Friday, November 17, 2006

Quilting meme


From Suze's blog,
who got it from Shelina's blog

Have You Ever?

1 Taken a quilting class
2 Paper pieced
3 Hand quilted
4 Hand pieced
5 Created your own pattern
6 Published a pattern in a magazine or book
7 Gone on a quilting retreat
8 Gone to a quilting convention

9 Met someone who wrote a quilting book

10 Combined your quilting with some other craft
11 Done any three dimensional quilting - like fabric origami
12 Made something using Thimbleberries fabric

13 Made something using batiks

14 Dyed your own fabric
15 Made a landscape hanging
16 Made a New York Beauty quilt

17 Made a baby quilt
18 Made a wall hanging
19 Made a journal quilt
20 Submitted your journal quilt for viewing

21 Made a fabric postcard

22 Made a artist trading card (ATC)

23 Exchanged artist trading cards

24 Mailed your own postcard

25 Made a lap quilt

26 Made a twin size quilt

27 Made a full size quilt

28 Made a queen size quilt
29 Made a king size quilt

30 Donated a quilt to charity

31 Sent a quilt out to a quilter

32 Thrown away a UFO
33 Given away a UFO
34 Cut up a UFO and made something else with it
35 Ripped fabric instead of cutting it
36 Made a quilt exactly like the pattern, with no changes whatsoever

37 Done any Sashiko
38 Quilted your own quilt
39 Did free motion quilting
40 Put any embroidery or beads on your quilt
41 Given away your quilt to a stranger
42 Swapped fabric

43 swapped blocks

44 participated in a round robin

45 participated in an ostrich round robin

46 kept a journal about your quilting

47 written a letter to someone who made an antique quilt

48 kept a blog about your quilting

49 participated in a gift exchange
50 sent a quilting random act of kindness
51 joined a newsgroup about quilting

52 made a quilt using a pattern from quilterscache

53 joined an online block of the month

54 made a block of the month quilt

55 subscribed to a fabric of the month club

56 bought fabric at an online store
57 bought fabric from ebay
58 own more than one sewing machine

59 have a room dedicated solely to sewing

60 hide a fabric purchase

61 finished making a holiday gift before July

62 spent more than $200 in one quilt shopping trip

63 made a quilt using a book from the library
64 worked with someone else to make a quilt
65. joined a quilt guild
66 become president of a quilt guild

67 taught a quilting class

68 helped someone else get the quilting bug

69 taught a child to sew
70 made a Dear Jane block
71 Made a miniature quilt
72 watch QNN - quilters news network
73 subscribe to a quilting magazine from your own country

74 subscribe to a quilting magazine from another country

75 buy fabric from another country
76 swapped completed quilts with someone else
77 asked for quilting help online

78 gone to a quilt shop to ask for quilting help

79 bought fabric at a local quilt shop
80 traveled more than 100 miles to go to a quilt shop
81 used nontraditional fabric for a quilt - something other than cotton or flannel
82 made a quilt using instructions given to you on a blog
83 make comments on someone's quilting blog
84 meet a quilter in person after only having talked online
85 had a quilting retreat in your home

86 own quilting software

87 made a quilt you designed on your quilting software

88 done any quilt research - history, interviewing quilters, etc.

89 had any quilt related subject published anywhere

90 donated a quilt to a museum

91 bought a quilt from a thrift store

92 made a quilt using fabric from a thrift store

93 made a quilt using photos

94 made a pastel quilt
95 made a quilt using brights
96 made a quilt using ethnic fabric from another country - African, Asian, etc.

97 made a quilt using leftover blocks from other quilts

98 had your quilt in a magazine, newspaper, newsletter, TV, etc.

99. submitted your quilt to a quilt show
100. won any ribbons with your quilts
101 had more finished quilts than UFOs
102 made a quilt using reproduction fabrics
103 took a break from quilting that was longer than a year

104 made money with your quilting
105 had a job in the fabric / quilting industry

But this list isn't quite fitted to the Scandinavian circumstances...

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Crazy Quilting

Image: Mardi Gras by Vickie Tobin

I stumbled over the CrazyQuilting group at Flickr, and there "100 details in 100 days" blog diary...

I love crazyquilting. I adore it. I'm passionate about it. I'm obsessed with it. And now my mind is exploding...

I haven't actually ever thought of using lace or ribbons in crazyquilt... NOW I'm thinking of knitting, crocheting, colors, dyeing, pearls, applications...

I really wish my hands could make real the images that are rushing through my head right now...

Look at Lilla Le Vine's creations to get an idea ;-)

Contemporary Crazy Quilts & Bags
Crazy Seoul Sister
Kitty and Me Designs
Debra's Design Studio: Crazy Quilt; 100 details in 100 days
Hobbies and the Military
Hideko Ishida and Wind from the East
Marty's 100 details... This is the first entry, just continue forward to see the rest :-)
Iris Cabin
Creative Ribbons

Stitch Index at Embroiderers' Guild

Crazy Quilt Patchwork Block - Online Class

Links

Sunday, November 12, 2006

More lace...

Image information: Nancie M. Wiseman's knitted lace edging. Photograph by Joe Coca.

Sarah Bradberry, another Aries, a year younger than I am ;-), has some pretty nice patterns on her website.

Here's some lace.
http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/patterns-counterpanes.htm

Like this one: http://www.knitting-and.com/homework/leaf-bedspread.htm
Simple, but beautiful.
Or this one: http://www.knitting-and.com/homework/23-quilt.htm

Doilies, tablecloths and other round laces
http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/patterns-doilies.htm

Lace edgings and insertions
http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/patterns-lace.htm

Tia Judy's absolutely lovely site about lace knitting

You know... I posted something in Lacevember's blog, and it was deleted. I suppose my mistake was to name it wrong... I don't know. I was never contacted, the entry was just deleted. I posted a link to a nice lace pattern, or lace pattern links - I don't remember anymore... it's deleted, all gone, so I can't even go back and see... I feel like something has been stolen from me, because I can't remember what it was. I think it was something worth having, because I don't post things if I don't think they are of value at least to someone...
I really wish I was told before someone deleted the message. Or that someone had sent the entry back to my mailbox. I feel ignored, offended, hurt, upset and disillusioned, and I think who ever deleted the entry is an inconsiderate ***.

I'm pretty sure it was Yarn Over.

But go to Lace Knitting Ring and go through the sites. Very interesting, inspiring and most of them also have free patterns ;-)

Friday, November 10, 2006

Lacevember and Sock Madness

Lacevember: 2nd contest - which I missed

THE KNITTING QUESTIONS, or THE USUAL SUSPECTS
How long have you been knitting?
I learned to knit when I was about 10, but I have been "seriously" knitting since May this year.

How did you learn to knit?
In school. Sort of.

Favorite thing about knitting?
It's meditative, repetitive, and functional. Creating, stress reducing, and just as demanding or easy as I want.

How long have you been knitting lace?
Don't know... since June, maybe?

THE YARN QUESTIONS, or FLASH YOUR STASH
Favorite lace yarn?
N/A

Variegated or solids for shawls?
Yes

Favorite lace color?
Cream, but I get always attracted to purply-blue laces... and I hate purply-blue.

TECHNIQUE, or SHOW US YOUR SKILLZ
Circs or straights?
Yes

Favorite lace knitting trick?
Huh?

Lifelines?
No.

