I've joined a couple of new mysteries...

The Goddess Knits anniversary shawl is amazing... I'm going to have to make me one of each option, they are all wonderfully beautiful!

So, I joined the Mystery Stole IV. I like the stoles they have created earlier and I like knitting. Then I hunted forth more mysteries and found Holiday Mystery Gifts... Last year they had like 200 nice patterns, and this year... "Socks, hats, shawls, toys, and much more are on their way to you." :-) So pretty things, quick and simple and nice, ornaments and gifts... Last year they had this big, wonderful pi shawl... I can't wait to see what they'll do this year. It starts September 20th. Three months before Christmas.
You know, it's not even 120 days left to Yule. It's high time to start thinking about those issues. ;-)

I would really like to give back a little for everything I have got from the wonderful, kind and generous internet community I'm part of... I'd like to be able to design patterns and give them for everyone for free... organize mystery KALs and CALs and so on... Like for the Sock Harvest. *sigh* One day I will be courageous enough to do that :-)

Until then, here's some existing free patterns:
felted bowl I
felted bowl II
felted bowl III
felted bowl IV - she has also other quick, easy, simple and nice patterns for gifts :-)
felted bowl V
felted bowl VI
felted bowl VII (you can embroider anything in the bottom, like smilies or yin-yang symbol...)

Also, see the Black Purl ezine and Roxy Craft :-)

Hats

Kody creates very nice free hat patterns and charts.
She mentioned the Xmas Tree Hat.

I was thinking of Diana Wynne Jones' books and the hat shop in Howl's castle... I'd like to get the same response to her books as Joanne Rowling's Harry Potter has received... Sure, there're no knitting mommies in Chrestomanci's world, but when has that stopped anyone?

When I think of knitted and crocheted hats for the hat shop, it's more this sort of things I'm referring to...
Vintage hat
hat and bag from 1960
Soft Brim casual hat from 1947
Draped beret from 1947
Yellow picture hat and bag from 1953
Lacy cloche - 1953
"Antique" hat patterns
hats and bags from 40's and 50's
Ladies' hat from 50's
Bobble hat
1940's luncheon date hat
sunlight hat
3-piece angora set

Not all of them are as fancy as I'd like, but in all the woman wearing the hat has a nice hairdo, makeup and clothes. Just a little care and consideration before one goes out the door, like Trinny and Susannah say ;-)

I WILL RESIST!!!

I won't join any more swaps. I won't! But they are organizing Harry Potter Sock Kit Swap again, and I WAAAAAANT!!!
I am going to get myself a package. :-)
It will be packaged in a big box - I think I'm going to buy me one of those nice boxes from IKEA.
The box will be filled with tissue paper in my house colors (blue and bronze - I'm a Ravenclaw girl :-)) and then I'll make dozens of those cute paper strip stars instead of styrofoam. I loved it when one of my swap pals had sprinkled a handful of tiny sparkly stars in the package :-)
There will be a couple of magic sock yarn balls filled with surprises, ebony needles tucked in the balls. I think I'll put some rosewood needles in the other ball.
One of the yarns will be hand-painted in Orion nebula colors - as that fits the Ravenclaw :-)


The other will be koigu, so that I too can get my Ziggys :-) I think I need two balls of Koigu...
(You know, I joined a magic yarn ball swap several years ago, and never got my yarn ball... Or an explanation then either >:-> And, yes, I'm still sad about that.)
I think I'll make some potpurri pillows to be used as the "heart" of the yarn ball.

There will be knitting tools, like stitch markers with matching scissor chain and row counter bracelet; tape measure with nice cover, clover yarn cutter medallion, if I can find one somewhere, and the lovely sheep needle sizer/gauge measure I have been drooling over for years now... And a stitch saver.
Needle case - or wand case :-D - of chinese brokade.
There will be nail file, an everlasting glass file or a stone file. Or a handy pocket case for emery boards. A small tube of quickly drying hand cream. I'll see if I can find a jar of bond's butter.
In the yarn balls will be hair accessories, like sticks and combs... I really love hair accessories :-)
There will be a pretty medieval-looking notepad and marker, bookmarks and magnets. I don't like stickers, but I think I'd like some fake tattoos :-D
There will be Harry Potter candy, a big bag of jellybeans, Lindts chocolate and a box of the new toffee I saw in the store last week. I think I'll make some chocolate chip cookies... toffee chip cookies?
I think there could be a raven too, for example a pin cushion... with self-decorated pins... for example shrinky-dink pins or polymer clay pins... (I think this is absolutely adorable... and the silver charm is great!)
There definitely will be a pair of earrings.


