid out but they didn't substitute photos for real content. The scriptures are spaced pleasingly on the page where each passage is easy to read and clearly separated from the other passages. The text is attractive but still very easy to read.

The book deals with a wide variety of topics including such current topics as handling financial problems and overcoming worldliness. There is even a section at the end that lists some women of faith from the Bible that we can use as our examples. I can see it being a book that I would refer to often and one that I would be proud to give as a gift. The only negative that I can offer is that I found their God's Plan of Salvation pages a bit incomplete. There are a couple of scriptures I would have included in the list.

I am glad that I chose this book to review because it is nice to know there are gift books available that aren't all fluff. This one would be an excellent choice for many occasions.

Richly Blessed

2010-09-16T17:56:00.000-05:00

Those who know me well know that this has been a particularly trying month. Between a death in the family, looming knitting deadlines and illness, this just hasn't been my best month. Today, I was reminded, however, that I am richly blessed.

I received a surprise in the mail from my friends Linda and Luciana. These two sneaky girls have been conspiring for who knows how long to send me a care package now I know why I have been hearing giggling.
And what a package it was.

I got a gorgeous crocheted market bag with a decorative knitted rose bud from Luciana.

I am thinking this bag might have a fondness for holding yarn.

She also sent me the tapioca flour for her Brazilian Cheese Bread recipe. I can't wait to try it out.

Linda send me a crocheted yarn tamer with a matching pin cushion of her own design containing a skein of felting wool.

The flower pattern on the pin cushion is repeated on the bottom of the bag.

She also sent two fabulous skeins of Mmmmmmmmalabrigo Silky Merino in the Helechos colorway which Google informs me means fern.

The color is prettier in person. The photo didn't give the proper vibrancy to the greens.

Thank you Linda and Luciana for such a wonderful blessing in a difficult month. I am truly and richly blessed to have friends like you.

Love you both. ♥

Candy Corn and Apple Cider

2010-09-11T13:12:00.000-05:00

As the temperatures are cooling slightly, I start getting excited about the flavors of fall. Fall is the time for apple cider, pumpkins and the ever popular candy corn. Since it is no longer too blooming hot to cook, I like to start baking again - cookies, apple pies, pear tarts and all of our fall favorites. Last fall, I discovered two new recipes that are sure to become my fall favorites - spiced cider and candy corn cookies. In lieu of knitting talk, I will share the recipes with you.

Spiced Cider

This is a modification of the Crockpot Wassail recipe from the Crockpot 356 blog. Basically, I cut down on the sweet a bit.

4 quarts unsweetened apple cider
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup honey
8 whole cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
1 whole orange, washed and cut in rings

Pour liquid ingredients into a 6-quart crock pot and stir to mix. Wash orange thoroughly, slice in rings and float slices on top of liquid. Float spices at top of liquid (you can put the cloves in a cheese cloth bag if you like). Cook on high for 2 hours or on low for about 4.

This is a wonderful warm treat for cool autumn evenings though my kids will slurp it year round.

Candy Corn and Peanut Cookies

I discovered this recipe on the PieKnits blog last fall. While you are there check out her cute hat patterns. I made notations about some lessons learned along the way (these are in italics) but essentially the recipe is the same.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups sifted flour (140g)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup salted peanuts
1/2 - 3/4 cup candy corns

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line cookies sheets with aluminum foil (because the some of the candy corn will ooze out, stick to the pan and become a giant nuisance to clean up if you don't).

Cream together butter, peanut butter and both sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix together well.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture stirring until blended. Stir in peanuts. (Chill mixture in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes for easier handling.)

Form 1 inch balls of dough, inserting one or two candy corns into the center. Make sure dough completely covers the candy on all sides (this is extremely important unless you really like peanut butter cookies surrounded by sugar goo). Place on baking sheet and slightly flatten.

Bake 13 to 15 minutes until lightly browned. (Don't overbake because they will continue to cook on the cookie sheet).

Remove from oven and immediately press a few candy corns into the top of each cookie (when she says immediately she means do it in a big, gigantic hurry if you want the candy corn to stay attached). Let cool several minutes (baking sheet should be cool enough to touch. It will take 3 - 5 minutes for the cookies to cool enough to remove.). Carefully transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely. These are just as good the next day - assuming they last that long.

Happy cooking. Hope you enjoy these treats as much as we did.

Almost forgot. The kids wanted me to share this photo of the new friend they found in the back yard. Gotta love living in the country.

He is pretty well camouflaged but you can find him if you look closely.

Are You Knit-worthy?

2010-09-07T22:01:00.000-05:00

I really struggle to write for a knitting blog when nearly everything I am knitting is a stealth project. It sort of leaves me with nothing to talk about except cooking unless you really want to hear about computer shopping. I didn't think so.

I've been trying out new recipes lately. Most of them are met with a complete lack of enthusiasm on the part of SmallFry, the Finicky. Tonight was a different story. I tried out another recipe from Crockpot365 called Marmalade Curry Chicken. I served it with rice and fresh green beans. I was skeptical about the kids liking it since I discovered it was a bit spicy when I did my taste test. However, Sir Finicky gobbled every single bite and asked for more. (I confess that my first thought was "Did I forget to feed him lunch?") The whole family absolutely loved it. Thanks for saving dinner, Stephanie.

So you won't think this has turned into a cooking blog, how about a little knitting-related content. Labor Day is gone so summer is over in the eyes of most people. It's time to start thinking about that holiday knitting. If you are like me, you don't have time to knit for everyone on your gift list. You have probably also discovered that not everyone on your gift list is "knit-worthy". In order to help you narrow down your holiday knitting list, I compiled a helpful rating system for determining if a person on your gift list deserves a hand knitted gift this year.

Criteria for Determining Knit-worthiness

Has graciously accepted knitted gifts in the past. +10
Is not especially conscientious with their laundry. -10
Rolled their eyes when receiving a knitted gift in the past. -25
Regards a hand knitted gift as a cheap gift. -100
Appreciates the time involved in hand-crafted items, even if they're not exactly their favorite color. +25
Has given you yarn as a gift. +25
Has expected you to knit them something from the yarn they gave you as a gift. -35
Knows the difference between cheap acrylic and high-quality wool. +25
Realizes that a knitter can never have too much yarn or too many needles. +100
Has contemptuously said "I don't have the time for THAT", when observing your knitting. -45
Has ever said, "You should sell that; I bet you could get $50 for it." in reference to an intricate, beaded lace shawl.-100
Has said "It itches" when trying on a hand knit item. -10
Has immediately tried on a hand knitted gift. +50
Has showed hand knitted gifts to others. +50
Has given you a knitting related item that you actually wanted as a gift. +50
Is a close relative. +10
Has complimented a knitted item you have worn. +25
Is an elderly relative. +10
Has sold a hand knitted item they received as a gift at a yard sale or donated it to Good Will. -50
Has said "You should have done ______ differently" or "You made a mistake here" when seeing a hand knit item. -75

Scoring
<25 points Totally Unworthy Get this person's gift at the mall and save your knitting time for someone more worthy.

25-75 points Slightly Unworthy Unless he/she is a close relative, your best friend or has some redeeming quality that can make you forget their knitting-ignorance, you can save yourself the effort on this person too. Don't knit something too labor intensive, however, because the gift might find its way to the thrift store.

75-100 points Neither worthy nor unworthy Knit at your discretion. They may appreciate it or them may think you were just too cheap to buy them a "real" gift.

100-150 points Mostly Knit-worthy This person's appreciation for the knits makes them worthy of a hat, gloves or other small project. Use washable yarn though because they will ruin it otherwise.

>150 points Totally Knit-worthy Knit this person a sweater. They will squeal with delight when they open your package and oooooh and aaaaahhhhh over every single stitch. They will cherish anything you knit from the simplest hat to the most complicated Fair Isle sweater. They will hand wash each item and lovingly store in it moth proof storage containers far, far away from the destructive paws of pets or children. They would never consider parting with your beautiful knitting and they will wear your gift proudly, even when it's too hot for wool.

I hope you find this table helpful in deciding on your holiday knitting.

Disclaimer: This questionnaire has absolutely no scientific value whatsoever and is intended purely for fun.

Finally, some photos. I released a couple of new patterns and a new ebook this week.

Ailish Sock

A sweet, lace cuff ankle sock knit from the cuff down and featuring a wide toe. The pattern contains 5 sizes for infant through adult.
$5.00

add to cart

Owen Hat

A simple but fun-to-knit cabled hat in four sizes from infant through adult.
$5.00

add to cart

Aragorn's Traveling Accessories

An ebook collection of multi-sized patterns including Aragorn Hat, Aragorn Fingerless Gloves, Aragorn Scarf and Aragorn Socks.

$12.00

add to cart

Lizard Feet and Cherries Jubilee

2010-08-16T16:47:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, I made a startling discovery. That really cool stitch pattern that was on the socks someone sent me was the reverse side of eye of partridge. How do I know this? I discovered that when I wear the socks with my ankle brace, I have a lovely eye of partridge pattern on my legs and foot when I take my shoes and brace off.
See my lovely lizard foot?

I had a pretty good week last week. I got some contest prizes mailed and took care of a lot of pesky issues that had needed completing. It gave me a great sense of accomplishment. I ended the week by getting some new yarn. This is from an indie dyer called The Crafts Meow.

The red one is called Cherries Jubilee. The color is much richer and redder in person. Apparently, I am incapable of photographing red things.

The darker color is called Blackwatch Swirl. It is a gorgeous blend of teals and deep purples. I already have some ideas about what these two yarns will grow up to be. Only time will tell if the yarn agrees with me.

Getting the Boot

2010-08-06T17:58:00.000-05:00

... or at least the foot.

Yesterday, to my excitement, I found a package awaiting me at the post office. I hurriedly opened it to find...

buried among the layers of packing material...

a foot.

Scratching my head, I searched further and found a note from my friend, Linda, not to be confused with Lynda or LINDA. I am not entirely sure what message she is trying to send me but I will hope it has something to do with her desire for me to knit more socks instead of some sinister threat.

The foot is quite spectacular in a Nestene sort of way. It already has a definite affinity for hand knit socks.
The Foot likes lace socks

The Foot likes cabled socks.

The foot even likes ankle socks.

And it will stand on its head to please.

The Foot is a tad larger than my own foot so I will need to make a tiny adjustment to future sample socks. Despite its size, the Foot is amazingly accommodating. It doesn't seem to mind what ridiculous pose I put it in; how long I make it hold that pose; whether the weather is hot or cold outdoors or even if I use the flash.

The Foot also serves as a handy-dandy needle holder. Let's see a real foot try that.

Foot seems to have a natural talent for modeling too. Check out that point.

All that remains now is for the kids to name it. Don't laugh. They name everything. My dress form is named Suzy, my foam heads are Mandy and Maddy. I am starting to get quite a collection of assorted body parts. Those who didn't know I was a knitter might be a little concerned about my hobbies.

Thank you, dear Linda, for my gift. I promise to dress it up often.

Socks show above from top to bottom are:
Naughty socks
Owen Socks
Amber Waves Slipper Socks
Purple Mountain Slipper Socks
Medusa Cascade Socks
Owen Socks

Crocked Again

2010-08-03T08:25:00.000-05:00

The crock pot adventure continues.

Last week, I tried Smoked Sausage and Bean Stew from the Crockpot 365 blog. I found it to be quite delicious even though I substituted veggie broth. The recipe was filled with yummy veggies and I didn't have to stand over the stove or heat up the oven to prepare supper. The recipe made just enough for a good hearty meal with leftovers for lunch the following day.

Last night, I tried another crock pot veggie adventure - ratatouille. My youngest has been nagging me since that movie came out to make ratatouille. I had my doubts about whether he would eat it but a cold with its accompanying sort throat convinced me I wanted comfort food. I have cooked ratatouille the old-fashioned way, but I was curious about how it would work in a crock pot.

After searching diligently for a recipe, I settled on this one. I tinkered with the recipe a little. I used two medium-sized eggplants instead of one large, I sweated the eggplant with salt before adding it to the cooker so it wouldn't be bitter, I increased the garlic to be closer to the traditional recipes, I used tomato paste instead of fresh tomatoes and I substituted yellow squash for half of the zucchini. I also cooked mine on High for the first hour and stirred the concoction mid-way. The results were as expected, everybody but the kid that has been pestering me to make ratatouille for years liked it. Mr H ate three servings. And with all those veggies and olive oil, it has to be good for you. It was exactly what my cold-infected body wanted. The recipe made enough for a hearty meal and enough leftovers for lunch, though SmallFry will probably be happier with a sandwich. If I make this recipe again, I would probably put the herbs and spices between the two layers instead of on top.

