Finished a Scarf ... for Me!

[Note: See the previous post for the true color.]

I've added a note to the bottom of this post ...

This pattern was so easy and fun to do. Victoria at the Seed Stitch was knitting one and told me it was only a 19 stitch cast on and then knit, purl (seed stitch) across. At the end of the row *cast on 5 stitches and turn. Bind off the 5 cast on stitches which will leave you with the final cast off stitch being the knit so continue purl, knit across. Repeat * every row the same. I also created a "nubby" boarder along the end when I cast off and then picked up stitches on the other end to then cast off in the "nubbies" along that side. I LOVE it!!

[I used Cascade Yarns 128 tweed.]

Note: Carol E. just left the comment " the original of the pattern is in the Winter 2005 issue of Interweave Knits (p.94). It's called the "Fickle Fingers" scarf. (Yes, think Laugh-In) The designer is Gayle Roehm, and there are 3 other variations: "Fat Fingers", "Zigzag Fingers", and "Bobble Fingers"." Now I have to check out getting this back issue ...

I think I'll knit more.

So you think I'm weird do ya?

I've been tagged a number of times. But I resisted doing this. Why?

Because it takes too much thinking? Writing it all down? Or maybe because there's nothing really weird about me?

No, I think it's because I just find it hard to face the facts. That's right. Hard facts to face. But Cynthia and all of my other Blog friends like Dipsey Doodle, Anny Purls & others who have tried to tag me before this [and I turned away ignoring them] have persisted with this Six Weird Things About Me list. So now I'm finally looking at myself straight in the eye and admitting...

I'm just as weird as the rest of you!

Six Weird Things About Me

1. I love using dpn’s. Yah, I know that’s weird because so many knitters try to avoid them. I use to be one of them. They insist on using 2 circs for toe-up for socks or the magic loop for instance. Two circs is what I used when I learned how to knit socks three years ago. But then … I discovered Bamboo! I use them all the time now and I don’t mind dpn’s at all. In fact, I LIKE them!
   

2. I love to get up at 4:00 AM. That’s right … in the Morning! I’ve been that way ever since I was a kid. I’d get up at that time to study for a test in school or just to read. After a night’s rest, my mind & eyes were not in a fog and I could remember MORE than if I had studied the night before. [I graduated with honors BUT had to WORK for it.] Once I was married and had my own place I continued to get up at that time. I wake up with no alarm clock. That's right. Don’t need one. No one else is up – just me and my coffee and my knitting [or any kind of stitching]. Peace & quiet or with the news on TV. I love sunsets, but sunrises even more. It’s the best time of the day!

3. Now I was going to say that my love of all kinds of ethnic foods was something weird about me, or the fact that I’m allergic to clams [not shrimp or crab][clams can kill my Dad & I inherited that allergy] but – even more weird than those facts, the only food I hate … really hate …well it's Lobster. Here I was born in New England – land of the real lobster lovers – and I hate it. Something about the smell bothers me. I love Crab but my nose cannot get near a Lobster. I love the taste of crab, especially the blue crab, but I hate the texture when chewing yuck ... Lobster.
   

4. When I go walking I have to take my camera. Wherever I go, my camera is with me. I spot something interesting, unusually or just pretty, I love getting a snap shot of it. Like people's front doors … or stain glass windows or just unusual windows. Flowers or flower gardens, butterflies or dragonflies … if it catches my eye, I take a picture. Now this isn’t too unusually now that I live in a tourist attraction place like Salem, Ma. A lot of people walk around with a camera around their neck. So no one looks at you funny when you take pictures of just about everything. But when I lived in Winthrop, Ma ... that was when I noticed the interesting front doors and the stain glass windows on all the old Victorian style homes ... well I got plenty of funny looks. But taking pictures made my walks more interesting. Right?
   

5. I have a nervous “tick” – clearing my throat. On high pollen days I also blink my eyes a lot, but the worse thing is clearing my throat all the time. I know I do it, but I have no control over it. I always feel like something is stuck in my throat. But it’s worse when I’m nervous. And I want to stop, but if I think about it, it gets worse. Any ideas on how to stop me from doing this – I’d love to hear it.