Then there will be a "book" of sock patterns. I have copied hundreds (yes!) of free patterns from the net for Summer of Socks, and I think it would be nice to finally get them on paper and in plastic pockets in a binder. I think I will also give me a knitting magazine... I was really happy to get the Interweave Knits in one swap :-)
Perhaps I'll also buy a sock pattern. I love Lucy Neatby's patterns, and Cookie's socks are wonderful too :-)

And then there will be a cigar box decorated with decoupage collage, and filled with magic stuff... I might even buy me a new tarot deck :-D
There will be a pocket book which might not have anything to do with HP, and bookmark.
There will be socks, tam and house scarf in Ravenclaw colors.
Then there will be dog toys and candy for Boris the Springer Spaniel.
There will be some good tea and a teapot cosy, and perhaps some other tea related stuff, like tea ball or sugar sticks.
There will be a soap sweater made from stone colored yarn with inscripture, with vanilla soap inside, and a HP washcloth...
Then there will be something with fox... a mixed CD with my favorite songs... Maybe I'll buy myself Nickleback's or Staind's CD. Maybe some coasters... a real quill, dragon's blood ink and paper... some hundred pretty beads for knitting... I think it would be fun to find something like a zen garden in your pocket or braingames or so... a knitting calendar with quotes about knitting, life and other important things. It would be nice if I'd find a raven cookie cutter. It really is nice with some recipe cards too... perhaps some spices and such to make something nice for dinner. I'd love a gargoyle. And a tiny owl...

These will be packed in their own totebags. Or perhaps I'll wrap them in shawls and scarfs and pretty pieces of fabrique ;-)

I'd like to add some funnies too... I love the idea of sending a little bottle of syrup or liquor with self-made "magic potion" lable, or "a sample of transformation magic" - elephant poo paper :-D Subversive cross stitch. "Grow your own enchanted castle" (sunflower seeds) or "magic" beans :-D Perhaps some seeds of witchy plants like mandragora.
Or a bumber sticker... "Save the Broom - Ride a Quiddich Player"... SO NASTY!!! ROTFLMAO

Something self-made:
Themed list: Harry Potter Patterns

Here are some of the best freebie patterns I have seen outside Knitty and Ulla :-D

Sukkasato

Sock harvest in Finnish. I just found out and of course I want to join! LOL

Sukkasadon kotilato
Ravelry group

KnitWar adventures...

Some time ago I found the knitting scout badges.
Now I found the KnitWars with adventures and XPs... I love this kind of things :-)

It's really hard to concentrate, because I have such an anxiety attack going on I want to hang on the walls

Today's gift

I was surfing the net and found Tapestry Crochet Blog and there was a link to Tejemanejes, a Spanish netzine like Knitty or Ulla.

Indeed there's no updates!

I saw that the photo of the full knitting basket was almost the last thing posted here, and there has been some things happening after that...

First, here's the summer socks:

knit during the summer vacation in Finland:

Jaywalkers,

Slipstitch socks andVictorian lace socks,

my brother's Yule socks

Crown socks.
There should be a picture of a pink buddy to these, with hearts,
I gave them to my sister as birthday present and I haven't got any pics yet.
I also knitted her a scarf, and I'd like to get pics of that too...

I bought the yarn from Finland to knit the snake socks, but the yarn is too thick...
so I experimented a little.

Two pairs of socks are on the needles, but the inspiration to knit socks is gone.
Also... I think there's some socks missing...

This is the crazy afghan I mentioned earlier. I just started crocheting
Free crochet, of the effect yarns I inherited from my mother...

And this is an try-out afghan.
I am taking different granny square patterns I think look interesting
and crochet them with wool of colors I think look if not nice, at least interesting together.

Flora from silk-wool I got in my first one skein swap.

This is my Olympic knitting - swallowtail butterfly shawl enlargened, with beads, of silk-merino yarn... it is dreamy soft and light, like clouds or dreams...
My hubby made a coup - he asked me to knit a white shawl, beautiful, with beads, and I thought he was to give it to a friend who has been very kind and generous... and then he said it was to a "friend" who is very kind and generous - to a woman he loves more than anything - to me. :-D
He didn't know anyone else who could have knitted it... now he knows that I have sisters who can. But I'm happy anyways, it was lovely to knit. Boring, but the yarn was lovely LOL

Mystic Lights KAL. I made a mistake with this, but I'm quite ok with the results anyway. Though the "painting" of the yarn didn't come through as I thought it would. Obviously it works well only in crochet.

Monk's travel sachet. Needs lining, because it stretches awfully.