Today, I am going for something SmallFry will eat so the crock pot is already working with a chicken for roasting. To this, I will add his favorite veggies so there will be no tears at the table. I will wait until tomorrow to spring a new recipe on him. :-)

Holiday Head Start

2010-08-01T07:54:00.000-05:00

Yes, I know the temperatures are above 90 and school hasn't even started back yet but Christmas is only 146 days away. Time to start thinking about that holiday knitting. To help jump start the holiday, I am announcing the Tabitha's Heart Holiday Head Start Sale. From now until 11:59pm 31st August, for every two patterns you buy, you will receive a third pattern (of equal or lesser value) for free.

Here is how it works. Simply buy two patterns at the same time. To receive your free pattern, you can either leave a comment in the invoice at the time you pay, email me at support AT tabithasheart DOT com or PM me through Ravelry with your choice for free pattern. The free pattern link will be be sent through Ravelry or emailed to you within 24 hours of receipt of payment.

So if you were having trouble trying to decide whether Uncle Bob would prefer a hat or socks, give him both and get shawl pattern for yourself as a bonus.

Happy knitting!

What a Crock

2010-07-26T12:15:00.000-05:00

I love the convenience of cooking in a crock pot. I love the feeling of organization that comes from knowing at 9:00am that supper is totally under control. I love that crock cooking doesn't use a lot of electricity and it doesn't heat up the house. So what is the problem then?

Most of the recipes that I find are for a big slab of meat covered with some kind of sauce. While this is fine occasionally, we eat more vegetables than meat. So I have trouble finding high-veg crock pot recipes. If you know a great one, I'd love to have you share the recipe.

I am trying one out tonight that is made with dried lima beans and stew veggies. The addition of steak sauce should make it interesting. Sure hope it tastes good. More importantly, I sure hope the kids will eat it. I will give you my review later this week.

Keeping Secrets is Hard

2010-07-25T19:44:00.000-05:00

I have been busy knitting away but unfortunately I can't show you most of what I am working on. The only thing I am working on that I can show you is my Doctor Who scarf.

This is to be a replica of the scarf worn by Tom Baker in his first season as the Doctor. It will eventually be ridiculously long though its current length is just under 4 feet before blocking. I am surprised at how much I like the colors. I was really not expecting it to be so pretty.

The only other photo I can share with you is the product of my kids cooking classes. They decided that they wanted Friday to be Kids Cook night. One of the things they learned in class was how to decorate cakes. Friday night they treated us to this cake:

And it was tasty too.

Two hats and a sock

2010-07-20T16:31:00.000-05:00

Today I have some new patterns to share with you.

Ailish Hat

Ailish is sweet lace hat with an interchangeable ribbon at the brim. The ribbon can be also used as a drawstring to turn your hat into a cute little bag. It may also be jazzed up with a decorative flower or pin at the top of the brim.

Knit in the round, this is a great project for introducing lace techniques. Pattern is suitable for the advanced beginner or intermediate knitter. Charted and written instructions included.

$5.00

add to cart

Evan Hat

Evan is a cabled beanie-style hat featuring a wide, ribbed cable repeated around the circumference of the hat and then shifted to the right with subsequent repeats resulting in a spiral effect. The cable ribs are then decreased into points to form the crown of the hat. The pattern is bold enough to stand up to most variegated yarns but also looks fabulous in solid colors. A perfect match for the Evan Sock.

Knit in the round from the brim to the crown. Pattern requires advanced beginner to intermediate skills. You need a good understanding of cables and basic hat construction.

$5.00

add to cart

Evan Sock

Evan is a simple sock adorned with a wide cable running from the toe to the cuff. The pattern is bold enough to stand up to most variegated yarns but also looks fabulous in solid colors.

The sock is knitted from the toe up and features a clever reverse gusset heel that doesn’t require short row wraps or picking up stitches. Pattern is suitable for the advanced beginner to intermediate knitter. Requires knowledge of basic toe up sock construction (including a toe up cast on) and an understanding of cable techniques. This cable requires two cable needles.

$5.00

add to cart

The Owen, Evan and Ailish patterns will be available as an ebook collection in September 2010.

Back to School

2010-07-18T07:00:00.002-05:00

I added a new book to my collection recently. The Knitgrrl Guide to Professional Knitwear Design by Shannon Oakey. The book wasn't entirely what I was expecting but that is a good thing. I was expecting another book that dealt mainly with designing patterns but this book deals largely with the business end of designing. This is fantastic as I don't know of another book on the market that handles these subjects.

There is a chapter on the technical aspects of writing pattern but Shannon also discusses things like social media, lawyers, advertising, publishing and the business side of things. There are also a collection of interview with some of the best known designers in the business. I think Elizabeth Zimmermann may be the only designer missing and she wasn't available to be interviewed.

One of the coolest things is that the book is available in print and electronic formats. Want a copy for your Kindle? Shannon has you covered. Prefer the sound of rustling pages? Shannon can do that too. Can't decide between print and PDF? You can buy the bundle with both. This book is available in every format you could possibly want. Me, I went for the Print and PDF option so I could enjoy the instant gratification of the PDF file but still relish the smell of paper.

This book is going to be something that refer to again and again. I liked it so much I even signed up for Shannon's Designer 101 class in her virtual studio. Which remind me, I have homework to do so I probably need to quit blogging and get to it. So if you are thinking about selling patterns or even hand-dyed yarns or finished knitting pieces, check the book out. There is probably something there to help you. It is available from Amazon.com or the Knitgrrl website. Your local library may even have it.

Before I go, I do have one little business matter to handle. I need to announce the contest winners for my Vacation Contest.
First, the correct answers.

The trolley in downtown Memphis, TN

Pyramid Arena in Memphis, TN
The building is really cool with its golden pharaoh statue but the mirrored surface will blind you certain times of the day. It has not been the financial success that the city had hoped.

Bridge over the Mississippi River from Memphis side. The bridge is M-shaped and was one of my favorite things about Memphis.

My lovely feet showing off my black hi-tops and my ankle brace from the Spring Sprain incident. And one of the socks I knitted while traveling. The highway behind my feet is Interstate 40 somewhere in central Arkansas. Couldn't tell you exactly where because it all looks alike - flat and boring - until you get to Little Rock.

Old Mill in North Little Rock, Arkansas.
This is one of the prettiest parks I have visited. The mill is the last remaining structure from the movie Gone with the Wind (it supposedly appears in the opening scenes though I don't remember seeing it). It made a great photo location for the wedding shawl.

Museum of Discovery in Little Rock, AR.
This museum was a fun little discovery. We had a reciprocal membership so we got in for free. Made a nice break from the boring drive.

Rock Island Bridge over the Arkansas River near downtown Little Rock. This is an abandoned rail bridge that is really cool because it has a drawbridge (though that might not be the correct term since the entire span lifts). The arched span on the right raises to allow boating traffic to pass underneath and then lowers for rail traffic. Too bad it is no longer in use.

Another sock posing in front of a plaque at the Arkansas Welcome Center in West Memphis, AR.

Titanic Museum in Branson, MO
This was the coolest part of the trip. The museum was shaped like a scale model of the bow of the Titanic complete with iceberg. You received a boarding pass bearing the name of an actual passenger or crew member from the Titanic. As you went through you could look for information about your person and at then end you found out if your person survived or not.

A lovely butterfly from the Butterfly Palace in Branson, MO.
I have never seen such huge butterflies in my life. It was funny to watch everyone staring at the ceiling with their mouths open. If you were still enough, the butterflies would land on you. It was really a lovely place. My son got me lost in the mirror maze though.

The sock monkey, Donnie and Marie and Mr Spock were all from the World's Largest Toy Museum in Branson, MO.
I decided to spare you have to look at the sock monkey and Donnie and Marie again. Every inch of that place was jam packed with every imaginable kind of toy. It was an interesting walk down memory lane. Until I got to the kewpie dolls, that is. Bleck!

The McDonald's Party Caboose in Harrison, AR.
Who knew McDonald's actually has lots of these. I never did understand the connection between McDonald's and the caboose but if it makes them happy...

And yet another sock on yet another unknown stretch of highway in Arkansas. I-40 is really a boring highway.

The lucky winner is Mary. We were close to you. Next time we pass through that part of the world we will be sure to wave. Email me or PM me through Ravelry so I can make arrangements to send your patterns.

Hot, hot, hot

2010-07-16T17:34:00.000-05:00

Yep, that about sums up my life right now. It is too hot to do anything but sit near the air conditioner and knit. So naturally I have been buying yarn. Here are the latest acquisitions.

Vacation Souvenirs

Manos del Uraguay Serena
60% Baby alpaca/40% Pima cotton in one of a kind colorway with no name

I cannot begin to tell you how soft it is. I cannot wait to get it on the needles so it can tell me what it wants to be. The skeins don't have a lot of yardage but is was so wonderfully soft that I couldn't resist it.

Colinette Jitterbug
100% Merino wool in Salty Dog (165)

Who knew they had added semi-solids to their line. This color is going to make some really fun socks

Panda Silk
52% bamboo, 43% machine washable merino wool, 5% combed silk in Sangria (3011)

This is the yarn featured in my latest sock pattern Owen. I love the softness and the sheen. It isn't quite as suited to cables as 100% wool would be but I think the results are still nice.

Gift Yarn

Colinette Jitterbug
100% Merino wool in Venezia (90)

I received this as a gift from a dear friend who thought I needed some yarn from England. She also sent me chocolate. She is a very good friend.

Yarn I am knitting now.

Dodge Creations Dye Works
100% Merino wool in Plum Blossom

This is going to be a shawl but that is all I will say about that now.

Fiber Optics Foot Notes
80% Merino wool/20% Nylon in Afternoon in Paris

Another shawl but I will have more to say about that later.

Knit Picks Telemark
100% Washable Wool in 7 very Who colors

This is the humble beginning of my Doctor Who scarf as worn by Tom Baker, the fourth Doctor and the one with the most special place in my heart since he was my first Doctor. They say you always love your first Doctor.

You will be seeing a lot of this scarf as it will end up ridiculously long by the time it is ready to cast off. Might not work as well on me as I am significantly shorter than 6'4" but I will have a ridiculously long scarf nonetheless.

Two, Two, Two Socks in One

2010-07-01T12:04:00.003-05:00

Much of my recent quietness on the blog has been due to a mad flurry of designing lately. Between pattern writing, managing test knits, knitting, editing and all the million other little things that go along with designing, I simple haven't had time to write. The good news is that there will be a number of new patterns appearing on these pages in the coming weeks.

I will introduce you to the most recent additions to my pattern catalog now.

Aragorn Sock

This sock is the final piece in the Aragorn collection that I have been working on for several months. This deceptively easy but bold lace and cable pattern is masculine enough for the Aragorn in your life, without being dull to knit. It looks great knit in a more feminine color too. It’s a perfect match for the Aragorn Scarf, Aragorn Fingerless Gloves and Aragorn Hat.

The sock is knit from the toe up utilizing an increased toe and a clever reversed gusset heel. Suitable for intermediate knitters, the pattern uses simple lace techniques and basic twisted stitches. You will need to know basic toe up sock techniques, in particular a toe up cast on. The heel instructions are included in the pattern. There is a accompanying tutorial on my blog that explains working the twisted stitches without a cable needle. Pattern instructions are written. No charts included at this time.

Special thanks to Colin Andersson for allowing me to modify his Andersson heel for this pattern. Thank you also to Tammy, of Photography by TK Eastburn, for the lovely photos, to Christa Keltner for the knitting the sample and to Ashley, the wonder editor, for her amazing tech editing skills.

$5.00

add to cart

Next, I'd like to introduce you to the first in a collection of accessories for children and adults.

Owen Sock

Owen is a simple sock adorned with two wide cables running from the toe to the cuff and up the back of the leg. The pattern is bold enough to stand up to most variegated yarns but also looks fabulous in solid colors.

The sock is knitted toe up and features a clever reverse gusset heel that doesn’t require short row wraps or picking up stitches. Pattern is suitable for advanced beginner and intermediate knitters. Knitter will need to know basic toe-up sock construction including a toe-up cast on. The heel will be explained in the pattern. Knitter will also need a knowledge of basic knowledge of cables. As there are few cable twists in the pattern and the stitches are well explained, this pattern could be suitable as a first cable pattern for the fearless knitter. The pattern contains fully written instructions with a supplementary chart for the cable pattern. The pattern is quick to knit and would make an excellent gift sock as it looks much more difficult than it really is. The matching Owen hat, as well as Evan, the infant/child version of this pattern, will both be available soon.

$5.00

add to cart

I've been having fun reading all the comments on my vacation post. I did want to clarify one little detail for the contest. You don't have to have seen these places in person to enter the contest. If you get your answers from Google, that is fine too. Happy searching.

AWOL

2010-06-26T08:51:00.005-05:00

Boy, has the time slipped away from me. Summer is fully upon us and I haven't had time to blog since that "knitting injury" I told you about in my previous post. My ankle is greatly improved though still not 100%. But I am being much more careful with my photography shoots now.