6. Oh thank goodness, I’m on the last one. Really hard thinking and coming up with the weirdness about me when I’m so NORMAL ;-) [Yah sure]. Okay, last but not least … I twirl my hair. Have always done it. I’m now age 58 and I still do it. Mostly with my right hand but sometimes I’ll switch to my left. Lift a clump with my thumb and twirl between my thumb & fingers. I’ve only met one other person that does it but I’ve seen a few others in public that do it and I wanted to say “Hey I twirl my hair too!” But I don't and in 58 years I’ve only seen very few. I heard somewhere that this hair-twirling-thing means that I’m “re-directing” my thoughts or making mental plans or forcing myself to direct my thoughts to something on my mind for clarity. Maybe. Well I think I just find it soothing. Relaxing. Calming. But...

At least I don’t suck my thumb anymore!

Well not while I'm knitting anyway. [Okay, TAG -- you're it]

And let there be knitting ...

Started Poetry in Stitches page 136 cardigan! Go ahead take a peak to see which one sweater I'm doing and come on back. I haven't got much more than the hem done yet, so no pictures of my own work has been taken. Maybe by this next weekend. BTW, this sweater starts out on size 1 needles with a cast on of 305 stitches. Three Hundred and five!

I'll be knitting up with size 2 when the pattern is started after the hem. Go ahead and asked me if I swatched this baby? Go ahead. Well I'll tell you anyway ...

This might turn around and bite me in the butt, but no I didn't swatch. I don't have size 0 circs and I don't want to buy them either. I will use the size 1 & 2 needles I already have. Well lets say that I usually end out on the size needles a pattern calls for anyway ... so I'm taking my chances. [like I said ... it might bite me.] We'll see how wrong I might be on this one ... later!

BTW, have you read the Yarn Harlot's post over the weekend, Jan. 16 and her followup? I think we should all get together SOMEWHERE even if we can't make it to NYC for the KIT event. That's Community Knitting Night at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn ... so I'm hoping that we can all participate in whatever plan Stephanie picks out. Stay tuned! [it's been suggested to send knit hats, socks, scarves, mittens etc. to be donated to the homeless in and around NYC. I like that one!]

I went up to my daughters this weekend. Three grandchildren were there. Jayden had her sweater on that I knit her for Christmas, so I finally have a picture of her wearing it.

And of course I continued with my daughter's knitting lessons. Here's a picture of her first finished project also ...

[she wouldn't allow me to take a picture of her knitting. Well not yet anyway, hehe.] Pretty in Pink for little JayD ... the Munchkin.

Congratulations, Heidi ... you're now a knitter!

And let there be more knitting ...

Another reason I've been quiet this weekend is because of all the other knitting I'm doing at the moment. I've either just finished or started something new. Here's a peek at a few ...

My felted mittens with knitted ribbed cuffs. See the cuffs on the inside? Here's a before picture also with them as mittens for a giant. Got the pattern from Knit One, Felt One as you see in the picture.


I finished my grandson's felted mitten for next year as well. They also have knitted cuffs, but on the outside.




And I've got felted slippers for the Munchkin JayD, looking huge of course, but ready for the felting process to be complete. Drying right now with the intent to have some suede pieces sewn on the bottoms to keep her from slipping on the wood floors once she starts walking.

And look what I got ...
From the Etsy store of Aija's Zero Markers. Aren't they purrrr-ty?





And Here's some news for the men who want to learn to knit. Take a class for Men ONLY at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn. [in the North Shore Sunday News, 1/26/2007] .

The more knitters in the world, the merrier!

This Month's Yarnival is here!

Yarnival is presented by The Purloined Letter this month.

And guess what ... the Stitchingnut is in it. That's right, they came right into my living room ... the mess that it is. Check out other interesting blogs as well, make some new freinds, and enjoy.

BTW, I've since cleaned up ... honestly ... well for a short time anyway.

Read the Passion in the Special Valentine's Day Issue!!

Happy Valentine's Day, we have a winner!

Just heard from Victoria at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn and the number is

27 1/2

I don't know who knit 1/2 of a heart [dirty bugga, I know] but I did say that the one who puts in the closest guess on my comments will win their choice of one of these hearts. Will it be this one ... the Shepard??


So the winner is ...