Then there's a lace doily in a bag... It is the same doily that was being crocheted in the pic of the basket too, but I have managed to crochet a couple more rows :-D
It's a bit bigger, that's all. I'll post a picture when it's done.

Seen at Craftzine...

Conceptual scarf patterns/art

CraftStylish

Twist Collective e-zine

I feel so stupid!

On row 132 the pattern changed and I should have knit the purl side in pattern... I noticed this on row 165. I have been knitting the purl side pattern as knit side pattern and purling every other row straight - that means that I have knitted over 30 rows too many - and this is a shawl with 4 added stitches every other row - a lot of stitches on rows 135-165...

In my version the addition was every 4. row... One think I should have noticed there... >:-> I didn't. I just wondered why it was changed, but decided not to question the designer... X-D

I should take it all up and knit it right this time, but I am not going to. It doesn't get the pretty wavy, feathery border as it should, but it's bigger than it should and I like it that way. Besides, it's quite pretty this way too.

Besides, I should be participating in the Knitting Olympics, and it's already day 2 of the two weeks time, and I don't want to waste any more time.

Long time no seen...

It doesn't look like the sock project resulted in much... Well... Next time with better luck. And it isn't over yet.

Here's a couple of blogs and sites I visit and find inspiration in.

http://blog.craftzine.com/
http://whipup.net/
http://www.craftster.org/
http://www.flickr.com/

http://www.ullaneule.net/
http://www.knitty.com/
http://www.theanticraft.com/

Sock diary...

Yes, I admit, I'm worthless in keeping diaries :-D

On July I have knit 3 pairs of socks. I think...
One grey-white-brown pair, one pink hearty pair and one beige crowny pair.

No, 4 pairs of socks. Also my brother's Yule socks.

I had pain in my hands after Finland trip - the bag weighed a ton. No wonder, I bough a couple of books and some yarn, and those things weigh way too much...But now I'm a happy owner of Kaffe Fasset's pattern book - I really love the "Foolish Virgins" pattern :-) - and Haavisto's "100 folkly stranded patterns". There's a nice introduction to the book, with some knitting history in Finland... and I'm SO PROUD of my people :-) MY people :-)
Unfortunately the proud tradition almost died in the end of 19th century, when "handmade" became a swearword. Something for the POOR people, nothing for US. We could have had a similar tradition as they have in Baltic countries. *sigh*

Save the children!

Please, sign this petition:
Prevent and eventually abolish child sexual abuse by UN

If I remember correctly, you need to sign in to Care2, but it's free, doesn't give you bad consequences and you can use a screen name. I've been a member of Care2 for 4 years.

Sukkapäiväkirja 2.viikko

The socks were finished this morning - a little late, but they are rather big work, and I was busy the whole weekend, so - excuses, excuses ;-)
Now again my two favorite boys are working as models - my hubby wearing the socks I finished, my puppy wearing his own pretty socks :-)

I am not going to start any socks before the week is almost over, because I need to finish other projects before I leave to my two weeks' vacation in Finland. I'll come back with three pairs of socks - or at least that's the plan... Let's see what happens...

I have been winding sock yarn and collecting the sock patterns I'm going to knit in Finland. I don't have enough sock yarn for the whole summer... :-D

Lots of lots...

This is my knitting basket... or the pink thingy in the right is my basket - this is the tray. There's too many projects to fit the basket. One would think that's a hint on that there's too many projects going on...

Ket's Sock Diary day I

I was accepted to Socken Kreativ Liste! I'm extatic! LOL

I have collected so many sock patterns I can't knit all of them during my life time... As if not all the over 400 free sock patterns on-line weren't enough, I just had to buy me Nancy Bush's sock books (only two of them >:-> - Vintage Socks and Folk Socks)...

Yes, I know, 400+ sock patterns will be knitted in 8 years if I do 52 pairs plunge each year... The problem is that the lovely, creative and generous internet community will have created other 400+ sock patterns available free... and the less generous but just as lovely and creative sock book writers have managed to write a dozen or more sock books with more patterns to knit...

It's amazing how something this simple and easy can be variated to that extend!

I'm happy, but you know... there's a slight panic knocking in the back head reminding of all the pretty, soft yarn in the world, the smooth, shiny needles and all the socks I'd like to knit in my life time... *sigh*

The Japanese sock pattern charts are interesting...
One can see very clearly the construction of the sock, and I suppose if it was drawn on paper with squares (I suppose that kind of paper has a name in English... graph paper?), it would be easy to create fair isle patterns or lace patterns on the sock...