It has been an eventful spring and summer. We took a lovely vacation, I have been designing like mad and I survived another Week of the Screaming Hordes (aka Vacation Bible School). So where to begin?

I suppose I should begin with the vacation. You didn't think you could escape without seeing the vacation photos, did you?.

What I Did on my Vacation
A Photo essay by tabitha

I saw trolley cars

and pyramids

and really cool bridges

and I knit socks.

I saw Old Mills

and museums

and more cool bridges

and knit more socks

I saw the Titanic

and butterflies

and Sock monkeys (scary)

and Donnie and Marie (even scarier)

and Mr Spock (live long and prosper)

and even a McDonald's with a caboose (though I'm not exactly sure why a McDonald's needs a caboose)

and knit still more socks.

And then I came home.

The End

I actually finished some socks but that is a story for another day.

To make up for the long absence, how about a blog contest?
See how many of the places pictured you can identify. Include the name of the attraction and the city and state, if possible (the entry with the most specific information will be chosen in the event of a tie). Just ignore the photos that are the interior of the car on some highway since I am not sure I can tell the highways apart. The person who can identify the most locations will get a copy of my two soon-to-be-released sock patterns (unless you don't like knitting socks, in which case, I will offer a substitute prize). There are a total of 10 locations pictured because a couple of the photos were taken at the same place.

To enter, just comment with a photo number and your guess for the name of the attraction (if applicable) plus the city and state of its location. As a hint, all of these locations are within about 500 miles driving distance of one another. Those of you who I met in person along the way are not eligible since it gives you an outrageously unfair advantage. In the event of a tie, the entry with the most specific information will be chosen. If there are loads of people who have identical entries, winners will be chosen at random from among the correct entries. If no one guesses anything correctly, a winner will be chosen at random from all of the entries. Contest ends at midnight PDT on 4th July, 2010. Winner will be announced on the blog some time after 5 July 2010.

Spring Sprain

2010-04-28T18:19:00.003-05:00

We have had a beautiful spring so far. My azaleas have been simply gorgeous this year so they have been posing with some of my recent knitting projects.

Two of my patterns have gotten a face lift to be a part of the Knit Picks IDP program.

Amber Waves Slipper Socks

and Purple Mountains Slipper Socks.

These two are both looking great in the Knit Picks Swish Superwash yarn. I especially like the Clematis Heather that is featured in Purple Mountains.

The subtle little color changes really catch the light and set of the design. Both patterns should be available on Knit Picks soon. If you can't wait, they are available through my Ravelry pattern store.

Another of my designs wanted to pose with the azaleas.

Naughty Sock

Naughty sock got its name as a sort of joke while I was swatching and ripping and swatching and ripping swatching and ripping stitch patterns trying to find something that would work with a variegated yarn. Somewhere along the way I got frustrated and put the sock in time out. It was jokingly referred to as the naughty sock afterward and the name sort of stuck.

So after weeks of frogging, I "unvented" this fun-to-knit lace stitch pattern. The resulting sock is light, lacy sock and just right for spring and summer wear. Easy enough to make it an excellent traveling sock but interesting enough to prevent boredom.

I have discovered however, that giving something a name like Naughty is a dangerous thing. Sometimes it makes the knitting life up to its name. While taking photos of the socks I managed to fall and sprain my ankle. I think the next sock is going to be named Good Health.

Knit it in a colorful wool blend or a cool cotton blend. The lace pattern is stretchy and accommodates a variety of calf widths. You can easily customize the leg and foot length for your own size. This sock utilizes cuff down construction with eye of partridge heel flap and standard toe. Suitable for the Advanced Beginner to Intermediate knitter.

$5.00

add to cart

In the coming weeks, expect to see more socks and some shawls.
Happy knitting.

Spring is Bursting Out All Over.

2010-04-13T11:40:00.003-05:00

Spring is that time of revival and refreshing. A time of renewed energies and enthusiasm. For me it has meant a restored enthusiasm for knitting and a brain nearly bursting with new design ideas. And everyone knows that new designs ideas means new yarn. So I would like to share some of my latest stash enhancements with you.

My first acquisition for the spring was this:

This beauty is was created by Debbie at Dodge Creations Dye Works Colorway is called Plum Blossom.

This bright and beautiful color just sings spring. It has been incredibly difficult to finish my hubby's boring brown socks with this lovely yarn beckoning begging to be knit into a lovely lace shawl.

My next discovery for the spring was Sanguine Gryphon yarns. This was my first time to purchase Gryphon's fabulous yarns and I have to say it was love at first sight. I have collected enough for four more shawls.

Top is Skinny Bugga in Cowkiller colorway(how can you resist a name like that; Bottom is Skinny Bugga in Holly Blue Butterfly colorway. The photos do not show the incredible depth of these colors

Top is Little Traveler in Gallifrey colorway; Bottom is Skinny Bugga in Beyer's Jewel Scarab. Both colors have much more depth than the photos show. All four yarns are light fingering weight and are destined for shawls.

My last yarn shopping has been at Fiber Optics. Kimber has been helping me search for a very specific color for a design that I have had on the drawing board for a while. She has been unbelievably patient and helpful. Great customer service.
After much discussion and a postal mishap or two, she helped me find the perfect color for the design.

Isn't it just gorgeous? It is her Merino/Silk laceweight in Aubergine colorway. The yarn is absolutely magnificent in person. Deeply mingled softly variegated colors with just a hint of sheen. Can't wait to get to this project.
And while I was looking at Fiber Optic yarns, I couldn't resist this one.

This yarn is her Foot Notes sock yarn in Afternoon in Paris colorway. The photo really doesn't do this beautiful yarn justice. This one will be a summer shawl with matching socks.

Just so you don't think all I do is collect yarn, here are my latest designs. The first of my spring collection.

The first is a quick-to-knit shawl that is the answer to the question "What do I do with this gorgeous handpainted yarn that will not cooperate with any stitch pattern.

Medusa Cascade

The Medusa Cascade is a swirling, colorful rift in time and space from science fiction. This lovely yarn reminded me of those swirling colors but it just didn’t cooperate with most stitch patterns. This lovely little shawl was specifically designed to showcase that gorgeous but uncooperative skein of variegated yarn. The uncomplicated stitch pattern lets your beautiful yarn do all the work for you.

Wear this versatile shawl as a wrap for those cool evenings, a topper for a sundress, a chic scarf or even tied around the hips.

It’s knit from the center back down with a single 100-gram skein of luxury sock yarn. The unusual shaping of this modified triangular shawl helps it stay on the shoulders better. Suitable for the Advanced Beginner to Intermediate knitter.

$5.00

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My next design for you is the matching warm weather sock.

Medusa Cascade Socks

I adore variegated yarns but always struggle finding the pattern to highlight those colorful indulgences. This simple design is perfect for those beautiful yarns. It is named for the swirling rift in time and space from the Doctor Who series. This quick-to-knit ankle sock is sure to become a warm weather favorite.

Knit from the toe up using a provisional cast on, with a unique reversed gusset heel, this pattern features a ruffled cuff that is knit inside out and then folded down to reveal the right side. Suitable for the Advanced Beginner to Intermediate knitter (a variety of increases, simple decreases, basic sock knitting and lace-knitting skills will be needed).

$5.00

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Afterthoughts- A Tutorial

2010-03-03T10:59:00.004-06:00

In the course of getting Aragorn Gloves pattern test knit, a number of questions arose about the thumb I used for the glove. Elizabeth Zimmermann dubbed this method the "afterthought" method. She used it for sock heels as well as thumbs. The general idea is to knit the stitches needed for the heel or thumb onto waste yarn, then continue knitting your project and come back to the thumb or heel after you have finished the project. This method is super-fast, convenient for travel and doesn't involve transferring stitches onto stitch holders then back onto needles like gusset methods do. Though perhaps not as elegant as the gusseted thumb, I find the speed and ease of knitting more than makes up any difference in overall look. Without further ado, here is my little photo tutorial of the afterthought thumb as used in Aragorn gloves. For reference, I am knitting the left glove.

Work until you get to the point in the pattern where you will add your thumb. Drop the working yarn. Picking up a piece of scrap yarn, knit the stitches for the thumb with the scrap yarn. I just held one tail of the waste yarn with my left thumb as I knit the first my stitches.

Once you have knit the desired number of stitches (in the case of Aragorn it will be 6 stitches), transfer the stitches back to the left hand needle by slipping them purlwise one at a time.

Picking up the working yarn again, rework the stitches that you knit onto scrap yarn. You will have worked the same six stitches twice.

When you have completed reworking the stitches your glove should look something like this.

Continue working in pattern for the rest of the glove. When you have completed it, you will have something that looks like this.

Arm yourself with a set of double pointed needles and prepare to knit the thumb. You will begin by carefully removing that piece of scrap yarn to reveal the live stitches.

As each live stitch is revealed, you will pick it up onto one of two needles. This is a bit difficult to see because of the dark yarn but the process will make complete sense as you try it yourself.

When you have completely removed the scrap yarn, you should have one less stitch on the top needle than on the bottom. In the case of Aragorn gloves, you will have 6 stitches on the bottom needle and 5 stitches on the top needle.

Next, pick up your yarn and knit across the stitches on the bottom needle. Please forgive the quality of the photography. Princess Buttercup is still learning.

Using a new needle, pick up and knit two or three stitches from the gap between the top and bottom needle to fill the space.

Knit half the stitches from the top needle onto this needle. Now picking up another needle, knit the remainder of the stitches from the top needle and pick up and knit 2 or 3 stitches from the gap between the top and bottom needle. I generally pick up three stitches on the palm side of the hand and two on the top side.

Once you have picked up all your stitches, you should be back to the first stitch on the bottom needle in a position to reclose the round. Knit or work the next round in pattern. I find that if I work the stitches that I picked up through the back loop, there is less chance of a visible hole at this point. After knitting one round to reclose the round you should have something that looks like this.

There you have it. The Afterthought Thumb. EZ as pie or was that pi.

Happy Knitting.

Finish Line!

2010-02-28T21:48:00.003-06:00

The 2010 Winter Olympics and the 2010 Ravelympics have come and gone. Both gave us success and failure. The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. So here is a recap of my Ravelympics journey.

I entered 4 projects this year.

1. Lorien Hat

Medal Category - WIPs Dancing (for hibernating works in progress).
Complete - 24 February 2010

2. Bright Copper Kettles aka Kettle and Strings

Medal Categories:

Designer Original Dance (for designing an original pattern
Lace Luge (for any lace project)
Platter Lift (for items for the home)
Stash Compulsory Dance (for items knit from your stash)

Finished: 23 February 2010

This is the second in a series of towels and washcloths that I started for the 2008 Summer Ravelympics. I am pleased with the results though I see a couple of small changes I plan to make for the final pattern.

3. Sargassum Scarf aka Igpay Atinlay KAL

Medal Categories:

Designer Pattern Skeleton (for a writing a publishable pattern)
Beading Biathlon (for beaded projects)
Lace Luge
Scarf Super-G (for scarves, obviously)
Single Skein Speed Skate (for projects using a single skein of yarn)

Finished: 28 February 2010 (just under the wire)

This project was also done as a Knit-along on the Tabitha's Heart Ravelry group. How's that for a clever way to get test knitters. The photos could be better but the pattern is complete and listed in the Ravelry database. It will be available for sale tomorrow as soon as I get some better photos.

4. Ravelympics Sock Design

This just didn't come together. The original idea just didn't look the way I wanted it to look. Project ended up frogged.

So not too bad all in all. Even though I did have one fail. I managed to complete two designs and one WIP in 17 days. Yes, I am a Ravelympian. If you will excuse me, I am expected on the podium for my medal ceremony.

Whew!

2010-02-22T09:38:00.002-06:00

These Winter Ravelympics events must be tougher than the summer games. Haven't won nearly as many medals this time. However, don't count me out yet.

I am on course in the Pattern Skeleton event, so unless I wipe out at the 50/50 curve, I should medal in that event. I am not as far as I would have liked in Designer Original Dance but still not out of the medal running. I am hoping to have one project, Kettle and String, off the needles in a hour or so. WIPs-Dancing is slow going because my chosen project is cables on small needles with small and splitty yarn. But I haven't given up on that one either. The Sock Hockey is not looking too promising right now. I haven't totally written it off as I have a totally rocking pattern to work with but getting that sample knit by the deadline may be the deal breaker. The odds are stacked a little against me in that event. Perhaps I should have entered Aerial Unwind instead.

No photos to post today so I will leave you with this Olympic moment brought to you by Small Fry.

Walking into the room, SmallFry noticed that I was watching Slalom. He looked at the TV with excitement and said "Ooooo! Light saber skiing!"
I think that is a pretty apt description of the slalom.