SUSAN from Celadon Pool in the UK

Since I already know your address, Susan from the Knitten' Mitten January draw, I just need to know which one you'd like. That's right this girl has been a lucky winner more than once! Just let me know if the Shepard is the heart you want, Susan. Should I doubt that?


Now Susan was the first place winner and only 2 1/2 off on her guess. The next closest guess were from two people who guessed 31. So I've decided to give the other 2 a 2nd and 3rd prize. I drew names for these and it ended out as ...

2nd place: Sammie from Georgia (blogless)

3rd place: Katie The Dilettante Debutante

As soon as Sammie picks out the one she wants, I'll be taking the final heart to Katie at the next SnB group meeting with M.I.T.

BUT of course Susan gets to pick which one she wants out of all three!

Do we have a Winner yet?

Happy Valentine's Day! And the winner is ...


Can you stand the suspense?


Envelope please ...


The winner is ....

NO WAIT!


They're still looking for the person who has the total numbers ...

Stay tuned! mahahahahaha

I finished another heart ...

But, I'm keeping this one as a memento! I don't consider it done yet anyway ... but by popular demand, I'll show you a little about how I do my needle felting. I want to do more needle pouncing on this one and maybe even add one more thing and perhaps do a little more detail. So for now ... it's a work in progress.



First I collected some books and supplies like felting needles for example to start out with. Here are a few books and of course, roving.

Note: These are very sharp needles and not meant for children. Be very careful ... or you'll need a first aid kit on hand as well.




Another source of fibers that we all have as knitters is yarn pieces. I save all my clippings from any project I used wool or any other animal fiber on. These can be added to felted pieces. I just put the clipped pieces in a sandwich bag ... when the bag is full, I put them with my felting supplies.



As you see, this is not a neat little work area! Not when the Stitchingnut is working on something anyways. I just spread it out and get to work.



If you're interested in where I got some of my supplies, a couple of nice places to purchase anything you could possibly need are Halcyon Yarn and Weirs Dolls & Crafts. Both have good prices and just about anything you need to get started.













I've got my books and magazine pictures I've saved.













As well as the pictures I've drawn. Or rather more like doodled. When I get an idea or see something in a magazine I like, I doodle it out on paper. Just pencil scratching.





Some books are there only for inspiration ... mainly because I'm not as advanced at this as the author of Pixie Felt. What a gorgeous book for my coffee table if nothing else. Same with it's companion, New Felt! Both books are hard to come by so I was lucky to acquire them when I did.





Okay ... let's get started ...




I've already knitted & felted my piece that I'll use for my "canvas" and now I just give it a brushing before I start. A stiff bristle brush will do. Mine is an old finger nail natural bristle brush. Your canvas can also be a flat piece of ready made felt ... or a woven piece of fabric or even blue jean material or canvas. Or use nothing at all and just felt your roving on the sponge surface for a 3 dimensional piece or to be applied to something else by sewing or glue or applied needle felting using the special needles. Oh, did I forget to tell you to have a nice thick sponge surface to work on? It'll save your needles AND your table. I recommend using one made for needle felting like mine. This one is 3 inches thick.


Let's get down to the real work now.


I lay out thin layers of roving first for the background of the picture I want to create. Just as I'm doing here. When I get it the way I like I pounce the needle to attached the fibers of the roving. Remember to see the whole picture ... the details will come later.



Pounce with the needle until you feel it's ready for the next step ...



Adding a little more detail to the background.












And then
add some roving for some placement to where the foreground figures will go.


The outline is put in and then I start building the colors from the back to the front. Until I get something like this ....




But I think it could use a little more work. What do you think?

Should I give it away?

Look at the beautiful sunrise I got up to this morning. This is a picture taken at my kitchen window. Same view is seen from the dinning room, but I had my camera in the kitchen and just took the shot.

Made a nice start to my morning!


I'm early with the pictures, but I'm here to show you the two hearts I have left and ...




And here's the one I made today.

Should I still give it away?
I'm happy with it. Yup, very happy with it. I love making these.
And I do like this one ...

Anyway, who ever wins on Wednesday, gets to pick which one she wants out of the three. Unless I do another one tomorrow ... in which case then you get to pick one out of four. Yup ahuh ...

And guess what ... go on guess ...

