Wednesday, December 30, 2009

When you have yarn left over ...

from a project, say it's almost a whole skein or even half, do you toss it away? Or do you put it into a miscellaneous basket? Store in a glass jar that is put on display? Or do you find something to use it in almost right away?

Rhonda's Thermis Neckwarmer

I used up 2 skeins of the Nashua Handknits Sitar yarn for this neck warmer but I did have to use a bit from a 3rd skein for the last 2 rows and cast off. Now that's almost a whole skein left over.

Well I never throw yarn away [even bits & pieces can go into needle felting] ... so I do the rest mentioned above. And this time there was enough yarn for me to create wrist warmers. Boy am I pleased that I did now that the temperature has dropped down to 10 degrees. They really help fill the gap between a coat sleeve and a pair of mittens, gloves or fingerless mitts. Even great to wear inside while I knit.

Fill the Gap Wrist Warmers

The pattern is simple. I call them Fill the Gap Wrist Warmers. I made it up as I knit ...

Fill the Gap

CO 33
K2 P1 for 34 Rows
Change to St st increasing 3 stitches evenly spaced on next row. 36 stitches for 12 Rows.
On row 12 or 13 K2 stitches tog, K16, SSK, K to end. 34 stitches; then K1 P1 for 3 rows.
Cast Off in Ribbing. Sew in ends.

This was done to my size hands so make adjustments needed for yours.

Fill the Gap Wrist Warmers

I still have a bit of a bobble of yarn left ...

Fill the Gap Wrist Warmers

Now what do you suppose I could do with this? Won't throw it out of course.


Sunday, December 27, 2009

A neck warmer is the new scarf I hear ...

So I had to knit one.

Rhonda's Thermis Neckwarmer

The pattern is called Thermis Neck Warmer. I used Nashua Handknits Sitar yarn. It's a busy color but it's soft and warm and I love it with my new jacket. I love the pattern ... the way it buttons up or you can wear it unbutton like an open collar.

Rhonda's Thermis Neckwarmer

Of course I had to include a whimsical surprise inside...

Rhonda's Thermis Neckwarmer

Just because I love sheep!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Lights are twinkling ...

and the gifts are all in the Knitting Basket for giving.

Christmas Knitting Basket

With two pair of Fingerless Gloves going into it for two of the oldest of the granddaughters. They're both over 18 and out on their own now.

Fingerless gloves

But I bet they'll love to wear these driving back & forth to work. Used Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Bulky weight wool yarn. Really nice to knit with. I used a simple basic mitten pattern and just turned it into fingerless mitts.

And the Bella Mittens done for the younger granddaughters ...

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Three pairs done there. And a hat and mittens for my grandson wasn't forgotten either.

Nottingham Hat


So after putting up the tree...

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we had a visit from 2 of DH's children.

BTW, the quilt was made by my friend, Sammie from Georgia. She knew last year that I didn't have plans to put up a tree. Too much trouble. I was by myself. DH was still in recovery and in the rehab. And who would notice I didn't bother to put up a tree right? So she sent me the quilt to hang and to put me into the Christmas spirit. Well it came in handy this year too. I love it! I'm in the spirit now.

DH and my DSD [dear step daughter] and DSS [dear step son] look pleased too. DSS is home from Iraq. He goes back the day after Christmas or soon after. DH has another son and daughter that couldn't make it, which was a shame. But we had a good visit with DSD & DSS. Lots of laughs in between the serious talks.

Bill ande Ronnie and CJ

See the quilt on the wall behind DSD? [ignore the open closet door] It's this years gift from Sammie. A 2010 calendar quilt. Neat huh? It can be turned over and used for a table runner after the year is up too. Beautiful fabric on the back.

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So let the lights twinkle ...

I'm now ready for Christmas!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Hear my needles click ... knitknitknit.

Christmas is drawing nearer and I'm getting scared. Wish I could knit faster and lift the stress level from my shoulders. I think next year I'll start to knit for Christmas in MARCH ... APRIL ... MAY.

Finished and delivered ...

Bud's new coat

Project info
:
Buddy's Cabled Dog Sweater
: Cabled Dog Sweater by E. J. Slayton
Little Buddy [my sister Cindy's dog]
Needle and yarn
s
US 4 / 3.5 mm
US 6 / 4.0 mm
: Rowan Harris DK
4 skeins = 492.0 yards (449.9m)
: SH010 Pink

Bud's new coat

He's my sister, Cindy's dog. You look beautiful in your new sweater, Buddy!