Coming Up for Air

2010-02-15T15:06:00.003-06:00

I didn't realize it had been such a long time since I last visited to all of you in blogland. I have been amazingly busy. Since we last talked I have added two more pieces to the Aragorn set - a hat and fingerless gloves

The hat pattern is already published on Ravelry and the gloves should be ready for publication later this week. The gloves will be a fun pattern because there are two versions included in the pattern.

This weekend started the Ravelympics. My goals for the 2010 Ravelympics are to finish one languishing WIP (Lorien Hat)and to complete three designs - one of which must be published as a pattern on Ravelry by the extinguishing of the Olympic torch. So I'm in a knitting and designing frenzy.

I have made good progress though. The Lorien hat WIP is close to the half-way mark. The pattern challenge is currently with test knitters and the tech editor so it is well on its way to reality. I can't tell you a lot about it because the testers are doing it as a mystery KAL. It has been fun teasing them about it. And one of my design challenges, Bright Copper Kettles which had been patiently waiting in my design idea notebook since the last Ravelympics, is about one-quarter through. I did have a couple of temporary set-backs with it (lost the needles and had to frog a mistake or two) but I am currently reknitting the frogged section so I am back in the race - a little behind the front runners but not out of the race entirely.

That is all the blogging time I have for now but stay tuned for the next Ravelympics adventures.

Ranger, Warrior, Healer, King

2010-01-08T21:20:00.002-06:00

I have spent a lot of time thinking about Lord of the Rings lately due to all the time I have spent with the Arwen line. I kept thinking though that something was missing. I finally realized that Arwen was never complete without Aragorn. Couple that with the fact that my husband has been hinting that he needed a new hat, scarf and gloves, and you get my latest design.

Aragorn Scarf

Aragorn is truly a complex character - descendant of kings and elves, wanderer and warrior. For him, I chose a combination of twisted stitches and textured lace for a bold and interesting-to-knit pattern that a man will still wear. No boring garter stitch here. Yet the stitch pattern looks lovely in a more feminine color too.

The pattern is available as a download through Ravelry and in print from my etsy store. At this point the instructions are entirely written but charted instructions will be added a little later. You will automatically receive the update if you purchase through Ravelry.

$5.00

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New Opportunities

2010-01-06T09:42:00.003-06:00

2010 presents us with another set of opportunities. Opportunities to improve our lives, to correct past mistakes and basically become better people. Many people are focused on resolutions for the year but most of these resolutions will be broken before the end of the month.

I found this article in a church bulletin and thought it was something worth sharing. It contains some "doable" suggestions for changing your life in this new year of opportunities. I hope you find it helpful.

Planning for the New Year
by Kelby Smith

The planning of the new year is a time when people normally set goals and make resolutions. Yet we all know that making resolutions is a lot easier than keeping them. Horace Mann once said, “I have never read anything about the resolutions of the Apostles, but a great deal about the acts of the Apostles.

Listed below are some suggestions to help you make 2010 the best year ever.

Accomplish something. Set your goal to accomplish something worthwhile during 2010. It may not be some grand achievement or a great contribution to the world. Don’t forget that ordinary accomplishments are important too. Make the world a better place because you are in it.

Be the best that you can. If you are capable of teaching a class, leading a song, or leading someone to Christ, live up to your potential. Remember Colossians 3:23, “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men . . . “

Be content. Our society has more material possessions and comforts than any who has ever gone before. Let’s be appreciative! Make it your goal to learn to practice the art of contentment in 2010. In I Timothy 6:6, we are told that godliness with contentment is great gain.

Grow Spiritually. Read your Bible and pray to God daily. Attend all services. Get involved in [church] programs of work. It is a tragedy when people make great achievements in the area of business, finances, and professional careers, and their spiritual life is mediocre at best. Would you be satisfied to prosper in other areas in the same degree that you prosper spiritually?

Set a goal to be better at the end of the year than at the beginning. Make a list of goals. Put it in a safe place and get it out occasionally to see how you are progressing. A simple but sincere woman said it this way, “I ain’t what I oughter be; and I ain’t what I’m gonna be; but I sure ain’t what I was!” May we all be able to make the same statement at the end of 2010.

Twisted (a tutorial)

2009-12-29T11:34:00.008-06:00

This is a short tutorial on how to do the twisted stitches used in my soon-to-be-released Aragorn scarf pattern. Several of the testers have asked for help on how to do these stitches without a cable needle. My method is not the way you will normally see it executed, nor is it the only way to do cabling without a needle but this method was easiest for me to wrap my thick skull around.

T2R (Right twist stitch)
Here is the standard definition of the stitch

Slip first stitch onto cable needle, hold to back. Knit the next stitch through back loop then purl the stitch on cable needle.

Now here is how to work that stitch without the cable needle.

Slip both of the stitches involved in the twist purlwise onto the right needle.
(I know that most tutorials do not do it this way. This is just the method that works best for me. Feel free to use whatever method works for you)

Place the tip of the left needle into the back of the first of the two slipped stitches.

Place your thumb under the two slipped stitches, lightly pinching the stitches to prevent any runaways.

Now for the scary part. While pinching the base of your stitches between your thumb and forefinger, remove the right needle from these two stitches.
Don't panic, keep breathing. No need for hyperventilating. Your thumb will keep the free stitch from escaping

Quickly catch the live stitch with the tip of the right needle.

Slip this stitch back onto the left needle. Now your stitches are rearranged and you are ready to knit.

Knit the first stitch through the back loop. And purl the second stitch.

You have now completed the T2R without the aid of a cable needle.

Are you ready to try the left twist?

T2L (Left Twist)
Here are the standard instructions for the stitch.

Slip stitch onto cable needle, hold to front. Purl next stitch then knit stitch on cable needle through back loop.

Now here is how I do it without the aid of the cable needle
(Same caveat as before: I know that most tutorials do not do it this way. This is just the method that works best for me. Feel free to use whatever method works for you)

Slip both of the stitches involved in the twist purlwise onto the right needle.

Place the tip of the left needle into the front of the first of the two slipped stitches.

Place your thumb under the two slipped stitches to prevent any runaways.

Now for the scary part. While pinching the base of your stitches between your thumb and forefinger, remove the right needle from these two stitches.
Don't panic, keep breathing. No need for hyperventilating. Your thumb will keep the free stitch from escaping

Quickly catch the live stitch with the tip of the right needle.

Slip this stitch back onto the left needle. Now your stitches are rearranged and you are ready to knit.

Purl the first stitch. And knit the second stitch through the back loop.

You have now completed the T2L without the aid of a cable needle.

A couple of tips that will help you out. You might want to place your finger on the second stitch of the pair when you work the first stitch. This helps keep the second stitch from slipping off your needle while working the first stitch.

You can actually work the first stitch of the combination without ever removing the right needle after repositioning of the stitches if you have your yarn on the proper side of your work.

One final photo, if you happen to need to rip back, here is the proper orientation for those twisted stitches to be on the needle.

Notice that the stitch is crossed at he base instead of being open as a normal knit stitch would be.

Rerun

2009-12-24T21:50:00.005-06:00

Between Christmas preparations, sick kids and knitting, I have had little time to post. It's Christmas eve night, I am listening to the rain pour down on the roof and wondering if I can finish just one more Christmas knitting project. Doubtful, but fortunately, the family is cool with IOUs.

In light of the fact that I am still working on Christmas knitting, I am going to share with you a post from last year that you might enjoy. Hope you will forgive me for the rerun. I think my feelings are still about the same for all these songs. My current favorite Christmas album is Andrea Bocelli - My Christmas. Give it a listen if you haven't.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas.

Christmas Music
originally published 23 Dec 2008

The thing that I am most happy about this Christmas season is that soon radio stations and stores everywhere will stop playing Christmas music. I would be quite happy if Christmas music were limited to the week before Christmas. There are some songs that are particularly irritation. My kids and I have come up with a list of the most annoying songs of the season.

Top 10 Most Annoying Christmas Songs

10. I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (particularly the Michael Jackson version)

9. I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas (this one happens to be my hubby's favorite which is probably why the kids hate it.)

8. All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth (the whistling version is worst)

7. Twelve Days of Christmas. There are only so many types of poultry that should be put in a single song. This goes double for any of the variations like the Redneck version, the Canadian version, etc.

6. Christmas Shoes. I don't particularly like tear jerker songs but this one is just too sappy. What else could go wrong for this poor kid - he gets struck by lightning on the way to the hospital with the shoes. Seriously, the only kid with worse luck is Harry Potter.

5. Do they Know It's Christmas, Happy Christmas (War is Over) or any Christmas song with a political agenda. Save the politics for the other 364 days of the year, please.

4. Jingle Bells - Barking Dogs version. Root canal is more pleasant

3. Little Drummer Boy - especially the version by the Vienna Boys Choir

2. Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer Grandmothers everywhere should boycott the advertisers for every radio station that plays it.

1. My Favorite Things - Because it's NOT EVEN a Christmas Song

Any Christmas song sung my Madonna should also be included in this group. Hope you have enjoyed our little countdown.

Next post. Christmas Knitting.

Check It Out...

2009-12-17T10:57:00.002-06:00

I have a Featured Pattern on Ravelry!!!

How cool is that!

Random Ramblings

2009-12-09T10:07:00.004-06:00

Of Christmas
We are visiting the in-laws soon so I need to wrap their Christmas presents. However, SmallFry's fondness for tape has left me with a little problem. There is no tape to be found in the house. Do you think it would be considered cruel or insulting if I were to glue the wrapping paper to their presents? Would I be invited back next year? My friend GG says that it would make a great experiment in human behavior. What do you think? Should I try it in the name of science?

Of car repairs
We have the misfortune of owning a Jeep Liberty. One of those with the window defect which makes the windows fall into the door without warning and for no apparent reason. We have owned the vehicle for a little over a year and we have had 5 repairs on the windows, two in the last three weeks. Note: This amounts to one more repair than the number of windows in the vehicle.

Thursday we got the vehicle back from it's most recent visit to the repair shop. Yesterday while visiting some friends, I was recounting the tale of the most recent repair adventures. We were laughing over the thoughts of me driving with one hand on the steering wheel and one on the window. I assure you, this is not an easy or safe way to drive. How do you signal that you are planning to turn? How do you turn on the wipers or dim the lights?

During this conversation, it started raining. Really raining. The kind of rain that would have made Noah's neighbors start building their own arks. My friend turned to me with the most earnest expression and said "I hope your windows are up." We all burst into hysterical laughter. When I could breathe again I replied, "So do I, man. So do I." But with that silly Jeep, you never really know.

Of rainstorms
The good news is we made it to the Jeep and the window was still up. The bad news is that we were all drenched. When we made it home, I stopped the Jeep in the driveway so I could get the mail. I hurried across the road to get my mail, stepped into a puddle that soaked my jeans to my knees and reached in the mailbox to find...a stupid sale ad. I stepped knee-deep in ice cold water for a sale ad. Some days you just can't win.

Of ladybugs
Everyone thinks that ladybugs are wonderful bugs but I would like to share a few little known facts about ladybugs that show a different side of the little nuisances.
Fact 1 - Ladybugs like to hibernate indoors and together. Unless your home is extremely well insulated these little buggies can find a way into your home for a winter snooze.
Fact 2 - Ladybugs stink. When threatened ladybugs give off a rather disgusting odor to convince predators that they taste bad.
Fact 3 - Ladybugs are small and move rather quickly into places where you do not want them, particularly in areas of high humidity.
Fact 4 - Contrary to popular belief, ladybugs can and do bite when properly provoked. Trust me on this.

These ladybug facts bring me to my final rambling. Yesterday, I gathered my jeans and tee-shirt from the dryer and went to the bathroom for a shower. I placed my clothing on the back of the toilet while I showered (we have a really small bathroom so that is the only "shelf" available). I enjoyed a lovely hot shower and got dressed. I went to my room to put on my shoes and noticed a weird feeling on my leg. A rapidly realized that I had a ladybug in my pants. After a hurried apology to the kids (that the kids said reminded them of Dean from The Iron Giant), I shed the jeans but not before the aforementioned ladybug felt properly threatened. Yup! I got bitten and stinked. I hate ladybugs.

Next post, I will talk about knitting.

KUI*

2009-12-04T16:10:00.002-06:00

*Knitting Under the Influence

This week has been a slow week for knitting for me. I have had allergy problems most of the week and have been spending too much time with my friend Zyrtec. Unfortunately, though it helps with the allergies, Zyrtec messes with my head. I get just fuzzy-headed enough to be dangerous with a knitting needle. So here is what most of my knitting for the week looks like.

Hopefully, I will have been luck next week.

Going Green

2009-12-01T09:50:00.002-06:00

What do you get when you cross Arwen Wrap with Watercress.

This

The yarn is Valley Yarns Northfield in Watercress colorway. Color is more accurate in this photo.