If so with what?

Fancy blocking wires, or just sewing pins stuck in your carpet?
Sewing pins stuck in my bed


Pattern, or can you follow directions?
Yes

Shawls or lacey items?
Yes

Triangle, rectangle, or circular shawls?
Yes

Charts or printed instructions?
Charts, but printed are ok.

Favorite lace you've knit?
Cascading leaves afghan LOL Very easy, quick and lovely :-)

Favorite lace you want to knit?
Peacock feathers

JUST FUN, YUP THAT'S RIGHT, JUST FOR FUN
Favorite jelly belly flavor?

I like most of them. I like the "recipes" :-D

Tell me everything you know about Eric the Red.....
Leif Eriksson's daddy, who "found" Greenland because he was kicked out of Norway because he had some weird habits. It's more like a Sicilian vendetta story a là "your daddy's second cousin's neighbor killed my nephew's wife's namesake's pig".

Coke, classic or with lime?
Pepsi

Holiday carols, sing along, or wish they would be banned from all public airwaves?
Sing along. Of course. Even though I'm Pagan.

What is the definition of irony?
Savonian way of communicating. Speaking backwards, as a five-year's-old I know says.

How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop?
What is a tootsie roll pop?

Why is my cat always puking in front of my son's bedroom door?
Because she can't get in to puke on his pillow.

What is your superhero power?
Flying. And what Phoenix in x-men does.

If the laundry is 9 foot by 11 foot (just dreaming, that's a big laundry room), and the walls are 8 feet tall, and you are going to tile the entire room in tiles that are 3 inches by 5 inches, what color should those tiles be?
White and blue. That's fresh.

What's for dinner tonight?
Chili.

What is clogging my children's bathtub drain?
Hair and the miniature submarine.

Lacevember: 3rd contest

What are your ideal lace making conditions?
Sitting in bed, with a cup of hot tea, good radio channel on and dog sleeping by me. And a helpful husband feeling good enough to serve me what ever I happen to need/want ;-)


Now, go and get interested of Sock madness

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Crochet

I found out to my great enthusiasm that there's a lot of different crochet techniques I have never even heard of. :-D At Annie's Attic there's a crochet poll: "Of the crochet techniques you have already mastered, which is your favorite?" The alternatives given are these:

Aran Crochet
Broomstick Lace
Celtic Crochet
Crochenit
Crochet ‘N’ Weave
Crochet on the Double
Cro-Tat
Easy Tunisian
Filet Crochet
Hairpin Lace
Irish Crochet
Join-As-You-Go
Magic Square
Tunisian

Now, I know what broomstick lace, hairpin lace, filet crochet, Irish crochet and Tunisian or Afghan crochet is, and I suppose "join as you go" crochet is what the name says... but what is "crochet 'n' weave"?

So I started finding out what is Aran crochet. Sounds pretty straight forward, a crochet version of Aran knitting, and that is what it also is.
But I found this list: "Crochet with Dee; Types and Techniques"

106 different types and techniques THIS FAR...


Oh my... Can you see my eyes are shining? So much to learn!!!

I bumbed into a term "camel crochet". Sounds interesting... what's that then?
Obviously someone has trademarked a stitch or technique... I'm 100% sure of that they haven't invented the stitch, as people have been crocheting for hundreds of years, and they pretty much have experimented with everything already - they had a lot of time during the Victorian times, and women were exactly as industrious, initiative, creative and imaginative as they are today. Also, at that time they weren't "allowed" to do much more than pour all that power into fiber crafts. So - I'm going to ignore "camel stitch" or "camel crochet" from now on.

Annie's Attic's free pattern for today was Celtic crochet bookmark. Very pretty thing. And I love the idea of crocheting the Celtic knotwork :-) I love Celtic knotwork :-)
Here's Yarn Crazy Girl's first attempt at this technique :-)

Then there's "easy" tunisian crochet, which seems to be tunisian crochet with really big needle. Now it seems to be a business idea of Christmas family, and that I can respect and support, because they aren't being secretive and stingy about it. Who ever could have come up with the same idea - no-one else did. So all honor to Carolyn Christmas :-)
Reminds me of Purl's "Knit & Plenty". Simple business idea but no-one else did it before she did. So go there and support her business. She's worth it.
(Edited 2010 - both companies seem to have been shut down, for some reason. I don't know what has happened. But google with "knit & plenty" and you'll probably find what I'm talking about. I suppose Ravelry made her business unnecessary, even though I think she had a very good idea and people were loving it.)

Crochenit seems to be sort of Tunisian crochet, but it's done with double-hooked needle, and that gives it a whole new dimension. Also, it uses freely all kinds of stitches to create different patterns and fabriques. It's basically the same as "Cro-on-the-Double".

Annie's Attic has very nice instructions and how-to's by which to learn and practice most of the different crochet techniques.

Crochet-n-weave is also not strange - you create a net and then you insert crocheted "weave". I saw a very pretty bathroom mat made with this method. I'm a weaver and know a lot of different... er... I don't know what they are called. Bindings, perhaps. This reminds me a little of the paper strip weaving I loved when I was a kid.

Then there's another "let's blend two different fiber craft techniques" crochet called cro-tat ro crochet tatting. Making tatting patterns with crochet hook and techniques.

Magic Squares: Basically, double potholder, like this one: 4th of July Potholder (Just change the blue to green, and voilà, you have a pretty Christmas Potholder...)

Yeah... People keep renaming old things, and disappointing me. 106? Nah... not even half of that. But - well... one shouldn't be expecting too much. I did find out about techniques I didn't know about. I haven't done Celtic crochet before, and it will be fun to learn. Also interlacing filet crochet sounds great. Every new thing to learn is a gift and precious, and should be appreciated. But it's like hearing that I won in a lottery to find out that I won 10 dollars. *sigh*

Never mind... I'll get over it ;-)

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Mystery stitch

The Italian "two-colored honeycomb", which I thought might not even be named "honeycomb" in English, IS named "honeycomb" in English... It's "honeycomb brioche". The very same stitch the "Uniscarfity" was stitched with... Guess who feels pretty stupid right now. And p'd off. And a couple of other things. The Italian version is SO MUCH EASIER way to do it. No slip stitches and weird instructions - which I suspect are not quite correct either, as I couldn't get it right even after several tries.

The Italian pattern goes a bit like this:

Cast on even amount of stitches
row 1: knit with color 1
row 2: knit with color 1
row 3: change color *knit the stitch from the previous row, knit one*
When you knit the stitch from the previous row, you automatically get "yarn over" in the right place.
row4: knit with color 2
row 5: change color *knit one, knit the stitch from the previous row*
row 6: knit with color 1
Then you just repeat rows 3-6 as long as you want.

Here's another pattern of honeycomb brioche - with "correct" knitting language. It looks the same to me.

abbreviations... K 1 B= k into stitch below next stitch to be knitted.