Bud's new coat

Do you think he minds that it's pink? Nah. Because "real men" CAN wear pink right? And it matches the hat I made for my sister last year. She wears it all the time.
Do you remember it? Capitan


Then there's the Sampler Scarf from class that I finished along with my students ...

Sampler Scarf 2009

Project info
: Knit Sampler Scarf
: Sampler Scarf by Carol Elliot
[modified: seaman's ribbing instead of the heart.]
Needle and yarn
: US 9 / 5.5 mm
: Louisa Harding Kashmir Aran
5 skeins = 415.0 yards (379.5m)
: #33 dark teal

My Sampler Knit Scarf

Haven't decided on whether it's for me or one of NEXT year's Christmas gifts yet.

My Beginner Sock class finished their first sock also and learned both the Kitchener Stitch and the Russian Graft ... Kitchener stitch on sock toe

We voted for the Russian Graft as a nice enough toe finish. But I'm still working on my socks using ...
knitting socks from a scarf

Schoppel-Wolle Sockenklecks Edition Tausendschön [Scarf Yarn]
Might not finish until after Christmas.

But wait ...

I got other Christmas gifts done for the Grandchildren also.

Bella Mitts

A pair of Bella's Mittens done and another pair started ...

working on Bella's mitt

And finally a hat and pair of mittens for my grandson, Cody.

Nottingham Hat

Nottingham by Melissa Mall

IMG_1428

from The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns

More to be finished or started. Mittens. The hats are done. But I want a few sizes in the mittens to be tried on for fit. That's the trouble of not living close enough to get measurements on the sly. Well the ones left over will be donated so that's okay.

And we all know how much I love to knit right?

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Did I tell ya?

The Yarn of the Month for December arrived the day after I posted November's.

IMG_1357

And this time I was so taken by the samples ...

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IMG_1359

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I got ahead of the game and knit up the squares right away.

And immediately got smitten!

Dec2009 Yarn of the Month

With which ones you ask?

Hint ...

Dec2009 Yarn of the Month
Dec2009 Yarn of the Month
Dec2009 Yarn of the Month

That'a THREE out of four this time
With the winner in the #1 spot really tough to pick.

But here it is ...

Dec2009 Yarn of the Month

Delightful by Kollage Yarns

Well frankly the only time I would use glitter yarn is for a Holiday garment. And what a nice feel this yarn has. I can see a cardigan with this one. But maybe not for me.

But the other two yarns are the ones I'm more likely to purchase.

Merino Worsted by Abuelita Yarns and
Bulky 2 Strand Pencil Roving by Imperial Stock Ranch.


Dec2009 Yarn of the Month

I feel a VEST coming on ...

Friday, December 04, 2009

Yarn of the Month for November ...

Samples are barely off the needles and blocked and already it's December. You know what that means ... I'm almost already a month behind because the December yarn will be coming in soon and I haven't even given an evaluation on November's.

Well I really wasn't jumping up and down with joy with this batch anyway. Only one was a really nice knit and came out the correct gauge as well. That was ...

yarn of the month club

Champlain by Nashua Handknits [lower left corner in green & grey]
3.75 sts/inch on US 10s
100% Wool
87 yrs.

I did like the feel in my hands as I knit ...

Wagtail

Wagtail 5 ply by Wagtail Yarns
6 sts/inch on US 5s
60% Fine Mohair 40% Merino Wool
327 yards

But I'm not rushing out to buy any of them.

Diving into my Stash instead and started a 'mystery knit' ...

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a mystery only because I'm not telling you what it is yet.

Nope, I'm making you wait ...

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Holidays are banging on my door ...

And I'm only half ready for it!
The StitchingNut
I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving and survived Black Friday. Did I go out and shop 'til I dropped? Well ... maybe one or two stores nearby. Yesterday DH and I did the last of our shopping at the Family Dollar store. With 3 people unemployed in the family this year and DH retired, we're limiting gifts to under $5 each. [it's possible to do, trust me] And now it's time to take inventory to be sure we have all that we planned or need. I even mailed out the only packages I plan to mail this year. Have to deliver 2 next weekend and make one trip the weekend before Christmas to see the grand-kiddies and deliver some knitting, books and toys.

Rhonda and Bill 11-26-2009

But the big question is ... Do I have enough energy or

will-power to decorate? And do I really need to?