If you are wondering about the blob on the left side of the photo. That is the second half of the wrap. I am knitting both halves at once which is going unexpectedly well. I am pleasantly surprised with the results of the stitch pattern in this color. Doesn't it just say Hello Spring. (Yes, I am tired of winter already)

Of Turkey and Temperatures

2009-11-27T08:45:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was Thanksgiving Day in the US which means turkey and dressing and all the trimmings. This tradition requires an insane amount of cooking, most of it necessitating an oven. Fortunately, yesterday was also the first cold day we have had this fall. Somehow, you don't mind having the oven on all day when it is cold out.

The whole family got involved in the preparations for the meal. Everyone ooohed and aaahhed over the lovely turkey that I cooked. The meal was served on the good china and flatware. Everything was just like a scene from Norman Rockwell - except for the fact that we spent the day in our fleece pajamas. Only Hubs, who had to make the Cliff Huxtable run to the store for that missing ingredient, got dressed yesterday.

After all the cooking and eating was done, we settled down to the only sensible way to spend an afternoon - knitting and a movie or two. I am wondering if sedation is a side effect of turkey overdose. The kids didn't even argue over which movie to watch. I was one of the nicest days we have had in ages.

Now for the important question - what do you knit on a cold and lazy Thanksgiving Day afternoon? Why a wrap, of course!

Arwen Wrap to be exact.

My latest design is a wrap worthy of Arwen. The scallops in the border echo the hilt of the sword of her beloved. The lacy body reflects the peaceful elven beauty of her Rivendell home.

Despite its complicated look, the wrap is quick to knit due to the larger yarn and large needles. The wrap is knit in the positively dreamy Valley Yarns Northfield from WEBS. The 70% Merino/20% Baby Alpaca/10% Silk yarn is outrageously soft, has fantastic stitch definition but, at the same time, provides excellent drape - all the features you want in a wrap. This color is Chestnut - a deep, orangey brown that surprised me with its color depth. I don't generally like browns but I am head-over-heels for this color.

Obviously, that wrap is not the one I worked on yesterday since it is quite complete. The one I am currently knitting is in Watercress - a deep rich green that should transition well into spring and early summer. It is a bit crowded on the needle since I am knitting both halves at once. The color is richer in person.

The rectangular wrap is knit in two identical pieces and then grafted together at the center. Pattern contains full written and charted instructions. The pattern is available as a download from Ravelry and in print version from my etsy store.

$7.00

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Macgyverisms

2009-11-22T13:36:00.008-06:00

They say necessity is the mother of invention. There is a lot of wisdom in that statement. This morning we discovered just how inventive you can get when necessary. PrincessButtercup has a set of Crystalites knitting needles. While the needles are really pretty, they aren't incredibly practical for knitting as the plastic is quite brittle so they break easily. This morning, she was knitting on a scarf on the way to church. Dad hit a bump at exactly the wrong moment and snap went the needle. PBC and I began a frantic search for a spare needle in our knitting bags. My bag was empty but PBC had a double pointed needle. She said "If I had a point protector, I could use this dpn." Unfortunately, neither of us had a point protector in our knitting bags. Then we began to search knitting bags, purses, and the console of the car for something to use as a substitute. Stitch counter - too loose. Eraser - not big enough. End cap to interchangeable needles - didn't fit needle. We didn't even have any duct tape. At the bottom of PBC's purse however, we discovered the solution. A pony tail holder. We wrapped the pony tail holder tightly around one end of the double pointed needle and Voila! Instant straight needle. PBC had the tools she needed to continue knitting. MacGyver would have been proud.

My latest design is a lot like that. At the request of a friend, I recently designed a cowl. While cowls are hugely popular, I am not their biggest fan. They look really nice but you have to muss your hair to put them on and to remove them. In my eyes, that is not terribly practical. So I started trying to think of a way to get a cowl-like scarf that would give you that great splash of color at your neck but that didn't muss your hair and makeup when you removed it.
My solution: Arwen Keyhole Scarf.

It keeps your neck warm and gives you that great splash of color at the throat but it is simpler to put on.

Just wrap one end around your neck and thread the other end through the clever little keyhole at the other end. I think even MacGyver would approve of this design

Pattern is available for download through Ravelry
$3.00

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I am also excited to announce that the entire Arwen collection is now available as an ebook at a discounted price. Arwen's Elven Accessories is available as a download through Ravelry.

$10.50

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Kids are funny creatures

2009-11-17T19:09:00.004-06:00

After a certain point in life birthdays are something you would just as soon forget especially if there are unpleasant memories associated with them. My kids however, think no birthday should go uncelebrated.

This year the kids decided that I needed a themed birthday party. They were horrified to discover that I had made it to adulthood without a single themed birthday party. They have been plotting for weeks. I would enter a room to find conversations suddenly stop and things getting hidden quickly. I tried to turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to such events.

This year my birthday fell mid-week so it was decided that the festivities could wait to the weekend. This proved more difficult for the family than for me. Hubs insisted that I had to have a present on my birthday. PrincessButtercup chided Hubs for “ruining the surprise” and SmallFry tried to claim the present as his own. Me, I just wanted some cake.

On Saturday, I was confined to my bedroom for most of the morning. You cannot imagine the ruckus I caused when I had to visit the bathroom. Lucky for me, there is a computer with internet access in my bedroom so I was able to get some work done in relative peace while still having contact with humans.

Finally, after hours of enduring ominous sounds and smells coming from downstairs, I was summoned. The kids had chosen Doctor Who as my party theme. They decked out the living room with drawings of all my favorite episodes. They turned the front door into a TARDIS.

But the most fun part of the party was the cake. My culinary-challenged Hubby and kids made me a Dalek cake.

If you don’t know what a Dalek is, do yourself a favor and visit Netflix and watch an episode or two of Doctor. Otherwise, the humor will be lost on you.

Rather than singing “Happy Birthday” the kids were chanting “EX-TER-MI-NATE!” in their best Dalek voices.

Gifts were also quite fun. I got a Sonic Screwdriver (courtesy of Hubs and Think Geek) as well as a knitted version from PrincessButtercup. Hers is more of a Sonic pen but she refuses to allow me to call it that.

The kids also made me my very own TARDIS (in addition to the one on the front door.

And I got an Ood costume (which is hilarious but I am not in the mood to model it for the web) and a Bad Wolf knitting bag - it was her own design. I also got a couple of other things that didn’t match the theme and had to be dealt with separately from the festivities.

All things considered, my family managed to make a day that could have been quite depressing into a festive occasion.

Is There No End??

2009-10-27T11:20:00.000-05:00

Yet another of the Linda inspired Arwen designs has reached completion. Only two more pieces and the accessory set will be finished, complete, through. Do you hear me Linda? No nose cozy! And that is final.

I have to admit that I had never knitted a cowl before I started designing this one, and wasn't really certain what you were supposed to do with the things. But I am starting to understand why they are so popular. All the warmth of a scarf without the ends to fight with. Can't come unwrapped, won't get caught in something and choke you. Yep, I am now a believer. The world is a better place because someone decided to invent cowls.

Arwen Cowl

At the prompting of my friend Linda, I added another piece to Arwen's elven accessory set – a cowl to ward off the evening chill of Rivendell.

This one can be worn two ways – with points up or down.

A quick knit that would be great for gifts.

The pattern comes in three sizes for custom fit and includes an option for a wimple, a longer cowl that covers the head and neck. I recommend knitting the L for a wimple to allow room for it to comfortably fit the head.

Pattern is available as a download through Ravelry or in print format through my etsy store.

$3.00

add to cart

Obsession??

2009-10-24T11:21:00.001-05:00

It is funny how things can quickly get out of hand. What started as a simple little sock has grown to proportions bordering on obsession. My friend Linda was one of the test knitters for the Arwen slipper sock. She loved the pattern and is now constantly bombarding me with ideas for expanding the Arwen line. "Don't you think that stitch pattern would make a cute hat, scarf, cowl, doormat, shower curtain, nose cozy..." While I am not ready to admit that an Arwen nose cozy is a good idea, some of her suggestions had more merit. Here is the latest addition to the Arwen live of elven accessories.

Arwen Fingerless Gloves

These delicate little gloves will keep your hands warm without interfering with the use of your fingers. Perfect for wearing while knitting or doing other hand work. These gloves coordinate with the rest of Arwen’s elven accessories.

Knit in the round on dpns or circulars, this low yardage pattern will allow you that luxury yarn splurge without breaking the bank. Since they don’t require a lot of yarn, this is a great project for using up that odd skein of yarn.

Ribbing in the hand makes the pattern fit a wide variety of sizes. The upper photos are of a tiny-handed teen and the lower photos are my much larger hand so you can see that the sizing is quite flexible. The pattern comfortably fits hands 7 – 8.5 inches (measured at the knuckles). Length is easily adjustable. They knit up quickly for last minute gift giving.

Pattern is available as a download through Ravelry or in print through my etsy store.
$3.00

add to cart

At Long Last

2009-10-23T15:19:00.002-05:00

I told you several posts back that I had some new designs in the works to match the Arwen Slipper Socks. Unfortunately, the project had a number of setbacks along the way. But I am happy to say that the first design is finally released.
Arwen Cloche Hat

My friend Linda reminded me that Arwen needed some accessories to match her comfy slipper socks. I thought she’d enjoy a lacy, close-fitting cloche. The gentle ripples of lace will frame her lovely elven face.

Knit in the round from the bottom, this hat is a quick knit that is perfect for gifts. Knit it in wool for winter warmth or in cotton blend for fun, warm weather wear.

Stitch pattern works best in light to medium solid or semi-solid colors.
Multi-sized pattern includes sizes for most infants through adult. All but the largest size can be knitted from 100 yards of yarn or less. This is a terrific stash buster project.

Pattern is available as a download through Ravelry or in print through my etsy store.

$4.00

add to cart

There are several other pieces in this set that are on the way. I hope to have the ready within the next several weeks.

Still Falling

2009-10-19T14:40:00.001-05:00

Since the excessive rain is interfering with fall colors here, I am getting my colors from yarn. Here is my latest yarn acquisition
Valley Yarns Northfield

I cannot adequately describe what a lovely yarn this is. The color is rich and highly saturated with great depth. The yarn in an unbelievably soft blend of Merino wool, baby alpaca and silk. It has a lovely sheen without being shiny. The merino and silk keep the alpaca from being overly fuzzy and the alpaca keeps the yarn nice and soft. And it knits beautifully. Smooth and tightly twisted with no splitting. And the stitch definition is fantastic. The yarn isn't exceptionally heavy. Even at DK/light worsted weight, it is not too heavy for shawls or sweaters. You are going to love this yarn. I am working on a pattern knit from this that I will share with you a little later.

I am also giving another yarn a test drive.

Valley Yarns Deerfield

This yarn is a 50% alpaca/50% silk blend. It is scrumptiously soft next to the skin. This one is also rated as DK but it is a bit thinner than the Northfield leaning more to the sport weight side of DK. The higher alpaca content makes it a little fuzzy so it is best suited to bold stitch patterns that can handle that halo effect.

All in all both yarns are fantastic. More than worth their very reasonable prices. Check them out.

Things I Never Thought I'd Hear Myself Say - Part 2

2009-10-15T08:58:00.006-05:00

In the continuing saga of Things I Never Thought I'd Hear Myself Say, I offer you my latest adventures.

__________

Me: Son, why do you have a pie server in your bedroom?

SmallFry: I needed it to unscrew the back of the Geo-Genius.

__________

Me: Son, do you intend to have your math book upside down?

SmallFry: I can read upside down.

Me: Well, do you math then.

Moral of the Day: Some battles are not worth fighting.

__________

Me: Why is there a Dalek in that basket?

Princess Buttercup: He needed somewhere to sleep.

__________

And in further Dalek adventures.

Son: EX-TER-MI-NATE, EX-TER-MI-NATE, EX-TER-MI-NATE...

Me: Son, why are you trying to Exterminate your sister?

__________

As we were leaving our car for Bible class

Me: Son, leave the whistle in the Jeep.

Son: It's not a whistle, it is a survival kit.

Me: I am pretty sure you won't need a survival kit in Bible class.

Falling for yarn

2009-10-03T16:05:00.002-05:00

I have just discovered a new yarn that I adore so it is only fitting that I share it with you.

Valley Yarns Hadley

It is a delightful 50% silk/50% wool blend. There is enough silk to make it soft with a nice drape but not so much that it is too slippery to handle or so drapey it is shapeless. The wool provides just the right amount of crispness so it's not overly drapey. The silk adds a lovely sheen without being overly shiny. It also adds a different dimension to the color. Really gives it depth.

The color is Copper. I was a little unsure of it because I was afraid it would be orange, if you know what I mean. But I wanted something a little unusual for this project. Something that said "autumn". This yarn accomplished that. It is positively gorgeous. The photos don't really reflect the true depth of color.