My first project is Finnish, called "Little Birds"
The graph is a little similar... you really don't need to know Finnish to knit these socks. (Last in the pattern, on the right side of the last picture, is a link "PDF-kaavio" - PDF chart). My socks are going to be rather big... again.

I bought a couple of books...

I have wanted Nancy Bush's sock books for a very long time... now I have two of them :-)
"Knitting vintage socks" and "Folk socks".
I also bought Solveig Hisdal's "Poem in stitches" in Swedish.
Fourth new book in my collection is Lena Nessle's "Knitting with plant dyed yarns" - also in Swedish.

I am a little disappointed with "Folk Socks"... I expected more patterns, and a little more advanced patterns. But I will be knitting my own Norwegian Stockings ;-)

I am very disappointed with "Poem in stitches", as there is not one pattern I can knit without adjusting it for myself. I think knitting books that don't take into consideration that the audience might be XL, XXL or even bigger, are elitist, chauvinist, sizeist and buying into the "woman can never bee too thin" ideology... Knit pretty patterns, by all means, but only if you are a model. Fat women don't need to bother. Also, the patterns weren't quite as wonderful as I thought they were... But it's a very good inspiration book. I will be able to take it to the next step and probably several steps further.

An as good or better inspiration book is "Knitting with plant dyed yarn". Lena Nessle has written many crafting books, and in this she gives general rules, advice, color patterns and tells how to design and form your own knits. No patterns - as far as I could see - but it's more an inspiration book for advanced knitters and dyers. I'm very pleased with it :-)

Tänka sig...

Rectangular shawl patterns
Triangular shawl patterns

Why is this skirt called "liquorice bullet"?


I made myself a knitting thimble. Took some thin wire and coiled it around the handle of a wooden spoon. It works perfectly. It works all too perfect LOL The stitches are even and pretty, the tension is perfect and the color pattern stands out very nicely. Too perfect? you might ask... well... I knitted the first sock without the thimble and the second stock with, and the second sock is like ugly ducklings beautiful little sister. Two sizes smaller and doesn't have my usual "hand-spun" quality :-D
It takes a little time to get used to use it - it really feels like a thimble. I have problems using the thimble in sewing as well, I usually end up with my index finger peeking in the air almost paralyzed by the thimble, and I try to use my middle finger - unprotected - to push the needle through the fabric... so pretty useless ;-) I use my index and middle finger to keep the knitting yarn tense, so when there's the wire around my index finger, I try to keep the tension with the other fingers, and that doesn't work... It took some time for me to get that I can STILL keep the tension as I am used to, the thimble isn't an obstacle.
I'm really happy though, as the results are well worth it :-)

A Stocking In Rhyme

To knit a stocking, needles four,
Cast on three needles and no more;
Each needle stitches eight and twenty.
Then one for seam stitch will be plenty.
For twenty rounds your stitch must be
Two plain, tow purl alternately.
Except the seam stitch which you do
Once purl, once plain, the whole way through.
A finger plain you next must knit,
Ere you begin to narrow it
But if you like the stocking long,
Two fingers' length will not be wrong.
And then the narrowings to make,
Two stitches you together take
Each side the seam; then eight rounds plain,
Before you narrow it again.
Ten narrowings you'll surely find
Will shape the stocking to your mind;
Then twenty rounds knit plain must be,
And stitches sixty-five you'll see.
These just in half you must divide,
With thirty-two on either side;
But on one needle there must be
Seam stitch in middle, thirty-three.
One half on needles two you place,
And leave alone a little space;
The other with the seam in middle,
To manage right is now my riddle.
Backward and forward you must knit,
And always purl the backward bit;
But seam stitch, purl and plain, you know,
And slip the first stitch every row.
When thirty rows you thus have done,
Each side the seam knit two in one
Each third row, until sure you feel
That forty rows are in your heel.
You then begin the heel to close;
For this, choose one of the plain rows;
Knit plain to seam, then two in one,
One plain stitch more must still be done.
Then turn your work, purl as before
The seam stitch - two in one, one more;
Then turn again, knit till you see
Where first you turned, a gap will be.
Across it knit together two,
And don't forget on plain to do;
Then turn again, purl as before,
And sew till there's a gap no more.
The seam stitch you no longer mind,
That, with the heel, is left behind.
When all th heel is quite closed in,
To knit a plain row you begin,
And at the end you turn no more,
But round and round knit as before.
For this, on a side needle take
The loops the first slip-stitches make;
With you heel needle - knit them plain,
To meet the old front half again.
This on one needle knit should be,
And then you'll have a needle free
To take up loops the other side,
And knit round plain, and to divide
The back parts evenly in two;
Off the heel needle some are due;
Be careful that you count the same.
On each back needle, knit round plain;
But as the foot is much too wide,
Take two together at each side,
On the back needle where they meet
The front to make a seam quite neat
Each time between knit one plain round,
Till stitches sixty-four are found;
And the front needle does not lack
As many as on both the back.
You next knit fifty-six rounds plain,
But do not narrow it again;
'Twill then be long enough, and so
Begin to narrow for the toe.
Your long front row knit plainly through,
But at its end knit stitches two;
Together and together catch
Two first in the next row to match;
Then to the other side knit plain
Half round, and do the same again;
That is , two last together catch,
Two first in the front row to match.
At first knit four plain rounds between,
Then two, then one, until 'tis seen
You've knit enough to close the toe;
And then decrease in every row,
Until to stitches eight you're brought,
Then break the thread off = not too short -
And as these stitches eight you do,
Each time your end of thread pull through;
Then draw up all to close it tight,
And with a darning needle bright,
Your end of thread securely run,
And then, Hurrah !! the stocking's done !!