If there is more than one person that is close to the winning number ... you both get to pick one.
I'll draw a name on who picks first so there's no fighting tho.

LOL, I like to keep everybody happy. Happy knitting!

Weekend plans ...

Well Gracie's squares are in the mail. I used Crystal Palace 100% cotton chenille. Used two variegated colorways and I just kept on knitting squares until the yarn was all gone. Funny that I couldn't get as many squares out of the blue as I did from the lighter color. But I sent 11 squares in all. Go check out Warming Grace to see if you can help also. Their goal is to give 20 blankets ... and they need more squares to do this. Use Soft Cotton or Wool. Five inch squares in any color.

Well over this weekend I'll be finishing up with the needle felting on the hearts I have left and taking a picture to post on Monday so the winner of the "Lucky Heart" contest will know what to pick from. I will continue to take any entries from people who want to "take a guess on how many hearts are in" Seed Stitch Fine Yarn store until Wednesday morning, February 14, at 8:00 am. Victoria will announce the winner of the store contest after Noon and I can then make my announcement after she does.

Hope it's YOU~!

I'm also starting a pair of felted mittens this weekend and finishing the felting on a pair of slippers for my Munchkin, Jayden.

But then ....

I'll be starting my next BIG project and that is this sweater from this book ...
Poetry in Stitches. I bought the Kit at Seed Stitch and I'm itching to get it started.


Oh look what I just got in the mail ...

more felting anyone?

Happy knitting!

Lucky Hearts, do you want a Contest?

This message in Red is what I got from Seed Stitch Fine Yarn ...

Can you guess how many felted hearts we have in the store?

Come in and search around the store for our handmade felted hearts. If you think you know how many "hearts" there are jot your name, e-mail address and amount down on our entry slip and on February 14th at 12 noon we will announce the "lucky love" contestant.

Winner will receive the Seed Stitch Fine Yarn's "Sweetheart" Valentine's gift.

I thought about you, Dorothy and how unfair you felt it was because you don't live around here to go into the store. It was a tease that I told you all about it, I know. And funny that you just left a comment about letting the kids run "wild" at the keyboard, LOL. And I don't want to try Shelley's patients any longer either, hehe. I know she wants to play. But I have been busy at work and had to wait until lunch or a break to post this. Okay, here goes.

My contest is called "Lucky Felted Heart Contest"

Here are pictures of the inside of Seed Stitch Fine Yarn. And just a few of the hearts ... there are others peaking out from amongst the yarn goodies and all. With all that color I was too distracted to get close up pictures. People might have thought I was a spy or something. But here are three pictures to show you the inside of the store. Not a really BIG store, altho it's long. It's very neat and orderly. All the hearts were spotted along the walls with the yarn and displays, tucked in here and there or hung about where you least expect 'em.

So here's MY contest. For all the people [like Dorothy & Shelley] who can't make it into the Seed Stitch, just leave me a comment on how many hearts you think might be in the store.

I know this will be just a guess for you all. But believe me, I can only guess myself. I'll give you some of the clues that I have tho ... Such as, there were 8 of us knitting hearts in one afternoon on January 28 to be displayed February 1st [and were told that others who could not make it, of which I don't have any idea how many, were knitting some hearts as well]. A few of us took our yarn home to finish knitting more hearts. The hearts are of all different sizes & more colors than just Red. I saw pink & purple also. But the one big clue I can give you is: the Stitchingnut knit up 5 hearts in all.

So make your guess and leave me a comment. The one who guesses the closest to the correct answer as Victoria will announce to us on February 14 will WIN!

What will you win? Oh ya, you want to win something don't you.

Well I knit some of my own hearts from my stash of wool and decided to decorate them with needle felted pictures. Sheep of course. Here are a few. I have at least 3 more to finish.

I sent out one to my daughter, one to my best friend Sammie, and one to a blog friend. Have another blog friend to get one later when I send out another package of blanket squares to her. And of course one will be for me. That means I'll still have a few left over. Sooooooo ....

The winner will get to pick! I'll post the pictures then but here are all of the hearts I've made so far. Good luck!!!






Oh BTW, the smallest of the hearts I made into pins. The larger ones can be hung on door knobs, drawer knobs, on walls or the front door. They were fun to make and I hope you have fun joining in. Happy Valentine's Day!