Dog Gone.

About 4 months ago my kids broght a dog home that was being kicked across the school grounds. The daughter of the owner was with them, her mom pulled up and said we don't want the dog is why we throwed it out if you want it keep it. I did. For 4 months me and Jack was tighter than bark on a tree. Today a lady that did not have anything to do with it came by with daughter of lady that gave it to me, obviously they sold the dog and since I can't prove a thing they wanted the dog back. So now Jack is not here anymore. How sad that I live in a city that you have to fear the neighbors.
The little dog wanted to go with the girl, he doesn't know what waits on the other end for him.
So far in the years we have lived in this city we have had the fence kicked in and brown dog stolen, car broken into radio gone, other car stolen, house windows broken, gun shot holes in siding. Not a real pleasant place to put down roots.
But for now I am dogless. I think the only thing that will cure me is to go spin a million yards of yarn. Keep me in your kind thoughts. I am feeling pretty rough.

All Mittens, All The Time!

A cute little mouse mitten pattern can be found HERE. Help for the thumb of a mitten can be seen in pictures at DIY and more info is there. FLAPPERS mittens and hat set for children. Knitting stitches onto waste yarn video at DIY. Mittens with the thumb as a gusset side gore HERE. HouseMittens. Excellent pic of waste yarn in mittens here at YarnHarlot. Here are some RoundTop mittens. Lovikka Mitten. SnowFlake mitten. Scroll down on this one for pic of needles inserted into those thumb stitches ready to go. Easy Striped mittens. BIG mitten PDF here. Mittens with one finger and thumb called Trigger Finger Mittens. Most Gorgeous Mittens with CLEAR picture of the hole where the waste yarn goes, she did it different with a cast on for the top of the hole. i use a knit across one needle with waste yarn. now knit that same needle with real mitten yarn and continue mitten. work until mitten is finished. pick up stitches around waste yarn and knit thumb by itself. but this last pair under the Clear click is also one of the very best patterned ones!

Most Wonderful Knitting Day!

I am just having the most wonderful knitting time! Some Mist colorways yarn from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. I cannot believe how this feels to knit with. I sometimes knit with a cheaper wool and have a good time. Then I get a project with the 'good stuff' and I remember how great it feels. The colors just move and blend and swirl gently into such dreamy patterns. The feel of the merino wool is as soft as butterfly wings. So I fall in love with this yarn all over again. It happens to me everytime.

NeedleKeep The new greatest little accessory!

Now if this don't just beat all. I absolutely love this new summer find!! The NeedleKeep is so super I think how did I ever get along with out it? This summer I have had more fun playing with new toys than I ever did before. I have chatted and knitted with my friends so much and really had a great summer so far.

Lovely Fox sweater.

This is the greatest little sweater pattern for a whole bunch of little foxes all over the chest.
Pattern is Dale of Norway # 107 or #10706.

Yes Sockie Is Still Spinning!

As you can see Sockie has been spinning on his little Ashford Traditional. He managed a whole ball of single ply. The fiber was purchased from Toni at TheFold This is really super fiber to spin!! Today's sock is made with esprit stretchy yarn. He really likes this one.

Finished at Last!

I finished the tip of the thumb and the end of the second mitten. All done!

There is a super site holding a mitten knitting event. Check it out.

Mittens!

Working on Triangles shawl

I am plugging away on many projects. One of them is the Triangles shawl found at this site. HeartStrings .

Mitten pattern.

I love to knit socks. The ribbing and ankle of my socks fit my wrist and hand fine so I used that number for my mittens.
Using size 1 1/2 needles because I used color work and sometimes I tend to get a little tight with it. Cast On 64. Work wrist ribbing for at least 1 1/2 inches. Using the Philosopher Wool method of color knitting I jumped into assorted graphs and patterns readily available or made up. When the mitten was at the right place for my thumb to be I used waste yarn and knitted 16 stitches at the front end of the row. One needles worth. drop the waste yarn leaving enough ends on it to tie them together so they don't get away while i knit the rest of the mitten. REKNIT that same needle now it will have waste yarn on it, not mitten yarn. Knit all the way around. All four needles. the waste yarn needle now has sock yarn on it. continue til mitten is long enough to begin decreases. dec as for socks. end off.

Mitten thumb details. UPDATED WITH SITE PDF INFO.

I put a close up of the thumb section. I used waste yarn for 1/4 total stitches. knitted the mitten, then picked up those stitches top and bottom of the waste line plus one at each end and knitted the thumb with 4 needles shown left mitten.
here is the PDF site i got the cute little squirrel from:
http://www.elliphantom.com/images/SquirrellySwedishMittens.pdf
hope the links work. boy are they cute mittens!

On the home stretch with Mittens!

I am down to just the solid black finger tip of the mittens. I have the tip of the thumb to do on one too. The pictures are pink squirrels on one mitten and the other one has black birds. The rows of pattern colorwork are random and mixed. I used STR Socks That Rock yarn in Hot Flash pink and a black that is a denim sort of mixture. Just super to work with. Yarns available from Blue Moon or try my favorite yarn store The Fold .

Finished my socks!

This is a pair, they don't match but what fun making them. I got the book at Blue Moon . Then just a couple of the ways to knit the same sock, with so many ways to change it still unexplored!

Pattern is now being tested and is available.

you can get free copies of the Dennis pattern which is typed up and being test knitted. Any brave souls or ready knitters can get this pattern at TSocksKAl or at SocksForSoldiers.
Knitters, "Start your needles".

Down the heel flap.

I knitted 9 stitches from the next needle, turned and began heel flap. i like the pattern running down the centers of the back and front. so far about 1/3 down the heel flap.

Adventurous Knitters

Ok here is a graph of the Dennis socks. If you can read the chart, jump in and knit away. I am writing up the text pattern as fast as I can and will also finish the bottom of the sock too. It has a cast on of 72. Cast on LOOSELY. I am doing mine this time on one long circ with markers to divide sections. It would be 18 on each of 4 needles. REPEAT GIVEN CHART ONE TIME PER NEEDLE.
total of four graphs around foot. Don't forget if you want to line up a row of pattern down the center of your sock instep to knit over to the correct start area for your heel flap so that your flap is centered with pattern stitching in the middle.

New Socks

Hey Dennis do you read my blog? Guess what? The new Dennis Ridges and Furrows socks are on the needles and almost to the heel flap. Pics and pattern soon! Surprise!!

Second Sock FairIsle

The more you do the easier it gets! I am really having a lot of fun with it. At first the 'color jogs' got me. Then I tried to use patterns that made it less obvious. I really would appreciate some help from those of you that know how to stop that color jog. Please help me with what ever tips or links you have to offer!! Both socks are down to the instep now. Heading to the toes!

Jack is at it again.

Today I wanted to play with my dog. I have a jack russell called Pirate Jack. I fixed him a new toy. He loves fake fur so I took a 10 inch piece of chair foam cushion, slipped a plastic squeaker deep inside it. Covered it with fake fur stitched real tightly all over with tiny stitches. He chewed and shook it until he ate his way through it. In one side and out the other. These pics are him smiling with the fur toy now hanging off of him like a collar or sweater!

Challenge Socks!

Here is my second sock from that book I am having a wonderful time knitting. I always have more than one, er uh , a dozen , things going at the same time. Small needle things and big needle things. The old eyes quit on me and fight back if I try to stick to teeny stuff too long. This sock is a blast to knit. I really can't wait now to jump into a pair with all kinds of colors of yarns. you only use 2 strands of color. It gets the wild color changes because you use painted or colored yarn.

Spinning for socks, mixing wools?

I need some input on mixing wools. If I spin yarn for socks. If I do it in different colors so I can do colorwork. Do I have to use all the same kind of wool from same sheep? Can I mix and match my fibers? Can I use brown BFL and white Corriedale and even some colored fiber throwed in? Spinners please help out with this. The yarn I make would not really all have to be the same size right? Suggestions Please!!