It knits like a dream. No splitting. It handled everything I threw at it, including double decreases and multiple ripping. It didn't look frayed or get splitty after ripping. The yarn really set off the stitch pattern. The stitch pattern just pops. That probably doesn't make sense if you don't have the yarn on your needles but you will notice a difference in your stitch definition. This is especially surprising since I had knit the stitch pattern in so many yarns before I got to the Hadley. I haven't found knots in it so far - and that one is a deal breaker for me. The yarn has been a real pleasure to knit. It compares favorably with Rowan Silk/Wool DK. It is a little less slippery and has just a bit more body than the Rowan. The worse thing I can say about the yarn is that it comes in 50 gram balls. I prefer 100 grams quantities. But is just one of those matters of preference. On the other hand, with the yardage of each ball at just over 100 yards (just under 100 meters) it makes it very easy to calculate how much yarn you need for a project. I can see more of Hadley in my future. I haven't found a Valley Yarns product that has let me down. They produce fabulous yarns for the price.

I can't wait to show you what I have been knitting with it but right now, it is top secret. So I will share you a shot of my favorite shrubbery instead.

My confederate rose is just coming into full bloom. It is really beautiful this year. Just hoping that the first frost doesn't catch it before all the blooms open.

Conquering Time and Space with Knitting

2009-09-22T10:40:00.002-05:00

Another of those designs that has been rattling around in my brain is complete. I needed a sock pattern for my husband that was manly but not as boring to knit as the plain socks he generally prefers (He's an accountant, he can't help it.). Since I didn’t want to stab my eyes out with my knitting needles before I finished knitting for his outrageously long feet, I had to come up with something a little more interesting to knit than stockinette. I found my inspiration while catching up on episodes of my favorite television show.

Time Lord Sock

Even a time traveler needs something to keep his feet warm in the cold depths of space.

The little rectangles reminded me of the windows of that mysterious blue call box he uses for travel.

The toe forms a spiraling vortex reminiscent of time and space, so naturally the pattern is named for my favorite doctor.

The modular look is well suited for the man in your life but not out of place in a more feminine color. The stitch pattern is bold enough to stand up to many variegated yarns. The slightly asymmetrical stitch pattern helps break up pooling. The cuff has enough stretch to comfortably fit a number of leg widths.

Construction is top down with a pointed vortex toe that doesn’t require the kitchener stitch and that fits narrower feet or long toes exceptionally well.

Pattern is available as a download through Ravelry or in print from my etsy store.

$5.00

add to cart

Coming soon: Arwen accessories

And They're Off

2009-09-12T12:15:00.004-05:00

I moderate the Homeschool Kids group on Ravelry. They have been anxiously awaiting Ravelympics 2010 and were wanting a project to prepare them, a training session of sorts. Charlene, my co-moderator, and I decided that it might be fun to do a long striped scarf, something similar to sports team scarves. This would give the kids something to knit as a sort of time trials for the Ravelympics and also give them a great project to use for team Ravatars.

Our Ravelympics Time Trials began at midnight. I wrote an easy scarf pattern for the occasion and Charlene wrote the crochet adaptation for the pattern.

Since everyone needs a little warmth every now and again, I thought you might like the pattern too. So here is a freebie just for you.

Easy Striped Scarf additional information

Download Easy Striped Scarf

So how did you spend Labor Day weekend?

2009-09-08T10:49:00.005-05:00

I spent the weekend working on Design Month Part Deux. As promised, here is another of the designs I worked on in August. This pattern is a two color variation of Amber Waves. May I present to you

Purple Mountains Slipper Socks

These cozy slipper socks are just perfect for keeping tender toesies warm in the winter. Worsted weight yarn makes them thick, warm and sturdy - your could even wear them in place of shoes!

A quick and easy knit perfect for gift giving. Remember there are only 107 days left until Christmas. These two pair are knitted in school colors for some of my nieces.

Construction is top down, with standard heel flap and gusset, and decreased toe with grafted closure.

Several of testers tried color combinations with less contrast with beautiful while subtle results. Thank you again to all the pattern testers and editors. You have been great help.

The pattern is available as a download through Ravelry or in print version from my etsy store.

$3.00

add to cart

Next up in the pattern parade is something perfect for that man in your life.
Stay tuned!

What Happened to August??

2009-09-02T12:41:00.005-05:00

August was a very successful month for getting some of those pattern ideas out of my notebooks and onto the needles. The process is almost as liberating as clearing off my needles. Unfortunately, the process of writing patterns is a little more complicated than finishing WIPs so "Design Month" may last through September as well.

I am happy to report that the first of my new patterns is complete.
May I introduce you to

Arwen Slipper Sock

These delicate little slipper socks look like something Arwen Evenstar might wear on the cool evenings in Rivendell. They’re perfect for keeping those elven toes toasty in the winter.

Special thanks to Tina aka AzKnitter for the pattern name. It is perfect, I loved it from the time I read her comment. I have a copy of the pattern just for you as a thank you. I also want to say thank you to Barb, Sue, Linda and especially Lynn who helped so much with the test knitting and pattern editing. You guys ROCK!!! I mean seriously ROCK!!

This is an outrageously quick knit that’s perfect for gifts. Several of the test knitters are planning to give these as Christmas gifts this year. I admit that there are a couple of people on my gift list who will be receiving a pair too. Construction is top down, with heel flap and gusset, and standard decreased toe with grafted closure. Instructions are suitable for all but the beginning knitter.

$3.00

add to cart

I have three more patterns with test knitters so they should be available in a couple of weeks.

For one final bit of business, the winner of the contest is Deb who posted her entry via email. I will be emailing you a copy of the Arwen pattern. I will email you the others as they are finalized. Congratulations and thanks for participating.

Clearing the Drawing Board Month Continues

2009-08-26T10:28:00.003-05:00

I am so excited. I have two patterns with the tech editor and test knitters and a third that will be there by tomorrow - Friday at the latest. All three should be a reality soon. I love seeing my ideas end up in written form that someone else can read. It is also a lot of fun working with test knitters. They are the most helpful bunch. It is helpful to know if the words you wrote convey the meaning you intended. Oftentimes, they do not. So a big thank you to all the lovely test knitters who were willing to knit an untried pattern to help me improve my pattern writing skills. Thank you so much.

But Clearing the Drawing Board Month ( which may actually last for two months but we won't mention that) doesn't end with three patterns. No, I still have another half dozen ideas in varying stages of completeness that you will be hearing about quite soon. I can't believe I had that many design WIPs floating around in miscellaneous notebooks.

One final reminder. The blog contest ends Saturday, 29th of August so get those comments posted. Surely some of you are more creative that me when it comes to pattern names. And there is a thick stack of prize patterns up for grabs. Put on those thinking caps and post those comments.

From Wrestlemania to Design Mania

2009-08-22T17:40:00.003-05:00

Since I spent the month of July wrestling all the WIPs off my needles, I decided to dedicate the month of August to getting some of those my design ideas off the drawing board and onto those now-empty needles. I am pleased with my progress. I have several designs ready to share with you now.

First is an easy slipper sock

This is a quick and easy knit that would be great for a gift.

Another slipper sock.

This one is the two color variation of my Amber Waves pattern.

It too would be perfect for knitted gifts.

The next sock is great for a man because it has a bold pattern that isn't too frilly.

The pattern even works with variegated yarns.

An Easy Striped Scarf which was written for the Homeschool Kids group on Ravelry.

And a finally a dishcloth

The patterns are in process - either being written up, being test knit or being edited. I hope to have them all available very soon.

My problem, as always, is coming up with names for my patterns. So how about a contest. Leave a comment to suggest a name for one of the patterns between now and 29th August. I will choose one winner using a random number generator. The winner will receive a pdf copy of all of these patterns as well as a copy of the pattern for the Bright Copper Kettles towel and wash cloth set (the mate to Raindrops on Roses Bath Set). I will post the winners name here on 31st August and you will have a week to contact me through Ravelry or my website to give me an email address to send you the patterns. If you prefer, you may leave you email addy in the comments.

Finish Line

2009-07-31T13:25:00.003-05:00

WIP Wrestlemania 2009 ends today. I am happy to report that I met all my knitting goals for this competition. Sadly, some of these items ended in the frog pond.

I completed a total of eight projects. Even though four of these projects were frogged, I still have a great sense of accomplishment. WWM09 gave me the courage to rip projects that were not working and the incentive to complete those that had been languishing.

You have already seen photos of Hey Teach and the Raindrops on Roses Bath set. Here are my latest completed projects.

Swan Lake aka Mystery Stole 3
(it's blocking so better photos will have to wait till later)

and Big V Vest

I frogged

Soljoy Potamomus because the yarn needed to be reconditioned after remaining partially knitted for so long.

Prince of Wales socks- the light sucking splitty yarn was more than my eyes could handle,

Firestarter socks - got tired of trying to adjust the pattern to match the gauge of the yarn, and

Diminishing Rib Cardigan - the yarn was just not compatible with the pattern.
I will spare you any more photos of wiggly yarn.

Now I find myself in the curious position of having no project on the needles. My needles are all naked. Oh dear, what shall I do with myself?

Halfway There

2009-07-15T12:46:00.002-05:00

Today is the middle of my month-long struggle against the WIP. I am happy to report that not only is half the month over but half of my WIPs have been conquered.
I originally listed 8 WIPs that I wanted to get off my needles this month. I am happy to say that as of today four of those WIPs have been beaten into submission. You have already seen Hey Teach and Firestarter. Here are my latest FOs

Another Bath Set
Raindrops on Roses

This one have been OTN since September. Not a world record for knitting speed on this project. But it is complete and ready for gift giving.

Prince of Wales Socks
FROGGED

Just cannot deal with this Black Hole light absorbing yarn. It is also splitty so the combination has made for endless hours of frustration. Time to set this yarn free.

Here is an update on the remaining 4 projects

Mystery Stole 3. Now 75% complete. It is moving along very nicely. I hope to have it ready to block by the weekend. I decided not to rip back and change the transition rows for two reasons. 1. I didn't want to recondition lace weight yarn. 2. I lost the pattern for the variation for the alternate transition. I am thinking that eyelet row is not as bad as I had originally thought.

Big V Vest. Back is complete and Left front in progress. Pretty fast knit so I might actually complete it by the deadline. I have been reserving this for TV and travel knitting

Potmatomus Socks. Still were they were. Haven't started working on this one yet. Worried that I will have to recondition yarn to reknit the section that I plan to rip.

Eggplant sweater. Still were they were. Haven't started working on this one yet. Still dreading that tubular cast off.

Princess Buttercup also completed another project. She made a scarf for her doll Amanda.

Amanda is rocking that scarf

But the sheep likes it too

When I wasn't knitting or reading for the summer reading program at the library, I have been sewing. Here is a dress I sewed for Princess Buttercup

WIPping out some photos

2009-07-09T13:06:00.003-05:00

We are now 9 days into WIP Wrestlemania 2009 and I actually have some completed projects.
Here is Hey Teach all completed

Yarn Valley Yarns Goshen.

I gave up on Firestarter. Ripping was starting to wear out the yarn as I tried to get the pattern gauge adjusted to the yarn gauge. This yarn basically doesn't want to be socks. So I am frogging this project until I find a wrap pattern that makes the yarn happy.

Princess Buttercup has been taking part in WWM09 too. Here is her first project completed.

This is her own design. She calls it Playful Possum. She is quite fond of its prehensile tail.

I have also finished the Bath set I had OTN but I will wait until it is blocked before I post photos. Next project to conquer is Mystery Shawl 3. The mystery is why it has been on the needles for so long.

WIPing Along

2009-07-06T11:03:00.004-05:00

Week 1 - WIP Wrestlemania update.

Hey Teach is knitted. All it needs to be complete is the seaming on the left side and to have buttons sewn on. Should be complete and ready for photos by afternoon. I found some great buttons for it. It looks great and is going to fit nicely. I am going to be really happy with this sweater.

Raindrops on Roses bath set is about one-third to one-half complete. It should have it off the needles in plenty of time for that bridal shower.

Firestarter socks - Frogged. ☹ I am tired of fiddling with gauge on these socks. This lovely yarn will discover a new life as a shawl or scarf. I am thinking about Clapotis or Lace Ribbon unless someone has a better recommendation.

All other projects are patiently awaiting their turn for my attention. I should be starting back on MS3 this week.

Back and on the Attack

2009-07-02T13:15:00.003-05:00

Wow! The month of June has flown by. July is here and I am off and running on another knitting challenge but I am getting ahead of myself.

For those who are bored beyond imagination, here is a brief recounting of the month of June at Casa de Tabitha.

We started the month with Vacation Bible School or as I like to call it Week of the Screaming Hordes. There is nothing more fun than spending a week of your life sugaring up a room full of overly excited kids. Fun, fun, fun. Took a week to recover from that torture

Then we had to celebrate a kid birthday. That required weeks of trying to decide what said kid would like for her birthday and lots of covert shopping trips. It also involved a trip to the local science museum, and her favorite restaurant then coming home and baking a cake - from scratch. Another week of recovery was required for that.

We have also been taking part in the summer reading program. Princess Buttercup and I have a private competition going to see who can read the most books during the program. She had already won 4 prizes and I won one.

The rest of the month was consumed with gardening. We have harvested summer squash, cucumbers, green beans, peas and finally tomatoes. The veggies have helped immensely on the grocery bill.

Some of my lovely green beans.

That about catches me up. July will be spent in the throes of WIP Wrestlemania 2009. This is a friendly competition to see how many WIPs we can turn into FOs by the end of the month. I have decided to try for the Piledriver Event in which you attempt to complete every project that you have on the needles. Fortunately for me, I had already reduced the WIP count a bit but here are the projects that I am attempting to complete in July.

First up and Oldie but a Goodie
Soljoy Pomatomus

Cast on in March of 2007 hangs head in shame. I got to the foot on the first sock when I realized that I didn't have enough yarn to complete the pair. It got pushed to the back burner while I decided how to remedy the lack of yarn. I have decided to rip it back and convert it into fingerless mitts.

Next oldest UFO is this lovely lace
Mystery Stole 3 aka Swan Lake

Cast on in July of 2007, this project had a bumpy beginning but moved along quite nicely until I got to the end of it. I was never happy with the look of that eyelet row that connects the main shawl with the wing at the end. Fear of ripping lace has kept me from ripping back to that eyelet row to reknit the eyelet row or substitute a different transition. But I have the courage now. I am going to fix this baby or frog it.

Another Oldie
Prince of Wales Socks aka The Neverending Sock

This pair started life as a pair of Christmas socks for my hubby. I messed up the pattern and had to rip. They were reknitted as Earl Grey but the light-sucking black yarn and I are just not mixing well. These babies are destined for the frog pond. Sorry honey. I will knit you a pair in another color.

The more recent WIPs
Firestarter Socks

Outrageously lovely yarn but I am having trouble getting the correct gauge for the pattern. The designer used heavier yarn than this Schaefer Anne. I have ripped and reknit twice and I still don't have the gauge right. This yarn may find a new life as a scarf or wrap. Clapotis, perhaps.

Raindrops on Roses bath set

I started a couple of these for myself back in September but I made a mistake in one of them and had to rip and I let the ecru set fall by the wayside. It will make a great gift for the bridal shower that I have to attend in a few weeks. Better get knitting.

Yet another WIP
Eggplant Diminishing Rib Cardi

No photo of this one. Cast on in January 2009. The project was moving along nicely until I got to the bind off. The tubular bind off was messing with my mind so this project has to spend some time in the time out chair.

Proof that I am a Cast-on Monster
Hey Teach

This one was cast on in May but with the hubbub in June it got neglected. I plan to be wearing this very soon.

And last but not least
Big V Vest

I only just cast this one on so if I don't get this completed in July, I won't really consider myself a failure. But it would be nice to be able to wear it this summer. If I don't complete it, this will be my first project for August.

There you have it. My incredibly ambitious WIP list for July. Think I can do it???
Well I am ready to rumble.

Grrrrrrr!

In which she actually does some knitting

2009-06-03T15:30:00.002-05:00

It doesn't seem that this is a knitting blog since I haven't posted any knitting photos lately. I have been working diligently on one project that turned into a disaster at the last moment. I haven't the heart to talk about it yet but the project is in time out learning its lesson.

I have had a few knitting successes lately. Princess Buttercup (the child formerly known as Preteena)and I have been working together on a felted bag project. We started them in March by Kool-aid dyeing the yarn together. You may remember the loverly fingernails from this post and the adventures of yarn winding in this post

So here is the finished product. A simple seamless felted bag.

I have been using the bags to teach her some new knitting techniques and we have knitted the bags tag team style.

The blue bag with green stripes is for her and the other for her best friend.

The third bag was just the leftover yarn with which I felt the compulsion to do something.

I actually like the striping pattern of the smallest bag best but I ran out of yarn before I got it the length I wanted. I did discover that it will make a handy traveling knitting bag.

The pattern is my own and will be available through Ravelry shortly.

In my despondency over the sweater-that-shall-not-be-named, I cast on another sweater - Hey Teach. This pattern is moving along quite nicely. It is a nice easy and fun knit and the yarn - Valley Yarns Goshen - is an absolute dream. I cannot tell you how much I love this yarn.

This is the back before blocking.

This is the left front visiting the unblocked back.

I plan to be wearing this beauty by the weekend. Let's hope it actually fits.

I another post, I will tell you the heartbreak that is Diminishing Rib cardigan. But for now, I dare not speak of these things.

Warning: No knitting after this point.

I have also been doing lots of reading lately. One of the books I have been reading was Pilgrim's Progress. These last photos are for Daisy. Please ignore them if you aren't interested in non-knitting content, Pilgrim's Progress or books in general.

Cloth hard cover.

Porter calls Discretion to the Door of the Palace

Pilgrims in sight of the holy city

Children eat of the enemy's fruit

In case you wondered...

2009-05-30T14:09:00.002-05:00

...what I have been doing lately.

Exploring nature with my kids

Found this little guy wandering around the squishy part of the yard.

Working on my vegetable garden

These are green bean plants. We have also planted tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, peas, bell peppers, and some herbs. Oh, and SmallFry wanted me to tell you that he planted sunflowers and zinnias.

Trying to get the yard work done - when it stops raining for a minute or two.

The kids decided that mowing the lawn wasn't that much fun. It has rained so much that it is difficult to keep it cut.

Enjoying my Mother's Day flower.

The kids picked out one to fit in my rooster planter.

Celebrating my husband's birthday

The kids gave him a Star Trek party complete with a cake they decorated.

But what dad really asked for was Strawberry Shortcake. We compromised just a bit.

And enjoying the other blooms from around my yard.

Clematis on the wishing well.

Lilies that bloomed for my anniversary.

I have been doing a bit of knitting to but that I will save for another post.

Quick notes

2009-05-04T07:53:00.004-05:00

Thank You
A huge Thank You to God who protected my family from the storms that passed through the area this weekend. We had tornadoes pass through the area, a small one touched down not too far from my house. We got a small amount of hail but without property damage unless the hail hurt some of the plants in the garden. Haven't had a chance to check that since it's still raining.

FAQ
A little clarification is needed about my Lotus Blossom shawl. Although the shawl was on the needles for over a year, it did not take that long to knit. It spent most of that time in the time out bin for being naughty lace. I made a couple of errors when I first started the shawl and as I loath ripping lace, I put the project in "time out" for far too long. Once I finally ripped and restarted it, the actually project knitted rather quickly. It was reknitted in under two weeks. Actual time spent knitting was less than 40 hours (probably a lot less) but I really didn't time myself so I couldn't say for sure.

Perhaps You Should Read the Instructions.

2009-05-01T09:09:00.007-05:00

Warning - Kid Story

You know that it is going to be a weird day when the first thing you see in the morning is your husband in conference with the kids well before their usual wake up time. After a brief investigation, I discovered that my son had been indiscriminately pushing buttons on the old clock radio that my husband gave the kids. As a result, he inadvertently set the alarm on said clock radio. This morning before dawn, the kids were awakened by the radio blaring.

Since the ceiling fan was on they couldn't turn on the light using the switch and they couldn't find the pull-cord in the dark. They also couldn't use the flashlight because my son had once again left it on until the batteries were dead. So my daughter was trying to silence the radio with a book light not knowing which button turned the alarm off. In their panic, they managed to turn on both alarms so not only was the radio blasting but it was also beep, beep, beeping at them. Did I mention all this occurred before dawn? Long story short, they did get the radio to shut up, but not before everyone in the house was wide awake.

Moral of the story: Don't punch the buttons if you don't know what they do.

Warning - Knitting Story

You would think that after the number of projects I had ripped out due to my own brainlessness, I would have learned my lesson. I really have knitted enough sweaters to understand the fairly standard placement for increases at every fourth row. I also really do know that there is a difference between "work 3 rows" and "knit three rows" as well as a difference between instructions for flat knitting and knitting in the round. I know these things. I really do. And yet I spent my evening ripping out 3 inches of sweater because I was too clueless to realize there was a difference between "work 3 rows" and "knit three rows". I was also too blind to notice that the increases on the sweater were much too far apart until I had knitted three increase rounds incorrectly. Furthermore, I was too short-sighted to realize what a monstrous tangle three inches of ripped knitting would make if I didn't rewind it as I went.

Moral of the story: Read the instructions, stupid. Twice, perhaps even three times.

Warning - Neighbor story

Later this morning, my dog was barking like mad. It took a few minutes to locate the source of her distress. My eighty-something year old next-door-neighbor was chasing another dog¹ from his yard with his golf cart and a pump action pellet rifle. About time that annoying dog got what was coming to him. I felt like applauding.

Too bad the neighbor was having such a hard time getting the thing pumped properly. Perhaps reading the instructions was in order again. He didn't land nearly as many shots as I would have liked but apparently the ones he did land made an impression on the dog.

Moral of the story: Don't mess with the old dude on the golf cart.

¹This is the same dog who killed my ducks and most of my chickens. The same one who poops on my front walk. The one who plays in the streets resulting in the neighbors plowing into my power pole. And the one who chases cars and terrorizes the postal carrier. The dog deserved far worse than a couple of shots with a pellet gun.

The Mystery and Miracle of Blocking

2009-04-28T08:38:00.003-05:00

Lace, especially the effect of blocking on it, has always been a source of fascination for me. I am amazed that such puckered and puffed knitting can be turned into a wonderful piece of lace by wetting and stretching. I thought you might be interested in the journey of a lace shawl from the needles to wearable art.

In my last post I mentioned Lotus Blossom shawl that I started over a year ago.
Here is what it looked like on the needles

Not much to see, I admit. But I had faith in the power of the block so I persevered.

It was cast off on Sunday. Here is what it looked like right off the needles.

Nice color but rather puffy and puckered, don't you think?

Now to submit it to a little torture. First, I toss it into a bit of soapy water. I used tepid water and a little bit of Eucalan for my soak.

While it is soaking, I collect the torture devices and set up the torture chamber.

Here are the necessary supplies

A cheap cardboard cutting board, some stainless steel welding wires, pins and towels.

First I spread the cutting board on top of my patio table.

Can you tell I have had this cutting board for a while?

Next, I covered the cutting board with thick towels - to protect the cardboard not the shawl.

Notice that I lined up the towels with one of the grid lines from the cutting board to give myself a straight line reference.

Now that the blocking table is set up, it is time to take the shawl out of the soak.

And gently squeeze out the excess water.

Notice that the yarn bled a little. Most of the darkly colored wools that I have used will bleed a small amount on the first wash.

Then roll the shawl in a towel to remove some of the excess water.

Don't try to wring it too much because you want the shawl nicely damp for the blocking.

Here is where the fun starts. For the top edge of the shawl, I inserted two welding rods to get a nice straight edge.

To insert the wire, I wove it in and out of the stitching along the first row on knitting.

It is a tedious process but using the wire makes a much straighter edge than pinning.

I used two wires because one was too short.

They are crossed in the center back. Notice that the stitches are flatter and the design is starting to show already.

Time to start the stretching. Working from the center outward, I stretched the top edge of the shawl and pinned it along my straight edge.

Again working from the center down, I gently stretch and pin the shawl.

The process of stretching and pinning continues - always working from the central line outward toward the edges.

Once the center is pinned, you continue the stretch and pin process for each of the points of the shawl.

Notice how visible the design is becoming as the shawl is stretched.

The process is not a fast one. And it will require the occasional readjustment of a pin once the lace is fully stretched but do you see that miracle happening?

Shawl pinned, I realize that I need to make a couple of adjustments to the pinning.

Here is the shawl fully pinned.

Quite a difference from the way it looked right off the needles, huh?

Here is a close up of the center back motif.

Amazing the difference a little stretching makes.

Now allow it to dry for a couple of hours, remove the pins and wires and your beautiful lace is ready to be properly photographed.

Lighter weight yarns - this one was light fingering - dry pretty quickly. But do make sure it is completely dry before removing the pins. It might be tempted to pucker if you remove them too soon.

Gratuitous lace photo.

More gratuitous lace. Bear with me. This took over a year to get it off the needles.

The pattern by Dorothy Siemens and available from Fiddlesticks Knitting. It was a fun knit and I am very pleased with the results. The pattern is fully charted. The charts are big and easy to read. No need for the highlighter tape on this one.