-- 1887 Jenny June Knitting and Crochet manual

Some fun projects for your knitting

DPN project holder

Making stitch markers
- beaded stitch markers
- easy no-wire stitch markers
- "tiger tail" stitch markers
- polymer clay stitch markers
- beaded stitch markers
- "memory wire" stitch markers
- row counter marker - I think this is ingenious!

"Book" for circular needles
Hanging circular needle storage
Circ hanger from pant leg
Thoughts about this...
No-sew circ hanger
Circular needle cuddy
Circular needle organizer
Circular needle roll
Circular needle clutch
Buttericks offers this version - a little like CD bag (No, I tested - a CD bag is too small for circs...)
DPN pouches
Knitting needle holder
Knitting Needle holder with stitch mark holder
Alexandra's Needle Case
Knitted needle case
Kable - knitted and felted needle case
Kimono Needle Roll
"Yet another brocade needle case"

sewn crochet hook case
crochet hook roll
Crocheted Afghan Hooks, Cro-Hooks or Knitting Needle Roll
crocheted crochet hook case with a pouch for extra thingies
smaller hook or pen pouch
Crocheted crochet hook bag/caddy

I storage my crochet hooks in a pen caddy I got in swap - it has cats on and is really cute :-)
The only problem with that is that I don't find the hook I need easily... But I made myself a crocheted hook caddy and the lace hooks just slipped straight through it. Not practical at all...

Little zippered pouch

Neck ribbon caddy

Tape measure cover
Tape measure cover - in French, but the pictures are very good
Tape measure covers - in Japanese, but the pictures are very good

scissor sheath
Scissor holder
Scissor pocket
Quilted scissor case
Scissor case tutorial - in Italian, but the pictures are very good
Scissor fob/case - in Italian, but the pictures are very good
quilted flower pin cushion and leaf scissor holder
patchwork scissor holder and a patchwork fob
Triangle scissor case with fob

Strawberry pincushion/fob
Beaded button fobs
cross stitched pincushions - you can also use the rose in left

Here's the cutest needlework set with sheep! I LOVE SHEEP!!! There's a brass needle sizer and gauge measure with sheep! I so want it! Not available here... :-(
project bags
drawstring bag
bagsket
Box bag tutorial
Little Boxy Pouch
Crafty Bucket
A little more demanding boxy pouch
tote bags 101
Little drawstring bag
Lined drawsting bag
Really easy drawstring bag
“Classic open tote”
Simple tote bag
Durable, reusable shopping bag
Another, simple, lined bag
Knitting tote bag
Sock tote
Fish bag - really cute drawstring bag that looks like fish - perfect to keep your yarn ball clean ;-)

Wrist yarn holder
Knitting pouch yarn holder
apple string/yarn holder
Thread ball holder
making a "yarn barn" or "yarn trainer" out of an old soda bottle
"Cut off bottom of bottle and insert yarn, pulling strand through top opening then tape bottom back on. This will keep your yarn from rolling across the room on you and your cat from playing with it."
Making a yarn holder of a plastic tub

row counter bracelet
row counter bracelet

Make your own niddy-noddy
Hardware store niddy-noddy
In action...
You really don't need to glue it...

portable table-top yarn swift
(My hubby made me one with cardboard and skewers and used an old lamp stand as holder - it might not look as pretty as this one, but it works very well, and that's the main thing :-))

How to make a center pull yarn ball without a yarn winder
another tutorial
third tutorial
fourth tutorial
How to use nostepinne - windstick :-)

Good tips to help you with your knitting - videos

Russian yarn join
Split-and-twist join

Roll your own blocking board
Get Crafty: make your own blocking board
make yourself a blocking board

Robyn's nest sells these handy little "Stitch Savers"... but these can be made oneself too.

