Sunday, March 23, 2008

Art Links-Later

First, as promised, the link of the Quilt Squares Lady: LovingFabric on ebay

Second, a link to The "Lissa Explains It All" site. Desgined for kids; works for me!

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Miscellaneous Projects in the Works

Just when I thought that ALL of the fabric had been assigned to a task.... another bag shows up in the garage.

I'm seriously starting to think that there's a Magic Something-Or-Other in there that spontaneously GROWS fabric.

There were actually a few things in there that I've been looking for.

Like THIS:
Test Quilt Square

I bought some pre-cut squares on ebay, and this was a 'test square' I whipped up very late one night.

All right, quit staring at the seams and trying to 'mind meld' them into being straight! Ain't happenin'. I already tried.

I know, somewhere, a quilting perfectionist is reaching for her smelling salts. I SAID it was a Test Square, didn't I?


The remainder of the squares from this group has been pieced very nicely. (Mom even admired my seams, so you know they have to be good.)

Now that I have them together (photos later) I'd like to make the quilt a little bigger.

I e-mailed the seller, and although she didn't have this exact colorway at the moment, she was kind enough to list several similar ones. (If she gives permission, I'll post a link to her auctions here.)

It's really neat to get the pre-cut squares in the mail. You just open the package, whip 'em out onto the coffee table, and then zip 'em together with the serger. Much more fun than having to wash & cut them yourself.

The other project is to gather all my Knitting UFO's and put them in ONE basket. To be followed by finding a really good movie, and finishing them all.

There are ears to be sewn on Teddy Bear hats, sweaters to be blocked, and Endless Ends To Be Woven In. (Is that a Country Music Song?)

Which brings us to this little number:

?? The Mystery Sockie ??

Can anyone identify this little sockie? I think the pattern was something that many people were doing on AC4C.

When it's a sock, I always tend to think Beth is involved. (Beth's been known to make a nice sock or two.)

It was probably something along the lines of: "If you've never knit a sock before, try this, it's addictive!"

In any case, this little one is knit in the round, and was found without any needles or instructions. I think that might be called a 'Short Rows Heel'? It's about a 3-year-old size.

Any suggestions/ideas welcomed.

Monday, March 17, 2008

No News Is Good News

No posts lately, but I have been busy.

First, a trifecta of hats:
Lang Bebe Jacquard Hat Triplets

These are made from Lang Bebe Jacquard yarn. Bought on sale (of course) for $2 per skein.

It comes in a small 50g bag, and the yarn 'feeds' out the top of the bag. No need to re-skein, no tangles. And, it self-stripes. It's Superwash wool, probably about 'sock weight'.

See it in greater detail here: (Click to enlarge)
Lang Bebe Jacquard #2

On the AC4C List, I was one of the prize winners for Sam's January Project. The prize was a lovely assortment of Bernat Yarns ("Baby Softee" and 'Baby"). Mom immediately scooped up this yarn and went to work.

Hats:
Hats Knit from AC4C Prize Yarn


"Amen" Blanket:
"Amen" Blanket

And here, a few hats in WOOL for BJ's May Project:
Wool Hats for May Project

Some homemade bread. If it had any more fiber in it, you could KNIT it:

Dutch Oven Bread

Sunday, February 10, 2008

The Infamous "SIDEWAYS HAT"

HUGE DISCLAIMER:
I got this data as a photocopy of a photocopy of a hand written document. It only gives the "30 or 35 stitches" and "35 ridges" information. No credit is given as to who did the math.

The iteration you see below is my 'translation' of that data into a 'pattern'.


SIDEWAYS HAT “RECIPE”

• The “Recipe” doesn’t have too many specifics. You’re trying to knit a garter stitch rectangle.

• Cast on some stitches and start knitting. I usually do 30 or 35 stitches on a size 10 needle. (I knit tight.)

• Knit until you have at least 35 ridges. Not “rows’. RIDGES.

Time to test:

• Hold the rectangle so that the ridges are going up & down
(Some would probably say “hold it sideways”.)

• Fold up the bottom a little (see photo). Does it look roughly as big as any baby hat you have ever knit?


• If “YES”, then bind off loosely.

• Hold the hat so that the ridges are going up & down.

• Run a piece of yarn through the “top” of the hat to pull it closed. Fasten SECURELY. I usually leave a little extra yarn at the cast on edge, and use that piece since it’s already hanging there.

~~DO NOT use that piece to sew the side seam. No matter how tight you THINK it is, it WILL come loose and you'll have a 'hole' in the top of the hat.~~

[ I fiddled with the color on this photo in the hopes that y'all can get a better look...] Sideways Hat Tutorial #


• Now sew the cast-on and cast-off edges together. Or ‘sew the back seam”, whichever you prefer to call it. Weave in ends.

• Fold the bottom of the hat up to form the brim.

Cute, eh? And VERY stretchy.


TIPS:

• Use whatever needle size you need to get a suitable material. The stitches should be loose enough for the piece to be flexible. Not tight like a kitchen scrubby, not loose enough to be ‘mesh’.

• If you can put your fingers through the holes, it’s knit too loose. If you can’t fold it, it’s too tight.

• Try to match the yarn with the intended use of the hat. If it’s for a preemie, you won’t want to use a thick wool.

• For preemie hats, you can use the SAME number of RIDGES, but a few LESS stitches. (Try 25 or 30?)

• Remember, it’s a ‘recipe”, not a pattern. You have to knit up a ~sample~ and see what happens.

This is NOT a ‘gauge swatch”, it’s a ~sample~. Like licking the bowl to see how your recipe is turning out.

Friday, February 8, 2008

WIP's (Works in Progress)

OK... we have one of THESE:
KNIT

Any ideas what this will end up being? C'mon... take a guess!

And a little one of THESE:
Tiny Sweater 1

NO, it's a REALLY LITTLE one. See the quarter?
Tiny Sweater 2

Now I have to figure out what size hat will go with it.

Monday, January 28, 2008

Cooper Hospital Delivery

Made a quick delivery to Cooper Hospital over the weekend, as they were OUT of hats & blankets.

Cooper Hospital was lucky enough to be chosen as AC4C's April Project, and the Project Coordinator, Ginden, has set up a web site here.

The NICU is a Level III facility, featuring 25 Intensive care beds, two isolation nurseries, and a nine bed transitional nursery. It is usually full. If you have a few minutes and a lovely soft ball of yarn, please consider whipping them up a few hats.

A few quick photos of the 'goodies'. It's a nice selection of hats, blankets, and even some 'Amen Blankets' (fetal demise). You can click any of the photos to get a better peek:

Cooper- Box 1

Cooper Box 2- Amens & Hats

Cooper Box 3

Cooper Box 5

Monday, January 7, 2008

A Wee Bit O'Sweater Modification

The September Project for AC4C is the Guideposts Sweater Project.

They're specific that they want everyone to knit one of THEIR patterns so that when they deliver the sweaters, the kids are all getting the SAME sweater. Anyone who has had to deal with more than one child at a time for any reason knows that that makes perfect sense.

However, all that garter stitch can make one a little nutty. And who likes seaming?

The "10th Anniversary" version of the sweater has a stockinette body, and I've been knitting that in the round.

Sure, theoretically it's the same as doing 'all garter stitch', but if you use a variegated yarn, you can PRETEND, right?

The top is still done in garter stitch, and the finished sweater matches the schemata and sews up with a few less seams.

Here's one side done, and the second side waiting to be picked up: