KnittyBug

I missed my blogiversary.

Success! I managed to pick up those 84 stitches. With a little help from a lot of pins to mark the way I was able to manage to evenly pick up those stitches. There were only enough spots for 60 stitches…so this was a real pain. I was afraid that after knitting the rib collar for a while….that it would look uneven. Well I just kind of avoided looking at it until I got about 2 inches done and thought well I better have a looky because I’m pretty close to being finished . I think it turned out pretty good. :)

Now the next hurdle is…well picking up MORE stitches. 147 stitches from each side to make the button bands. Last night when reading the pattern to prepare myself for today I got a little stumped. The pattern picture (that I have) looked as though these bands started diagonally from the collar. But nope the start at the top. So I will probably start these during nap time….which starts in about an hour.
In non knitting news…there has been no video games today. :) Thankfully the man went to work today. So I also haven’t been getting the questions of what’s that ball of yarn for. Yes my yarn has crept out of our spare room and a few balls are kind of just lying around my living room. He happed to pick one up…and well lets just say wasn’t to thrilled about the tag. Oh well I tried to tell him about me not buying anymore because I’m following along with KFYS. He still thinks I’m a little too nutty about the knitting.

Last week I decided to start these.

Today I finally weaved in the ends so that I have a completed pair….and I lov’em.

(click to enlarge)




Pattern: Ribby Wrist Warmers from Speed Knitting
Yarn: Wool-ease chunky in Chestnut
Mods: None except for subbing the yarn and using a
different needle size….but I didn’t gauge
and I followed the pattern as written.

Being that it was red holiday this week I thought I should pick up the pace on Pasadena. I did have quite a lot of free knitting time this week ( I explain that a little later). So I worked these sleeves out so fast and then realized…crap I’ve got to that kitchner stitch thing.

It took a few frustrating attempts on the first sleeve and 48 stitches later I had mastered it on the second. A total of 96 stitches were grafted and it was worth it for having two priceless even rowed sleeves.

However the next step is picking up stitches around the neck for the collar. This may be simple for some but I am having a very difficult time trying to even out the extra pick up stitches. Seriously I am on my fifth attempt and it looks like…well.. not good. See that needle just hanging there around the neck. Just keep trying and it will click.

Random Jake image...."Um....no i don't want a sweater"

Anyways for the story about my free knitting time this week. Well we got a little combo of snow/ ice storm earlier this week. So three inches of snow but with the combo of ice it’s like a ice rink in my backyard. Not fun to play on without skates and maybe a few hockey sticks. (Remember I said that I would make a rink for peanut...well I take it back) And with that ice is this bitter wind and freezing temps so Peanut really can’t stay out long for she is one of those who hates gloves. …leading to teeny frozen fingers. Also adding to our housebound excitement was that my DH was stuck home all week….because of a hurt back. So I got to sleep in and knit a lot (which was nice) but I also had to listen to video games ALL day. Oh and a hurt back means you get a way with doing nothing too…I guess. The week started out great because I thought…well this will be nice to have some time from work to hang around the house together. But I also discovered that if the Peanut and her Daddy get bored while I am asleep….they decide to try to help me out by fixing things. This is not good!

(click to enlarge the mess)
So what is this you may wonder…..um kinda looks like a telephone jack. Please notice that the wire is stapled to the molding. Stapled to molding for about 5 feet…..and is a completely bright white compared to the freshly painted molding. Oh and the jack really is supposed to go in the corner up there…..it’s a stick on jack….that turned out to be bad. So convently I ended up with this patched together piece of work. Oh and finally best part is that this whole idea he had of trying to make the wiring to my computer simpler (whatever that means) is that this doesn’t work. It doesn’t even work. Priceless. Thank you work fairy for taking him back on this coming Tuesday. :) Thank you me for having projects to get me through. :)

So here is my Droplet Hat.

Here is me trying to take a picture of myself wearing the droplet hat.

Pattern: Droplet Hat from Knitting Nature
Yarn: Fisherman’s Wool (I am trying to use this stuff up)
Alters: None, but I think my row gauge was a little short.
Started Feb 6 and finished today.

I know these aren’t the best pictures but you get the idea. I like the pattern but I think I just chose the wrong yarn from my stash to knit with. I think I should have used a thicker stiffer yarn….if that makes any sense. A perfect example would be the bobble thingy’s tuned out a little big and loose sometimes. But I do like the hat anyway. I am sure that after a good soak and stuff it will be a little better. I did try to have Peanut take a picture but she ends up turning the cam around and taking one of herself…..really really close up.

We ended up getting hit by that clipper last night…however by this morning the snow have already started to disappear. It wouldn’t have been a good day to go out and play in it anyways because of the temperature being dangerously cold. Peanut was very disappointed. She just played with her dragon all day.


Not really the type of toy you would think a toddler little girl would like…but she does.

It’s been so cold here the last few days. Really just bitter. And of course no snow. We decided to venture out yesterday and give Peanut a chance to use her x-mas gift card and me a chance to sneak in my secret plan. Yes my secret plan of saying “well since we are out and about why don’t we stop at the book store on the way home” Yes I spent an hour in the store rummaging through the mess of shelves finding the books I hand wanted to…um just check out. Actually I just got a library card and my plan was to check them out of the library and then buy them later…..but someone has had them out for like 3 months….and I am just too impatient and would rather just have my own copy now. I am SO impatient. :) So I had three books to my allowance and I went through and found the ones I was interested in…yet put them back. Not going to mention any titles but they weren’t quick or weekendy and 15 mitten/ glove patterns is really not needed and to my interest. So I came up with these four after not being able to just pick the third and leave one behind. And all during the beginning of a game?

From the bottom up:
Knitting Nature
Vintage Knits
Classic Knits
Speed Knitting

I love them.
So many cool designs and use of different types of yarn….and suggestions of substitution. Just fresh ideas. I spent hours last night skimming the pages and flipping between books trying to deside on a simple side project. There is a wonderful hat pattern in Knitting Nature that I am thinking about for myself. I really need a nice winter hat…besides my Bulldogs-dingy-guy-hat..... which is really not something that I wear out in public. It’s also something I can work on when Peanut is around….like the wrap which needs to be ripped back 5 inches and who knows how many rows because I really messed up increasing. Yeah that one..... I am going to need some time alone with when no little fingers are trying to help pull yarn.

I will have to take a photo tomorrow of the toy Peanut picked. It's not really something you would think a little girl would want...you know like a doll...or a ballet thingy....or dress up crap. Nope my kid loves animals or creatures and she picks..out of a bin of dinosaurs...a dragon. I'll just have to get a pic of her new friend....that she has decided is the new cuddle/sleep toy. Too funny.

It seems that lately a Beret bug has been going around. And I didn’t necessarily catch the bug but I did attempt to knit Peanut a beret. I found the pattern in a pattern book that was my great grandmothers. So I followed the pattern as I much as I could and it turned out pretty well…..except that my thinking Peanut had a huge head was wrong. I mean she can wear it if she wants but I am not going to force the poor kid on a cold day to throw this thing on. It’s a tad big….and not my style so I won’t be wearing it either unless we get hit by a winter snow storm. Which also hasn’t happened.

Pattern: knitted Beret #2112 from Lacey’s
Yarn: It was missing the label and just in a knotted mess so I have no idea what or how much…but the pattern called for 2 oz.
Alterations: I crocheted a band to tighten the fit….and I should have made the size 2 instead of the 4
Started Jan 30th completed Jan 31st.

In other knitting news I have decided to follow along with Knit from your stash 2007 . I think it’s pretty reasonable and I really want to get rid of the stash nd projects waiting so that I can invest in some new ones. Sock yarn is one of the things that doesn’t count against me….but I already have a couple balls to work through so I am going to avoiding buying more. I also think I have the perfect idea or actually used for all of those pieces of leftovers I just couldn’t throw out…the Labyrinth Circle Rug from Oneskein. I think that would be a perfect stash buster.

I also have been knitting like crazy on my wrap sweater. I think I goofed on a few things but I like the fit so far. I am leaning towards shorter sleeves for a springy type sweater.

The last photo I will share is of Jake and his snow dander. The look is...”you forgot that I was outside again didn’t you?”