Cast on multiple of 2 stitches
Row 1: K
Row 2: k
Row 3: (right side of work): * k1, k1B to end
Row 4: * with the right-hand needle k the slip thread of previous row with the stitch above it, k1*
Row 5: k1B, k1*
Row 6: * k1, k the next stitch with thread as row 4.
Repeat rows 3 to 6 inclusive


This stitch pattern is from "Dancin' Needles"

Here's the Uniscarfity honeycomb brioche - with the moss stitch edging removed

Set-up row 1 (WS): (k1, yo, sl 1)
Set-up row 2 (RS): (sl the yo from prev row, k2) , sl the yo from prev row, k1
Row 3: (yo, sl 1, k2tog [the yo from prev row and the next st])
Row 4: (k2, sl the yo from prev row)
Row 5: change to CC, (k2tog, yo, sl 1)
Row 6: change to CC, k1, (sl the yo from prev row, k2), sl the yo from prev row, k1,
Rep rows 3-6

It is unnecessary complicated, I think.



P.S. Here's all four :-)
Halloween dishcloths

Monday, November 06, 2006

New week in November

I have been knitting washcloths, dishcloths, facecloths, dishrags, what ever you wish to call them.
Rättejä, liinoja, pyyheitä ja lappuja. (Rags, cloths, towels and patches)

I had three themes. One was "fall leaves" Fall leaves, the other "black cats" black cat dishcloths (you'd see the black crocheted cat, amineko, which I also made, but I have put my camera somewhere and cannot locate it now...) and the third theme was "black and orange".

I made one black and orange with 3-in-1 slip stitch pattern from Monthly Dishcloths, one mitered discloth and am currently knitting one with Corn on the Cob stitch. (You have color 1 in rows 2 and 5, and color 2 in rows 2 and 4, to get it striped as in the picture)
It gives a very nice, dense fabric, with some texture on the surface, so I think it will be a perfect dishcloth.

Then I'm going to do one with an Italian pattern; "Nido d'Api Bicolori". That's two-colored honeycomb stitch.
It sounds a bit like this "Heatherbee's Honeycomb Stitch", but is not the same. I suppose it's not called "honeycomb stitch" in English. Perhaps linen stitch?Anyway, that's what I'll try.

And this is the fifth two-colored stitch I'm going to try :-)
I should find one more, but... *sigh* I'll tell you when I do. Perhaps I'll just knit a pumpkin ;-)

BTW, that "Cascading Leaves" is lace ;-)

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Lacevember


I love lace. Especially big, airy shawls. Like those by Dorothy Siemens... *sigh* (The picture is Peacock Feathers by Dorothy)

To that category belongs Heere be Dragone by Sharon Winsauer from Aurora Alpacas

Fibertrends have also very pretty things, like Pacific North West

I also love White Lies' lovely, feminine designs.

The "problem" for me with all this is that I don't have any chances of getting these patterns. I live in Sweden and even though these are available on the internet, very few companies accept non-credit card buyers - even if one would use paypal or something like that, the credit card information is used as validation. :->

So... I have to either design my own lace or use the free patterns on-line.
Faery Crafty's lace links
About.com's lace links
Wendyknits' lace patterns
Knitpicks have a couple free and interesting lace patterns
Anne has a lot of interesting celtic knots made into lace charts
Judy Gibson has some lace
Lynda has two very beautiful, large, airy lace shawls :-)
Here's some vintage patterns, with some lace included
Magknits have three easy lace shawl patterns
Knitty has a couple of lace patterns. like branching out and lacecap
Knitting Pattern Central has lace and lacy items, lace, miscellaneous and lace; women's clothing

Training Wheels by Jane Bynum
and Rabbit Tracks by Alison Hyde
rabbit tracks

But begin with "See Eunny Knit; Majoring in Lace"
Spindlitis has also an interesting page about lace knitting.
Here's Marilyn Robert's tips for lace knitters
Margaret Stove's Lace Knitting FAQ

To get some inspiration, surf this "Lace Knitting Ring" and look at the pictures at Flickr Lace Knitting group :-)

Interweave Knits: Blocking Lace (pdf)
Choosing fine yarns for lace knitting

Here's more interesting things :-)
Print O' The Wave Stole
Something that looks very much like the above stole - dyed after knitting...

And "hello, yarn"s "figuring out how to make skull lace"
Skull and crossbones lace

Ok... and what am I trying to say with all this? That I don't have a clue of what I'm going to knit this Lacevember! ;-)

Knit lace leaf ornament
Knit lace balls - very interesting trying to figure out what this is when the pictures aren't there... ;-)

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

November 1st - Lacevember 1st

I'll start with a knit-a-long - for warm hands.
http://www.sandysknitting.com/warmhands/

It looks like a lovely, warm and welcoming place, and it is inspiring too :-) There really aren't enough cloves, mittens, wrist warmers and other such things either in the world.
I'm sure if you don't have family enough, there's plenty of people with cold hands who'll be happy if you knit them some mittens.

These lovely, beautiful, amazing gloves are by Carol Wassell.
Yes, there's the pattern for these gloves. Go and knit them.
Yes, you can use the pattern for socks too. Or fingerless mitts, or scarf or sweater or what ever. Just credit Carol Wassell for it.

Mittens and gloves
http://www.knitlist.com/mittens.htm

Knitting pattern central – mittens and gloves
http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/mittens_gloves.php

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Coloriffic swap-o-rama will have "pale, buttery (banana) yellow, and rich, dark chocolate" :-). Banana chocolate! Yum!

Feline Flip-Flop will have dotted and spotted for November :-)

This beautiful spotted cat is Rocky from Heartfelt Bengals

Whiplash theme this month is Alt.Craft
Here's some inspiration ;-)

Tie One On has a lovely theme: "Apron and a recipe" :-) You take a picture of an apron - made, readymade, what ever, and attach your favorite holiday recipe to it, and send it to Amy, who will post both in December gallery :-D

The Pincushion Challenge is still working on the swap.

A Month of Softies' theme this month is "My Favorite Odd November Holiday Is...

Here is a list of "bizarre and unique" holidays celebrated in the month of November: http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/november.htm.

Run through the list, choose your favorite day and create a softie based on that holiday."

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Knit-A-Long hasn't yet decided the project for November/December, but the theme will be "Christmas"

Christmas patterns...

Stockings are kind of obvious... nothing wrong with obvious, but I'm in Sweden, and we don't use Christmas stockings.

Here's Father Christmas
http://www.interweave.com/needle/projects/Father_Christmas.asp
He's kind of scrawny and has really short arms, but I like him :-D

Here's kind of cute knitted angel :-)
http://www.knittingonthenet.com/patterns/holangel2.htm

About.com has Christmas knitting
http://knitting.about.com/library/blxmaspatindex.htm

Teeny tiny sweaters
http://mindofwinter.prettyposies.com/archives/000126.html#more

Tiny santa
http://www.frugalhaus.com/scripts/SantaToy.asp

tiny snowman
http://www.frugalhaus.com/scripts/bbsnow.asp

tiny mitten
http://www.frugalhaus.com/scripts/mitornament.asp

tiny sock
http://www.frugalhaus.com/scripts/ssock.asp

tiny trees
http://www.frugalhaus.com/scripts/treeorns.asp

tiny wreath
http://www.frugalhaus.com/scripts/wreath.asp

Another tiny wreath
http://www.maggiesrags.com/freewreath.htm

There's also a lot of different Christmas kitchen sets one could knit.
If one scrolls down on this "ultimate kitchen gift basket" crafting idea page, one gets to "Christmas"
http://www.geocities.com/ctpatterns/kitchenbasket.html

I like Melissa's dishcloths, especially the reindeer is great LOL
http://home.earthlink.net/~oscarsdotter/id2.html

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If you are interested in knitalongs, swaps or projects, Natalie's 2006 Knit-Alongs is a great place :-)

Swaps :-)

I noticed that I never blogged about the swaps! OUCH!