Summer of Socks...

I am very ambitious... I know I shouldn't be, because it creates just impossible expectations, anxiety and disappointment... I don't even know what the prize is, but I'd still love to win it LOL
The prize? I think there's some kind of prize to be won if you knit the most socks during the 10 weeks of summer, from midsummer to September. You see, I'm not even sure of that there is a prize... it might just be the honor of being the most productive and workaholic person who spoiled her summer by knitting socks with stress and anxiety LOL (Or his summer - there are actually men who knit too)
And what if I win? What if I get the honor of proving I'm a competitive workaholic? Nothing. A couple of sock-knitters in the internet world might know who I am, that's it. It might be worth something if I sold my sock designs, but I don't. I don't even manage to get my designs from the sketch phase to realization nor pattern, so it's pretty useless. You see, I designed another pair of socks:

I don't know what flower that is, but it's begging to be a pair of knee-high socks. One could also add a little more structure by knitting the flowers for the ankle part separately and then sewing them on the embossed design. I really love that heel and gusset idea... I even know how to make it happen LOL But - I'm good with initiating things, not with getting things done :-)

Here's BTW a "Diagonal Decrease Sock Heel Pattern" with two versions. It's for people who don't like purling. Done completely with knits.
Here's a good tutorial for eclectic heel.
And here's Laurie's Toes & Heels and other information about sock knitting

The day's free pattern is two - Percy bag and the big brother, Monk's travel sachet

Knitting stitches, color patterns...

I haven't thought of this before - there's nothing that says one cannot "tilt" the colorwork pattern and knit it horizontally instead... that little one with triangles becomes quite interesting...

You see? (It's a little too narrow swatch but you can see how it works. :-)

About the knitting stitches then:

KnitWiki has very nice "spider" patterns - lace
"Star rib mesh"
Here's a very nice top with English Mesh Lace
Very nice stitches here: K1,P1, Keeping You in Stitches Studio
- they have Spanish Mesh stitches
Lolita net socks have a nice fishnet lace pattern
Bird's eye lace shawl
Here's some nice stitches too and here

Today's free pattern is Baby Surprise Jacket - the one piece knitting by Elizabeth Zimmermann :-)

More on socks...

Woolworks knitting patterns: Socks and slippers
These are text files - no pictures
The only pattern not a txt.file was Donna Kenton's Elizabethan hose - that's stockings.

Here's Knitlist's sockpatterns - quite a many of the forementioned socks with pictures

Online sock patterns categorized

Opal yarn free patterns

Cascade yarns free patterns - some very nice sock patterns.

Wendyknits discussion on favorite free sock patterns on-line

sock resources
The knitting fiend sock resources/links and sock link frenzy

lolly knitting around socktober fest blog entries - with a couple of tutorials and such

Rachel's ramblings with a couple of free sock patterns

Sockaholic and sockamaniac - blogs - and sockamaniac's site with a lot of resources etc.
Cookie's site

My wists - free sock patterns around the net - different languages

Said on-line

"Now, the story behind this teacosy. My DMIL is first generation american. Her mother is from Ireland. DMIL gets lots of catalogues and such from Ireland. She can even have Irish citizenship (so can by DH). Anyway, cut out a picture of a teacosy from a catalogue and wanted me to come up with a pattern for it. I put it off forever. Then she went to Ireland and brought back the actual teacosy and Irish wool to knit it with. So, I came up with this pattern. It's pretty close to the actual teacosy. She even made me one."
-- Jo at Knitlist

Yeah... sounds just like my mother LOL My mother asked me to knit her a green cap. I have been doing other things, not her cap, so the next thing she does is to give me a book about knitted hats, caps and such...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have seen many copyright notices, but I think these are the best!

"Feel free to share this pattern as long as you keep this Copyright intact. Do not sell this pattern, mass produce it, include it in collections, websites, newsletters, etc., without the express written permission from the Sockguy. Come on, now, don't be afraid, just ask me! I'm pretty easy."

"Feel free to share this pattern with Copyright intact. Do not sell this pattern, mass produce it, include it in collections, throw it away, use it to line birdcages, construct paper airplanes out of it, yada, yada, yada."

-- SockGuy

P.S. Today's free pattern (;-)) is Interweave Knits' summer 2005 shrug special. If you like shrugs, here you have a selection - for different types of yarns, styles, preferences...

P.S. This goes for crafters too...