This pattern was my first that was charted to the center stitch only. This required you to read the chart one way for the first half of the row and then read it in reverse for the second half of the row. This took a little getting used to - especially at the center back when you reverse the order of the stitches. But once I got the hang of it, the charts were really easy to follow. I found writing the row numbers on the left edge of the chart really handy.

The yarn was Schaefer Anne, a light fingering weight wool-mohair blend. It took under 560 yards to knit the shawl. I love the vibrant colors in this yarn and am very glad that this gorgeous skein became a shawl instead of socks that were originally planned.

Call the Doctor. I've got Finish-itis

2009-04-22T10:15:00.003-05:00

Spring has sprung and spring cleaning fever has hit. I have been suffering from acute finish-itis lately in a desperate desire to clean all my knitting needles of the languishing UFOs.

My first UFO conquered was the eternal Bell Curve. Timing out at 1 year 1 month and 12 days from the date cast on, this is one of my oldest UFOs. Normally, they get frogged if they stay on the needles more than 6 months.

Mine isn't quite as figure-hugging as the original design but my version is more suitable to my body frame and sense of modesty.

The wool yarn was less drapey than the yarn selected by the designer but my version provides a flattering, classic line that was more in line with my desires. Because my version is looser fitting, the bell shape is less pronounced. It does fit me better than Suzy but that is because she has no hips. Even though it doesn't look like the original design, I still get lots of compliments on its flattering A-line look.

It looks great paired with my Jessica Scarf

and an ivory blouse.

So what do you knit after you have finished a monstrously large project (aka Bell Curve)? Dishcloths, naturally.

I cleaned out tons of leftover cotton to knit a stack of dishcloths for the Ronald McDonald House. It was fun mixing and matching the variegated yarn to see what color would result.

My current project is another languishing UFO. Originally cast on in February 2008 but ripped and restarted a number of times, Lotus Blossom Shawl is nearing completion.

Mine will be smaller than the design because I am using fingering weight yarn rather than DK. The yarn is going to be the real challenge for this project. I am using a gorgeous Shaefer Anne in blues and purples.

The problem is that I have exactly and only one skein (560 yards) and cannot get more since these are one of a kind colorways. There are others on Ravelry who have complete the shawl with one skein of Anne but I am getting nervous.
I have this much left

but I have two lotus blossoms repeats and the bobble bind off left to complete. It is going to be close.

I have actually been adding life lines in case I run out of yarn and have to rip back to an earlier repeat.

Keep you fingers crossed that the yarn lasts. Regardless of length, I should have a finished shawl by next post.

Today is Monday, isn't it?

2009-04-13T11:46:00.003-05:00

Ever felt that the old cliche "when it rains, it pours" had a lot of truth to it? We are definitely having a downpour at my house. In the last few weeks, we have had a number of things break or need repair in some way or the other(printer, laptop, phone). But this morning the pouring really started. I should have known that this would be an interesting Monday, when I woke with the theme song to Marvin the Tap Dancing Horse stuck in my head. But the day got more interesting quite quickly.

My hubby left for work at his usual and I sat down to the computer to check email and Ravelry while drinking my coffee. Fifteen minutes later, I heard my husband opening the door. I rushed downstairs wondering what he had forgotten. I asked what was wrong, he said he had crashed the car. Of course, my brain was not caffeinated thoroughly enough to process that sort of information that early. When comprehension finally hit, I panicked and showered him with about a thousand rapid-fire questions. Seems that a deer decided to play chicken with my hubby's car this morning.

Thought you might like to see what happens when deer meets windshield. If you look closely, you can see the fur on the glass

It is raining here - literally and not just metaphorically, which is why the roof of the car has a bright blue tarp on it.

That big gaping hole is where my hubby was sitting.

He said it happened so fast that he didn't even have time to break. The deer was apparently trying to jump over the car from a little hill on the side of the road. The good news is that my hubby wasn't hurt. Thanks be to God. And that the windshield took the brunt of the collision so there is no body damage to the car.

This really doesn't bode well for the rest of the week. I told my hubby that this was a really silly way to get to drive my Jeep to work and to keep my from going to buy the next book in the series that I am reading. I hope he just asks next time.

Who Are You? Are We Enemies? Why Am I on This Wall? Where is Buttercup?*

2009-04-08T11:42:00.000-05:00

All Your Questions Answered.

1. Do you have the plans for that swift?
My hubby made it from a pattern that I found on Crafty Diversions website

2.What do you use to weight it?
It is actually pretty well-balanced so I don't weight it. I do put it on a non-skid surface and then wind away.

3. How do you keep the yarn from tangling?
You just tie it at a few intervals along the hank to keep the bundle of yarn from tangling. In this case, I used the yarn from the skein, but you can also use waste yarn to tie it. I tied the hang about every 6 inches.

4. Just how daft are you for not using gloves?
Pretty daft actually. I spent waaaaay too long working as a chemist to have any brain cells left. This lack of brain cells causes me to do silly things like stick my hands in dye but it makes for entertaining conversation as you never know exactly what I might say.
(I confess, that exact wording wasn't used. My readers are far too polite to say that. I paraphrased your remarks a wee bit for the sake of humor. Since your comments made me laugh, I thought I would return the favor.)

5. Are you now wearing nail varnish to hide your dye job?
Nope. I boldly sported my other-worldly nails in my Bible class that night. I think it scared my class - which is not an easy thing to do when dealing with 10-12 year-olds. They certainly behaved better than usual that night.

6. Are your nails still blue? Naw. It actually washed off in a couple of days leaving no residue at all. And my nails smelled nice and fruity until the color wore off.

* Yes, I am still making Princess Bride references. My kids are addicted to it and we are watching it at least once a week. Seriously, you need to see this movie.

Inconceivable!

2009-04-06T19:09:00.004-05:00

The Princess Bride Conquers Math Anxiety

On Thursday my dear little aspiring astronaut came into my room rather distraught and the following conversation ensued.

Child: (clutching math book) I don't get it. I just don't get it. I have tried everything and I just don't it. (she plops down into my chair.)

Mom: Am I to understand that you are having trouble with your math?

Child: (chin quivering in frustration and now at the brink of tears) I have tried everything and it just doesn't make sense.

Mom: In that case, I have only one thing to say to you... (dramatic pause)

Mom continuing: Mawwiage. Mawwiage is what bwings us togevah today. Mawwiage. That bwessed event. That dweam wivin a dweam. ... And wuv twue wuv will fowwow you fowevah.

Child: dissolves into hysterical laughter.

Mom: (holding out arms) Now come here Pwincess Buwwukwup.

Mom then snuggles child and reaches into private stash to produce a piece of chocolate.

Mom: Will this help?

Child nods vigorously taking chocolate.

Mom gives Child a few moments to savor her chocolate.

Mom: Okay, Pwincess Buwwahkwup, let's see if we can figure this math out.

From here we discussed the math issues, which turned out to be compound interest ( is it any wonder that she was having problems). By replacing the frustration with a bit of silliness, she was able to calm down and refocus. This allowed us to discuss the problem she was having and move on to understanding. Isn't amazing that a little silliness can conquer math anxiety.

If this makes absolutely no sense to you, it means that you have not seen the movie The Princess Bride. You really must see it. It is a classic film filled with "fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles..."
You can click this link to see the scene referenced here.

I Dyed that Day

2009-03-31T10:52:00.005-05:00

And you can dye too, for all I care.*

In Sunday's post, we got our yarn ready for dyeing. Today we play with dye. We will be using two colors as the finished product will be a striped, felted purse. We are using Kool-Aid Lemon-Lime and Berry Blue as our dyes. So here is the process for dyeing yarn in your kitchen with the help of a preteen.

Step 1

The yarn must be thoroughly wetted so it will absorb the color.

To do this, soak the yarn in lukewarm water to which you have added a couple of drops of Dawn dish washing detergent (use the plain blue Dawn not the fancy shmancy kinds)

Step 2

While the yarn is soaking, it is time to mix your dye.

You will need one package of Kool-Aid per ounce of yarn. We used one extra package for good saturation. Each hank was approximately 4 ounces so we started with 5 packages of Kool-Aid. Mix the Kool-Aid with enough water to dissolve it but the ratio of water to dye is not critical.

Mix thoroughly.

You want the dye to completely dissolve in the water. Otherwise, you might have dark or oddly colored spots on your yarn.

Step 3

Pour the dye over the yarn.

Remove yarn from soaking water and place it in a microwave safe bowl. Pour the dye evenly over the yarn until the yarn is just covered by liquid. If you don't have enough liquid in your dye solution, add a little water to bring up the volume.

Push down slightly on yarn to make sure that it is completely covered with dye solution and that there are no air pockets in the middle of the hank.

Step 4

Heat set the dye.

Heat on full power for two minutes. Allow yarn to cool for two minutes. Repeat the heating and cooling cycle until all the dye is absorbed and the water is clear.

Remove yarn from microwave and allow to cool. Don't rush this step.

When yarn is cool, wash with mild detergent or no-rinse wool wash using water that is the same temperature as yarn. Rinse using water that is the same temperature. DO NOT temperature shock the wool unless you want felt at this point. I cannot over emphasize this point. It doesn't take a lot of temperature variation to cause felting. Trust me on this. Ironically, if you actually want the wool to felt it doesn't happen this easily.

Step 5

Drain the yarn and gently squeeze out the excess water. Hang yarn and it allow to air dry. There will be water dripping from the yarn as it dries so hang it outdoors, out of direct sunlight, or somewhere that the dripping water won't hurt, like over the bathtub.

Step 6

Admire and enjoy your beautiful yarn.

Tabitha's Tips

Or Lessons Learned the Hard Way

Wear gloves. Or use a spoon.

Hands and nails absorb dye really, really, really, really well - possibly as well as yarn.

It is easier to get the dye off your hands than your nails.

And blue-green nails have a rather unique other-worldy, Bride of Frankenstein sort of appearance.

Pay attention to the dye absorption rates. If it seems that all the dye is gone from the water after the first heat cycle, you probably need more dye. We found that the green required more dye than the blue to get good saturation. We ended up using 2 packages of dye per ounce of yarn for the green.

If you have to add additional dye, make sure that the liquid is the same temperature as your yarn. Don't temperature shock your yarn.

Have fun.

We know the secrets of the Fire Swamp. So whenever you feel like dyeing, come visit.*

*The Princess Bride references. Can you tell we have watched it a few too many times lately? Just be glad the topic of this post wasn't Mawwiage or Twoo Wuv.

Other Posts in this series.
...Prepare to Dye

...Prepare to Dye

2009-03-29T16:40:00.000-05:00

DragonPurls, along with some of her internet friends, is embarking on a dyeing, knitting, and felting adventure. She wants to knit a present for a friend of hers and we decided it might be fun to dye the yarn too. For the next several days/weeks I will be documenting our adventure together.

It started with the purchase of a huge skein of Fisherman's wool from a Hobby Lobby sale. For the sake of safety, we are using food dyes for our wool. After extensive research, she settled on the colors Lemon-Lime and Berry Blue. Kool-aid and yarn purchased, the next task is dividing the skein and winding into a nice hank for dyeing.
Here is the beginning of the process.

Here we are a little further along, when we had to pause to remove a tangle.

Since I don't have a yardage meter (a deficiency I intend to correct next time Hubs wants to go to Bass Pro Shop), I had to come up with another way to divide the 465 yard skein onto two relatively even hanks. I think DragonPurls and I came up with a clever way to handle the problem.

First, I measured the distance around the pegs on the swift that my dear, sweet husband made for me. By my calculation, the distance around was about 2 yards. By calculation, we realized that 115 rounds of the swift should be approximately half of the skein. With the help of a handy dandy row counter, we wound 115 rounds of yarn onto the swift. At this point the yarn was broken and the hank secured in a number of places to prevent tangling. We then wound the other half of the skein. Our guesstimation calculations worked pretty well because the skeins were pretty close to the same weight (based on observation since I also do not have a yarn scale).

So now we have two lovely cream colored hanks of yarn all ready for an afternoon of dyeing.

Things I Never Thought I'd Hear Myself Say

2009-03-26T17:38:00.000-05:00

"Son, why are you wearing a bottle around your neck?"uttered after meeting child on stairs who was wearing a necklace consisting of Mardi Gras beads tied to a 2-liter soda bottle.

"Are you crying because you do not have an EKG machine?" in response to dd who got upset because I told her that it would be difficult to properly study the effects of emotion on heart rate without specialized monitoring equipment.

"Why did your son paint my dress with toothpaste?" exclaimed to husband after discovering said artwork on my favorite red dress.

"Who stole my shoes?"
yelled at children who have nabbed my conveniently located but beat-up plastic garden shoes

rather than finding their own shoes. There is never any way to guess which of them will swipe my shoes.
"I dropped a frozen corn dog on it."in explanation as to why my toenail is coming off and looks so awful