First I received the "Warm Hands, Warm Hearts" package. It was lovely! I love the Mrs. Beetons :-)
They are so... LOVELY!!!
The rest of the pretty, tiny package was very nice too :-)
My heart is warm, and so are my hands :-)

Thank you, Beverly :-)

The next one was a BIG package, filled with goodies... I have blogged about that in Knitters' Tea Swap...

Thank you Nathania!

BTW, I couldn't avoid noticing how beautiful these two women are :-) They both have open, friendly, light, soft and beautiful faces :-)
I feel very happy being in the receiving end :-)

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

More dishcloths

These are unknit, so I don't know what they will be. I haven't either doublechecked the transcription, so there can be errors.
I'd like to see what you create with these charts :-)

Shih tzu
Shih Tzu

Line 30 corrected 13th November, thanks to the kind anonymous :-)

cast on 39 stitches

1. K
2. K
3. K
4. K
5. K
6. K
7. K3 P33 K3
8. K
9. K3 P33 K3
10. K19 P1 K19
11. K3 P15 K3 P15 K3
12. K16 P7 K16
13. K3 P11 K11 P11 K3
14. K13 P13 K13
15. K3 P9 K15 P9 K3
16. K11 P17 K11
17. K3 P7 K6 P1 K5 P1 K6 P7 K3
18. K10 P5 K2 P5 K2 P5 K10
19. K3 P6 K6 P3 K3 P3 K6 P6 K3
20. K8 P7 K3 P3 K3 P7 K8
21. K3 P5 K7 P3 K3 P3 K7 P5 K3
22. K7 P8 K4 P1 K4 P8 K7
23. K3 P4 K7 P5 K1 P5 K7 P4 K3
24. K7 P7 K5 P1 K5 P7 K7
25. K3 P4 K7 P5 K1 P5 K7 P4 K3
26. K7 P6 K6 P1 K6 P6 K7
27. K3 P4 K6 P6 K1 P6 K6 P4 K3
28. K7 P6 K6 P1 K6 P6 K7
29. K3 P4 K5 P1 K1 P4 K3 P4 K1 P1 K5 P4 K3
30. K6 P6 K2 P1 K3 P3 K3 P1 K2 P6 K6
31. K3 P3 K6 P2 K1 P3 K1 P1 K1 P3 K1 P2 K6 P3 K3
32. K6 P6 K3 P1 K2 P1 K1 P1 K2 P1 K3 P6 K6
33. K3 P2 K1 P1 K5 P3 K1 P7 K1 P3 K5 P1 K1 P2 K3
34. K5 P1 K1 P5 K4 P1 K5 P1 K4 P5 K1 P1 K5
35. K3 P2 K1 P1 K5 P5 K5 P5 K5 P1 K1 P2 K3
36. K5 P1 K1 P6 K4 P1 K1 P1 K1 P1 K4 P6 K1 P1 K5
37. K3 P2 K1 P1 K6 P5 K3 P5 K6 P1 K1 P2 K3
38. K5 P1 K2 P6 K4 P3 K4 P6 K2 P1 K5
39. K3 P2 K1 P2 K7 P9 K7 P2 K1 P2 K3
40. K5 P1 K3 P8 K5 P8 K3 P1 K5
41. K3 P2 K1 P3 K9 P3 K9 P3 K1 P2 K3
42. K5 P1 K4 P6 K7 P6 K4 P1 K5
43. K3 P3 K1 P3 K6 P7 K6 P3 K1 P3 K3
44. K6 P1 K4 P5 K7 P5 K4 P1 K6
45. K3 P3 K1 P4 K6 P5 K6 P4 K1 P3 K3
46. K7 P2 K3 P6 K3 P6 K3 P2 K7
47. K3 P5 K1 P3 K15 P3 K1 P5 K3
48. K9 P1 K3 P13 K3P1 K9
49. K3 P6 K1 P5 K2 P5 K2 P5 K1 P6 K3
50. K10 P6 K7 P6 K10
51. K3 P33 K3
52. K
53. K3 P33 K3
54. K
55. K
56. K
57. K
58. K
59. K

Bind off.

hanukkiahchanukkiah
Chanukkiah - Menorah

1. K
2. K
3. K
4. K
5. K
6. K
7. K3 P33 K3
8. K
9. K3 P33 K3
10. K
11. K3 P33 K3
12. K17 P5 K17
13. K3 P10 K13 P10 K3
14. K14 P11 K14
15. K3 P12 K9 P12 K3
16. K16 P7 K16
17. K3 P14 K5 P14 K3
18. K17 P5 K17
19. K3 P15 K3 P15 K3
20. K18 P3 K18
21. K3 P12 K9 P12 K3
22. K13 P13 K13
23. K3 P8 K17 P8 K3
24. K10 P4 K1 P2 K1 P3 K1 P2 K1 P4 K10
25. K3 P6 K5 P1 K2 P1 K3 P1 K2 P1 K5 P6 K3
26. K8 P3 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P3 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P3 K8
27. K3 P5 K3 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K3 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K3 P5 K3
28. K7 P4 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P3 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P4 K7
29. K3 P4 K4 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K3 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K4 P4 K3
30. K6 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P3 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K6
31. K3 P3 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K3 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P3 K3
32. K6 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P3 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K6
33. K3 P3 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K3 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P3 K3
34. K6 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P3 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K6
35. K3 P3 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K3 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P3 K3
36. K7 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K7
37. K3 P4 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P4 K3
38. K7 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K7
39. K3 P4 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P4 K3
40. K7 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K7
41. K3 P4 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P4 K3
42. K7 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K7
43. K3 P16 K1 P16 K3
44. K7 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K5 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K2 P1 K7
45. K3 P4 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P2 K1 P4 K3
46. K19 P1 K19
47. K3 P33 K3
48. K
49. K3 P33 K3
50. K
51. K3 P33 K3
52. K
53. K3 P33 K3
54. K
55. K
56. K
57. K
58. K
59. K

Bind off.

dreideldreidel
Dreidel

Corrected on 10.11.2006
Thanks to Kathie Zobell, who noticed that line 26 was wrong!