Nalbindning

Needlebinding, needle mitten technique... It's sort of a needle lace technique. It's basically what the wired needle lace parts of the stumpwork are. You just do it with bigger needle and thicker yarn, and not with thread. You know the difference of fine lace knitting or crocheting and knitting or crocheting socks.
Now, there are several different ways of needlebinding.

Here is video tutorial on the Finnish stitch (Korgen), twisted stitch and Russian stitch. It is in Finnish, but you can see very clearly what she is doing, so you don't need to understand what she is saying.
Here is the York stitch - first beginning, first round and how to start needlebinding the work into a cylinder.
Here is the Oslo stitch, with German speech.
Here is the Asle stitch, with English speech.

Directions for the Coptic (Tarim) stitch, the buttonhole stitch and the Danish stitch

Construction of needlebinded socks

a couple more links:
http://www.nadelbinden.de.vu/
http://www.geocities.com/sigridkitty/
http://www.geocities.com/alixtiberga/index.html
http://www.tkukoulu.fi/~kleinone/neulakinnas/index.html (in Finnish)
http://www.stringpage.com/naal/naal.html
http://www.mielkesfarm.com/naalbind.htm
http://www.angelfire.com/zine/kiarapanther/project/naalbinding.html
http://www.gunnesfelag.se/nalbind.html

Toothbrush rugs
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_fabrics_other/article/0,1793,HGTV_3390_1384948,00.html

About raised embroidery and stumpwork
Information on stumpwork, needle lace and Brazilian embroidery

Medieval Muslim Knitting
Donna Kallner's looped fiber art works

Socks, socks, socks...

I like knitting socks. So I joined 52 pair plunge. I am going to knit a pair of socks every week the next year from June 1st 2008 to June 1st 2009. 52 pairs of socks... My hubby would be just glad, because he prefers hand knit wool socks over anything you can buy from the store, all year round, but luckily I have a big family, so I can start giving everyone socks as Yule presents and so on ;-) (Yeah, now you who read my blog know what you are going to get as present, but you don't know which color LOL)

Also, I joined Summer of Socks 2008 :-) I will be taking sock knitting with me to Finland to celebrate Midsummer :-)

So - what's the Queen of Links to do but give links ;-)

Sock links with links to "good to know" sites
Sockamaniac's links
Another interesting page on socks :-)
Sock anxiety?

how to knit heels

Sock pattern links...
Sock it to me... free sock patterns
Boogie knits free sock patterns and the updated list by "Own Two Hands"
Sole Solution - sock knitters free patterns PDF file

My favorite link - magic cast-on for two socks at a time in circular...

P.S. Don't miss the Crystal Palace Yarns' sock list
P.P.S. Whimsical Knitting has very nice sock patterns, especially somber socks for guys.
P.P.P.S. Sword Queen's Armory has a couple of really nice sock patterns
P.P.P.P.S. SockGuy has also some classics :-)
P.P.P.P.P.S. Unfortunately MAGknits doesn't exist anymore. Internet archive has some of the patterns stored - up to August 2007.

• Tweeds
• Rainy Day Socks
• Shimmer Socks
• Pom Squad
• Jaywalker
• Tech Guy
• Happy Socks
• Slinky Socks
• Molly Baby Socks
• Milanese Lace Socks
• Tropicana
• Bakerloo
• Cinderella and Skywatcher socks - baby booties
• Lombard Street Socks
• Snowflake Lace Socks
• Snicket Socks
• Peeps
• Hourglass Eyelet socks
• Waders
• Falling in Love
• Ruffled Garden

Some of the sock patterns from MAGknits have been saved and published elsewhere. Go to Ravelry to find out.

P.P.P.P.P.P.S. Some sock tags in my blog
Socks, socks and more socks
Sock Wars
Socktober Fest!
Socktober
Ok, it's Socktober after all...
So many rods in fire...
Getting inspired... (Katherine Misegades has a very nice "sock workshop" - working through her "Gusset-heel Gansey Sock")
Free sock patterns on-line
Socks
It's our wedding anniversary today...

Cast On!

Turkish cast on tutorial
Turkish cast on tutorial 2

Wow.







...



I really am speechless. I hate casting on. I loved the cast on presented here: Magic Cast-on For Toe-up Socks, but this Turkish one is really... wow.

Here's a pretty Estonian cast-on. I think it's the Finnish braided cast-on... but Finnish or Estonian - not a big difference. (You could call it Karelian and split the argument LOL)

(Yes, it is, but I don't get it from the first link... )

Another... or is it the same? I don't know. This looks totally unfamiliar to me...

(No, it's not the same - or let's say half of it is ;-) Here's a better explanation.