cast on 39

1. K
2. K
3. K
4. K
5. K
6. K
7. K3 P33 K3
8. K19 P1 K19
9. K3 P14 K4 P15 K3
10. K17 P4 K1 P1 K16
11. K3 P12 K1 P1 K6 P13 K3
12. K15 P7 K2 P1 K14
13. K3 P10 K1 P3 K8 P11 K3
14. K13 P10 K3 P1 K12
15. K3 P8 K1 P4 K11 P9 K3
16. K11 P13 K4 P1 K10
17. K3 P6 K1 P5 K14 P7 K3
18. K9 P16 K4 P2 K8
19. K3 P4 K1 P2 K2 P2 K17 P5 K3
20. K8 P19 K4 P1 K7
21. K3 P4 K1 P6 K7 P5 K5 P5 K3
22. K8 P5 K6 P6 K1 P3 K2 P1 K7
23. K3 P4 K1 P1 K4 P1 K5 P7 K5 P5 K3
24. K8 P4 K8 P5 K1 P4 K1 P1 K7
25. K3 P4 K1 P1 K2 P3 K5 P2 K2 P1 K1 P2 K4 P5 K3
26. K8 P4 K2 P1 K1 P3 K1 P5 K3 P2 K1 P1 K7
27. K3 P4 K1 P1 K2 P3 K4 P2 K2 P2 K2 P1 K4 P5 K3
28. K8 P4 K1 P2 K2 P2 K2 P4 K3 P2 K1 P1 K7
29. K3 P4 K1 P1 K2 P3 K4 P1 K3 P1 K3 P1 K4 P5 K3
30. K8 P4 K2 P2 K1 P3 K1 P4 K3 P2 K1 P1 K7
31. K3 P4 K1 P1 K4 P1 K3 P3 K1 P3 K1 P2 K4 P5 K3
32. K8 P3 K3 P1 K3 P1 K3 P3 K1 P4 K1 P1 K7
33. K3 P4 K1 P3 K2 P1 K4 P2 K1 P3 K1 P3 K3 P5 K3
34. K8 P4 K2 P1 K2 P2 K2 P4 K6 P1 K7
35. K3 P5 K2 P4 K17 P5 K3
36. K8 P17 K2 P2 K10
37. K3 P9 K19 P5 K3
38. K17 P2 K3 P1 K16
39. K3 P13 K1 P3 K2 P14 K3
40. K17 P2 K3 P1 K16
41. K3 P13 K1 P3 K2 P14 K3
42. K17 P2 K3 P1 K16
43. K3 P13 K1 P3 K2 P14 K3
44. K17 P2 K3 P1 K16
45. K3 P13 K1 P3 K2 P14 K3
46. K17 P2 K3 P1 K16
47. K3 P13 K1 P3 K2 P14 K3
48. K17 P2 K3 P1 K16
49. K3 P13 K1 P3 K2 P14 K3
50. K17 P2 K3 P1 K16
51. K3 P13 K1 P3 K2 P14 K3
52. K17 P6 K16
53. K3 P33 K3
54. K
55. K
56. K
57. K
58. K
59. K

Bind off.

The corrected version

Note
24.11.2006
As Rachel points out, the letters are not quite correct. The Nun should be on the left side of Shin, not the right side...
Shin stands for "sham" - "there", in Israel the letter is Pe standing for "po" - "here".
It's actually better with "nun - gimel" because those letters stand for "great miracle - nes gadol", and that's what Chanukkah stands for too :-D


cast on 39

1. K
2. K
3. K
4. K
5. K
6. K
7. K3 P33 K3
8. K19 P1 K19
9. K3 P14 K4 P15 K3
10. K17 P4 K1 P1 K16
11. K3 P12 K1 P1 K6 P13 K3
12. K15 P7 K2 P1 K14
13. K3 P10 K1 P3 K8 P11 K3
14. K13 P10 K3 P1 K12
15. K3 P8 K1 P4 K11 P9 K3
16. K11 P13 K4 P1 K10
17. K3 P6 K1 P5 K14 P7 K3
18. K9 P16 K4 P2 K8
19. K3 P4 K1 P2 K2 P2 K17 P5 K3
20. K8 P19 K4 P1 K7
21. K3 P4 K1 P6 K17 P5 K3
22. K8 P17 K1 P3 K2 P1 K7
23. K3 P4 K1 P1 K4 P1 K5 P2 K2 P3 K5 P5 K3
24. K8 P5 K4 P1 K2 P5 K1 P4 K1 P1 K7
25. K3 P4 K1 P1 K2 P3 K6 P1 K1 P2 K7 P5 K3
26. K8 P8 K3 P6 K3 P2 K1 P1 K7
27. K3 P4 K1 P1 K2 P3 K6 P2 K9 P5 K3
28. K8 P9 K2 P6 K3 P2 K1 P1 K7
29. K3 P4 K1 P1 K2 P3 K6 P2 K9 P5 K3
30. K8 P9 K2 P6 K3 P2 K1 P1 K7
31. K3 P4 K1 P1 K4 P1 K6 P4 K7 P5 K3
32. K8 P7 K3 P7 K1 P4 K1 P1 K7
33. K3 P4 K1 P3 K2 P1 K9 P1 K7 P5 K3
34. K8 P9 K2 P6 K6 P1 K7
35. K3 P5 K2 P4 K17 P5 K3
36. K8 P17 K2 P2 K10
37. K3 P9 K19 P5 K3
38. K17 P2 K3 P1 K16
39. K3 P13 K1 P3 K2 P14 K3
40. K17 P2 K3 P1 K16
41. K3 P13 K1 P3 K2 P14 K3
42. K17 P2 K3 P1 K16
43. K3 P13 K1 P3 K2 P14 K3
44. K17 P2 K3 P1 K16
45. K3 P13 K1 P3 K2 P14 K3
46. K17 P2 K3 P1 K16
47. K3 P13 K1 P3 K2 P14 K3
48. K17 P2 K3 P1 K16
49. K3 P13 K1 P3 K2 P14 K3
50. K17 P2 K3 P1 K16
51. K3 P13 K1 P3 K2 P14 K3
52. K17 P6 K16
53. K3 P33 K3
54. K
55. K
56. K
57. K
58. K
59. K

Bind off.

star
Magen David - Star of David

1. K
2. K
3. K
4. K
5. K
6. K
7. K3 P33 K3
8. K
9. K3 P33 K3
10. K
11. K3 P33 K3
12. K
13. K3 P16 K1 P16 K3
14. K19 P1 K19
15. K3 P15 K3 P15 K3
16. K18 P3 K18
17. K3 P14 K5 P14 K3
18. K17 P2 K1 P2 K17
19. K3 P13 K2 P3 K2 P13 K3
20. K16 P2 K3 P2 K16
21. K3 P12 K3 P3 K3 P12 K3
22. K6 P27 K6
23. K3 P3 K27 P3 K3
24. K7 P2 K4 P2 K9 P2 K4 P2 K7
25. K3 P4 K3 P3 K2 P9 K2 P3 K3 P4 K3
26. K8 P2 K2 P2 K11 P2 K2 P2 K8
27. K3 P6 K1 P2 K2 P11 K2 P2 K1 P6 K3
28. K9 P4 K13 P4 K9
29. K3 P7 K3 P13 K3 P7 K3
30. K10 P2 K15 P2 K10
31. K3 P7 K3 P13 K3 P7 K3
32. K9 P4 K13 P4 K9
33. K3 P6 K1 P2 K2 P11 K2 P2 K1 P6 K3
34. K8 P2 K2 P2 K11 P2 K2 P2 K8
35. K3 P4 K3 P3 K2 P9 K2 P3 K3 P4 K3
36. K7 P2 K4 P2 K9 P2 K4 P2 K7
37. K3 P3 K27 P3 K3
38. K6 P27 K6
39. K3 P12 K3 P3 K3 P12 K3
40. K16 P2 K3 P2 K16
41. K3 P13 K2 P3 K2 P13 K3
42. K17 P2 K1 P2 K17
43. K3 P14 K5 P14 K3
44. K18 P3 K18
45. K3 P15 K3 P15 K3
46. K19 P1 K19
47. K3 P16 K1 P16 K3
48. K
49. K3 P33 K3
50. K
51. K3 P33 K3
52. K
53. K3 P33 K3
54. K
55. K
56. K
57. K
58. K
59. K

Bind off.

Ok... time to write something here...


Er... hmm... uh... What to write in a block?

It's the last of Socktober, and I managed to knit one pair of socks. One pair. Me - one (1) pair. I, who can knit a pair of socks in 12 hours. I'm a little disappointed, but... There will be more Socktobers :-)

Tomorrow will start Lacevember. Let's see if I can produce something then. Hopefully.

I have been thinking about wash- and dishcloths. I have drawn a couple of charts, and should knit them to see if they work and what they will look like.

I have been making my Samhain / Halloween swaps... Here's a "bat kids in bed". It looked so hilarious I just had to take a picture :-D The black thingy in the background is Nekoyama's Amineko cat being made. Legs, tail, ears, muzzle and face are missing, but he has already a silk ribbon LOL

I have also made a double-knit "mössa" (beanie) to my hubby.

Friday, October 27, 2006

Dishcloths...

halloween dishcloths
It's easy to do, quick, nice size to learn a new technique, cheap, useful and most often even pretty. No wonder knitters and crocheters get crazy about dishcloths.

There's an ocean of free dishcloth patterns, several groups in all kinds of internet forums and dozens of blogs dedicated to the art and joy of knitting dishcloths. And I am grateful ;-)

Dishcloth Boutique
Knitting Knonsense
Dishcloth Pattern Corner
Dishcloth index
Knitlist gifts
Bev's Country Cottage
Calming Seas
Chained Links - kitchen stuff
Crochet Kim Tunisian Patterns
Crochet Pattern Central - dishcloths
Janelle S.'s Site
Knitting Pattern Central - dishcloths
LJC crochet designs - patterns
Marlo's Corner
Melissa's Knit Dishcloths
Purple Duckie
Rainy Kimbrough's dishcloth patterns
Vickie Designs-Intarsia Charts
Wool Works' facecloths and dishcloths
Danielle Cote's Knit Dishcloth Corner
Knitwits' heaven free knitting patterns
Critter's designs
Belle City Soapworks free patterns
Garterlac dishcloth
Mason-Dixon knitting
Mason Dixon washcloths PDF file
Knitty's washcloths

Dishcloth fun KAL blog

Dishcloth Knit-A-Long

Dishcloths galore blog
Marilyn's Knitting Heaven on Earth
The Dishcloth Queen - The Daily Dishcloth
Dish and washcloth mania

Handmade Dishcloths group at Flickr

Monthly Dishcloths group at Yahoo!
Monthly Dishcloths group at Flickr
Monthly Dishcloths blog

Love2knit Dishcloths at Yahoo!
Love2Knit_Dishcloths

Carol's dishcloths - knitted kitty dishcloths at Yahoo!
and knitted kitty blog

Susan's knit patterns Yahoo! group
and knit-a-little

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Needlework


I love needlework. It's so easy and pretty :-) It speaks to the homewify girly romantic Victorian part of my soul :-)

Look at these things:
The Needles With Eyes

And minimysteries, embroidered by Karen Rachael Buttler... Exquisite!!!
Ellynderia's minimysteries
Solslett's minimysteries
Annette's minimysteries
Anna's mini mystery J

I love the Chatelaine designs... So inspiring, addictive and beautiful :-)

The thing is that I am embroidering an Imbolc throw or afghan of what to call it. But I keep pushing it out of my mind all the time, and making all kinds of other things before it. And this irritates me... the thing is worth getting done and I'd love to use it and be proud of my work, but... it's not "important". I think I need to make it important...
Ok, I'll do that the first thing next year, before I do anything else.

About Nan Halberg
Sounds like an interesting woman. :-)

BTW, I love temari balls...
Here's some more instructions ;-)
And here's a little more...
and then some ;-)
And just a little bit more :-D

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Ok, it IS the Socktober after all...

Picture is The Northwoods Holiday Sock Collection from Blackberry Ridge - time to knit those Yule socks!

Mystery Sock KAL
You don't need to be part of it to make a favor for all sock knitters around the net and create illustration to a sock pattern. All the sock patterns are worth knitting, and some of them might even be beautiful ;-)

Here's sock knitters

Here's a very nice Norwegian page "Sokker 2006" with a challenge for every month.
The patterns are mostly in English
See what Baglady made of them :-)

Here's Nanette Blanchard's photos of socks...

and just look at Blackberry Ridge's Sock kits and collections... (scroll down...) Don't these pictures just make you want to knit socks?

I wish I was rich... I'd buy all these patterns and all the yarns needed and knitted, knitted, knitted...

And a small reminder ;-)
June 18th:

You can check out my Yahoo! album for "socks" to see which socks I'm planning on knitting ;-)

The links to the socks on my album are mostly on these blog entries at Yahoo! 360
Socks, socks and more socks... and More sock links

I should...


I should be crocheting a cat. I should be crocheting four cats, to be precise. I am here by my computer, surfing and getting more stuff on my "to do list"...

Like this one, cable twin set. No, it's not my style, doesn't fit for a girl with big boobies, wide back, short neck and waist... it'll fit my sisters though. I like it a lot.

I should be knitting dishcloths. I am here by my computer, surfing and writing my blog.

I should be knitting a hat for my hubby. I'm still here.

I should be knitting socks, as Socktober is nearly over and I haven't knitted socks at all.

I should...

batteries and swaps


Now I finally have the batteries for my camera... a looooooong month without being able to take pictures...
I received the Hot Socks swap package today :-)
Really nice!

Some peacock colored sock yarn :-)
*yum* I have already made it to balls :-)

Pretty socks in nice colors, will work perfectly with the Monet yarn and my handbag, which I have mentioned earlier. (Poor Jessica :-()
(No, they are not perfect, but I love them anyway. For some weird reason I haven't got many socks knitted for me during my life... My first pair was knitted for me by my darling aunt, and they are pink, light blue and black and look like English liquorice candy LOL I love them. The second was the pair that killed me in Sock Wars - yes, a month ago. This is the third pair. No, now I'm lying. My sister gave me one pair at Yule present when I was about 12. So this is the fourth pair of socks I have ever got.)

A can of Ghirardelli chocolate powder :-) See a little something left in my big cup :-) It's yummy :-)
Some very pretty stitch markers :-)
And KnitScene with some really nice projects I was dreaming about yesterday, when I visited Interweave's homepage LOL

Now I just have to find all the swaps I have received and collect the pieces and take pictures...
The August Feline Flip Flop was absolutely fabulous LOL My swap pal had really had fun putting it together :-D And I had a lots of fun opening the package :-) Lovely :-)

Monday, October 23, 2006

Time flies...

and I'm not even having fun :-(
I'm still sick. The F*** flu sits on my throat and won't give up, and I haven't slept properly for a month now... or maybe more. I have lost almost totally the apprehension of time, and I'm late with all my swaps... and I'm getting stressed because of all that, and on top of that October is almost over and I have managed to knit one (1!!!) pair of socks... Because I sleep most of the time... Not fun at all. :-(
I don't even remember whom I have contacted and informed of that the package will be late, and whom not... Perhaps I need to write to all and know that it's better to say it twice than no time at all... But I'm tired. I'll do it a bit later... After I have slept a little.

Here's something nice for you to see, anyway.

Whiplash accessories challenge:
P.S. This is really cute LOL

Friday, October 13, 2006

Sock journals - year in socks


How would my year look like in socks...

I would make January into winternight with stars and fireworks,
February would be red berries in black twigs against white snow
March blue skies and willowkittens
April would be rainy clouds over bare trees and green grass
May would be birdcherries on green sock
June would be flowers
July and blue skies, water and sand
August and golden fields with poppies
September would be apples
October would be autumn leaves
November... grey household socks
December - green and red Yule socks

I would like to make socks with clear pictures, colorwork. Like this "Rainforest" sweater or this "Monet" cardigan.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

I like blogs -

I always check out the link list of blogs the blogs I read have. I have found several interesting blogs that way.
I especially like crafting blogs and food blogs :-)
I also love blogs with good names :-) I'm not good in inventing names, but there are people who are...

For example: Ewe Keep Me in Stitches

Then I get always so inspired... For example the pictures about yarn-, book- and needlestashes... There are no batteries in my camera still, so I can't take pictures now, but I will add them, when I have got the batteries to my camera :-) It's weird how I didn't have no yarn nor needles in May, but now I have more yarn than I have time to knit...

Then, it's Socktober... and I haven't had time to knit socks!!! What's that! I thought I'd knit at least ten pairs of socks in Socktober, and I have knitted one (1) pair... Awful! 1/3 of Socktober is over already! (And of course I haven't had time to even think about Whiplash! Aaaargh!!!)

Then all the spinning... I wish I had a spinning wheel, and not just my little drop spindle :-( And of course I wish I had all the fiber to spin... People are spinning so lovely yarns all over the internet, and I know how to spin, but can't, because I don't have the wheel or fibers to do so :-(

And all the patterns one could purchase if one just had a credit card or lived in US!
Like this one... Simple Knitted Bodice (And the blog: http://simpleknittedbodice.blogspot.com/)
It's really pretty, but I have given up trying to get anything through the internet. :-(

Then you find all kinds of swaps you'd better do without ;-)
Like this one: Favorite Color Swap
They are going to organize a new one next year, like in February...

BTW, it's only 10 weeks to Yule. >:-)



Pidän blogeista

Katson aina blogilinkit blogeista joita luen. Olen löytänyt useita kiinnostavia blogeja tälla lailla.
Pidän erityisesti käsityöblogeista ja ruokablogeista.
Rakastan myös blogeja joilla on hyvät nimet :-) En ole itse kovinkaan hyvä keksimään nimiä, mutta on ihmisiä, jotka ovat hyviä siinä.

Esimerkiksi: Ewe Keep Me in Stitches

Ja sitten innostun aina... Esimerkiksi kuvat lanka-, puikko- ja kirjakokoelmista... Kamerassani ei ole vieläkään pattereita, joten en voi ottaa kuvia nyt, mutta lisään sitten, kun olen saanut patterit kameraani :-) Kummallista kuinka toukokuussa minulla ei ollut mitään lankaa, eikä puikkoja, eikä mitään ja nyt minulla on enemmän lankaa kuin ehdin neuloa...

Ja on sukkakuu... eikä minulla ole ollut aikaa neuloa sukkia!!! Mitä! Luulin että neuloisin ainakin kymmenen paria sukkia tässä kuussa, enkä ole ehtinyt kutoa kuin yhdet (1) sukat! Kamalaa! Kolmannes sukkakuusta on jo ohi! (Enkä tietenkään ole ehtinyt edes ajatella Whiplashiä! Aaargh!!!)

Ja sitten kehrääminen... Toivon että minulla olisi rukki, eikä vain värttinä :-( Ja tietysti toivon, että minulla olisi kuitua mitä kehrätä... Ihmiset kehräävät ihanaa lankaa kaikkialla netissä, ja minä osaan kehrätä, mutta en pysty, koska minulla ei ole rukkia eikä kuitua :-(

Tai kaikki ne mallit mitä voisi hankkia, jos vain olisi luottokortti tai asuisi Amerikassa!
Esimerkiksi tämä: Yksinkertainen neulottu pusero (ja siihen kuuluva blogi: http://simpleknittedbodice.blogspot.com/)
Tosi nätti, mutta olen antanut periksi enkä edes yritä hankkia mitään netin kautta. :-(

Sitten sitä löytää kaikenlaisia vaihtoja, joita ilman tulisi paremmin toimeen ;-)
Kuten tämä: Lempivärivaihto
Aikovat järjestää uuden joskus ensi vuonna, helmikuussa tai sillei...

Muuten, vain 10 viikkoa jouluun... >:-)




You Are Apple Green



You are almost super-humanly upbeat. You have a very positive energy that surrounds you.

And while you are happy go lucky, you're also charmingly assertive.

You get what you want, even if you have to persuade those against you to see things your way.

Reflective and thoughtful, you know yourself well - and you know that you want out of life.

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Socktober


When did you start making socks??

Er... Hmm... uh... er... Well... I learned to knit socks in school when I was under 12... I think... and I hated it. I especially hated heels, because they were incomprehensible. It took me forever to knit the darned things, and I can't even remember which color they were. Frankly, I'm not even sure I ever knitted any socks at school. A very bad memory, elementary school's craft lessons... *yuk* *brr* So it took me a couple of years (like 20) before I understood the joy of knitting socks ;-) I started MAKING socks this year, to be honest :-)

Did you teach yourself??
Yes and no... as the school experience was everything but nice, I don't think I learned much from there... but at least there was a teacher who looked over my sock knitting, so I think I can say "no, I learned it in elementary school".

What was your first pair??
As said... the first pair I remember was 10 years later in Craft school. It was a red pair knitted with knitting machine, flat. I'm pretty sure we knitted some socks by hand too in the school, but I don't remember any of them. I do remember a sock made with light green and natural white wool yarn, I had dyed the green myself (with alchemilla), and then I remember a pair with rost brown and white, and I'm sure there was couple more colors too. I love colorwork ;-) And there was a star in the heel. My own design.

How have they held up over time??
I think my mother still uses the red pair almost daily. The others... I don't know. I think there was only one sock of both...

What would you have done differently?

I would have knitted more socks, of course, and finished the pair, and taken pictures :-)

What yarns have you particularly enjoyed??
It is a pleasure to knit merino, as it is soft and not as scrapy as homespun wool. I'm eagerly waiting to get some time to start knitting alpacka and silk... they should be even more pleasurable :-)

Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?
Never done that - yet ;-) But I'm sure I will :-D
I like to knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars I haven't tried yet - I'm not so rich I can buy two pairs of circulars in the same size :-( - and Magic Loop is wonderful :-)

Which kind of heel do you prefer??
Flap-and-gusset, actually :-) I have made short-row heels, and even though they are quick and easy, and work from both ways (cuff-down and toes-up), it feels... somehow... weak. Not worth the effort. Peasant heel was easy too, but... it really feels like degrading to the sock. First you knit a beautiful sock, and then you whip up something to pass as the heel... I really feel like a hand-knitted sock is WORTH the best heel you can make.

Knitting sock heels

Here's band heel
Diagonal Decrease Sock Heel
Heels, heels, heels
Socks with jojo-heels
Lauri B's Toes & Heels

Here's a pair of Bosnian socks, with an interesting toe and "Turkish afterthought heel"

How many pairs have you made??
Ever? I don't remember.
But this year... the pink-and-white Sixth Sense for Six Sox, Henric's blue with yellow heel, color blox for six sox, two pairs of hot pink Socks of Doom, toe-up teaching socks, Dragon toes aka Scales for Six Sox... 7 pairs, I think...

Tongue River Farm Sock Collection

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Sukkakuu

Koska aloit tehdä sukkia?
Joo... öö... tuota... öh... no... opin kutomaan sukkia koulussa kun olin alle 12... luulisin... ja vihasin sitä. Erityisesti vihasin kantapäiden neulomista, koska ne olivat täysin käsittämättömät. Minulta vei aikaa ikuisuuden neuloa ne vietävän sukat, enkä edes muista minkä väriset ne olivat. Suoraan sanottuna, en ole edes varma, että olen koskaan neulonut sukkia koulussa. Hyvin huono muisto, peruskoulun käsityötunnit... *yök**hrr* Joten vei muutaman vuoden (noin 20) ennen kuin ymmärsin sukan kutomisen ilon ;-) Totta puhuen aloin TEHDÄ sukkia vasta tänä vuonna :-)

Opetitko itse itseäsi?
Joo ja ei... koska koulukokemus oli kaikkea muuta kuin mukava, en usko että opin siellä paljonkaan... mutta ainakin siellä oli opettaja, joka valvoi sukan kutomistani, joten luulisin että voin sanoa "en, opin sen peruskoulussa".

Mikä oli ensimmäinen sukkaparisi?
Kuten sanottu... ensimmäinen sukkaparini jonka muistan oli 10 vuotta ensimmäisiä sukkiani myöhemmin käsityökoulussa. Se oli punainen neulekoneella tasossa neulottu sukkapari. Olen melko varma, että neuloimme sukat myös käsin, mutta en muista niistä mitään. Muistan yhden sukan, joka oli neulottu vaaleanvihreällä ja luonnonvalkoisella villalangalla, jotka olin värjännyt itse (poimulehdellä), ja sitten muistan ruosteenruskean ja valkoisen parin, ja olen varma, että niissä oli paria muutakin väriä. Rakastan kirjoneuletta ;-) Ja niissä sukissa oli tähti kantapäässä. Oma mallini.

Kuinka sukkasi ovat kestäneet vuosien varrella?
Luulen että äiti käyttää niitä punaisia melkein päivittäin. Ne muut... en tiedä. Luulen, että niitä kirjoneulesukkia oli vain yksi sukka molempia...

Mitä olisit tehnyt toisella tavalla?
Olisin neulonut enemmän sukkia, tietysti, ja tehnyt molemmat sukat valmiiksi, ja ottanut valokuvia :-)

Mistä langasta olet erityisesti nauttinut?
On nautinto neuloa merinolankaa, koska se on pehmeää eikä yhtä raapivaa kuin kotikehrätty villa. Odotan innolla että saan vähän aikaa jotta voin neuloa alpakkaa ja silkkiä - niiden pitäisi olla vielä nautinnollisempia :-)

Pidätkö sukkien virkkaamisesta? Vai pidätkö sukkien neulomisesta sukkapuikoilla, kahdella kierrepuikolla tai "Magic Loop" tekniikalla (yhdellä pitkällä kierrepuikolla)
En ole ikinä virkannut sukkia - vielä ;-) Mutta olen varma, että vielä virkkaan :-D
Pidän sukkien neulomista. Sukkapuikoilla, kahta kierrepuikkoa en ole vielä kokeillut - en raaski käyttää vajavaisia rahavarojani kaksien samanlaisten kierrepuikkojen ostamiseen - ja Magic Loop on todella upea keksintö!

Minkälaista kantapäätä suosit?
Kantalapullisia. Olen tehnyt tiimalasikantapäitä, ja vaikka ne ovat nopeita ja helppoja, ja toimivat ilman muutoksia molemmin päin (varresta alaspäin tai varpaista ylöspäin neulottaessa), ne tuntuvat jotenkin... heikoilta. Ei vaivan arvoiselta. Maalaiskantapää, joka neulotaan kuin peukalo, on helppo myöskin, mutta... ne tuntuvat siltä kuin halventaisi sukkaa. Ensin neulotaan kaunis sukka, ja sitten vain väsätään jotain joka käy kantapäästä... Minun mielestäni käsin neulottu sukka on parhaimman mahdollisen kantapään arvoinen.

Kuinka monta sukkaparia olet tehnyt?
Ikinä? En muista.
Mutta tänä vuonna... ne vaaleanpuna-valkoiset Sixth Senset Six Soxille; Henricin siniset, joissa keltainen kantapää; Colorbloxit Six Soxille; kahdet shokkipinkit Tuomion Sukat; varpaista ylöspäin kudotut opetussukat; Lohikäärmeen tassut eli Scalesit Six Soxille... seitsemän paria, sanoisin...

Afghan fever


Picture from Mason Dixon knitting "Please, pass the garter stitch"

This blog entry started with me taking a look at my sock pal's blog. She is part of "Knit A Square For Grandmother Purl".
It's not too late, you know...
And there was some links to blogs with pictures of this kind of collected afghans, and among them (another Finn :-); Tilkkusisko ("Patch-sister") with her blog Tilkkupeitto ("Patch blanket") a link to Mason Dixon knitting, and there was this inspiring picture.

Now, that reminds me of THIS inspiring picture... look also at the afghan on her bed... I really want to make an afghan like that... Not quite so "colorful", but of different rose squares...

Now, when one makes a search with "rose afghan square", there's a lot of patterns available, but one also finds OTHER things...
This is Apache Rose, a pattern one can buy from "Crochet With Attitude".

The Yellow Blossom Square
http://www.lionbrand.com/stores/lionbrand/patterns/cja-roseSquareAfghan.html

http://www.yarncat.com/wildrosesq6in.html
http://www.craftown.com/afghans/pat6.htm
Patty's Collection of Crochet Afghan Squares
http://hometown.aol.com/crochetalong/irpill.html
http://hometown.aol.com/lffunt/irishrose.htm
http://hometown.aol.com/lffunt/fisher.htm
http://hometown.aol.com/lffunt/circlefriends.htm
http://jahodnett.tripod.com/id47.html
http://members.tripod.com/Gwenevere/flower.html
http://members.aol.com/gandal195/irishivyrose.html
http://www.geocities.com/alyssa5000/verbarose.html
http://www.geocities.com/alyssa5000/veronica.html
http://www.crochetkim.com/patterns/crimson.html
http://www.caron.com/projects/pm/pro_pm_rosetrellis.html
http://pandacrochet.8m.com/mountainrose.html
Rose on the square afghan at HGTV
http://www.crochetsal.com/framedflower.html
http://m.1asphost.com/chattybox/rose.html
http://www.texasdg.net/daynascrochet/pattern.asp?id=30
http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/lffunt/nosegay.htm

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/chs-rosettes.html
Canadian Living: Rosettes

I just love rose quilts...

P.S. Isn't this bear-ghan just cute! LOL
P.P.S. I also found "October Awareness Square" - an absolutely lovely pink ribbon square :-)
(Which, naturally reminds me of that October is the Breast Cancer Awareness Month;

It's a FREE CLICK, takes just some seconds of your time, but the very much needed pennies to the cause. It might save someone's life... SO GO AND CLICK!!!


P.P.S. Edited 8.11. Rose bath puff - fully usable as afghan or bedspread quilt kind of thing too...
And if you make two large hexagons, and knit them together, you have a very cute little bag.
P.P.P.S. Edited 11.11. Huge crocheted rose and a cute crocheted rose :-)