Looks a bit like "the Old Norwegian Cast-On". Or perhaps "knitted Italian cast-on"?

Also, Italian cast-on is a totally different thing. Yes, it gives a very nice, sharp edge, but is hard to tighten so that the edge doesn't become too tight. And, yes, it's a little tricky to learn.
I like the old Norwegian, though it feels like Norwegian purl... the edge is rather flexible and looks interesting - as if there was two edges... Fascinating.

Actually, the knitted Italian cast-on and the old Norwegian cast-on are the same thing. It's a bit difficult to realize at first, when the techniques look so different, and the results were different. I am not used to English knitting - with yarn in the right hand, and you twist the yarn around the needle by hand, not by needle - so I got a better, more equal edge with the Norwegian style.

Or "tubular cast-on"? Would work perfectly with picot edge :-) I hate doing those too, so this would be a nice one to know.
Here's one with "normal" cast-on help yarn and here's one with crocheted cast-on help yarn that is removed before knitting the edges together.

There's really an ocean of different cast-on methods... I have always taken the long-tail cast-on and thought it was the "only" one there is, hated the fact that there's always too much or too little yarn, fought with the long tails and all that time these different cast-on methods have just been waiting for me out here. :-)

Here's several at KnittingHelp.com with videos.
Here's Knitty's look on the Cast-On part I and part II

Here's some invisible/provisional cast-ons for lace knitters.
Here's a really cute tutorial for the invisible crochet cast-on :-)
Really, you could use the crochet cast-on without removing the yarn.
Or then you could do the "crochet cast-on"...

Disappearing loop cast on for circular work
Emily Ocker's circular cast-on

Now I'm off practising and learning the differences and similarities and I'll come back and explain to you too LOL

P.S. I have always wondered how my big sister makes the purls... she wiggles the needle in a mysterious way, not lifting the yarn over the needle. Now I know it's the "Norwegian purl" and now I know how she does it :-) I keep my style. The only problem with my style (just the same way as the knits, just in a mirror) is that the stitches are turned "wrong". That's apparently the "Combined purl" - and is the most ergonomical way of purling LOL :-) Count that the fat girl knows how to save effort ;-)
(My hubby says it's not that, it's that I instinctively found a way of doing things to save my joints. Sure, it sounds better :-) Nevertheless, I'm really proud of myself :-))

More about stitches

I like stitch samples...

Here's my first collection of stitch links on-line
http://fiberneed.blogspot.com/2006/09/i-have-problem.html

Today I found this: Antique Pattern Library
and there was a book with suggested stitches for knitting vests for men.
Cobble stitch - that is moss stitch - cross stitch, which looks like some sort of brioche, and diamond stitch, which I didn't even understood how it was supposed to be made... I think it's honeycomb brioche, but I'm not quite sure of that...
But I found this very nice collection of brioche stitches.

I also found Angel Hugs Stitch Sampler

Then there's the Walker Treasury Project, which doesn't give the stitches - they are in Barbara Walker's Treasuries ;-) - but gives you some kind of idea of that there are HUNDREDS OF STITCHES - all created with simple twist of yarn on needles... Women's ingenuity and ability to vary is amazing! YAY! HOORAY!

P.S. Craftzine blog had an entry on stitches...

How to do hair

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101 way to tie a tie
101 ways to tie shoe laces
101 ways to tie scarfs
How to dress in scarfs
How to tie a tichel (Jewish women's headscarf)
http://www.tznius.com/cgi-bin/tying.pl

Crocheting bags

We need a bag for dog poop bags, dog candy, tissues and other stuff like that. So I started crocheting it today.
It's very easy - you just crochet chain as long as you want the bottom of the bag to be wide, and start crocheting single crochet round and round and round until the bag is as high as you want it to be. Then you add the handle or cord or what ever you want.
The best thing with single crochet is that you can use it almost like knitting - "purls" are made by crocheting only through the back loop and you can create any guernsey pattern that way. Or use picture dishcloth patterns to get a picture or letters or what ever on the bag.
You can also crochet with color. :-)

While I was doing it, I remembered that my big sister used to crochet big bags at 70's - using rug warp cotton - hard spun - and a filet crochet pattern, probably for a pillow, I don't know (hey, I was born 1969!) and making the bottom of the bag the same way I am making my little pouch. I loved those bags :-)

And then I thought of making a laundy bag by crocheting some pretty bed spread squares, not the lacy ones but those that look more like aran knitting - sewing them into a tube, crocheting about 5 cm (2") straight single crochet and then decreasing the bottom as straight circle... And then crocheting about 10 cm (4") on top and adding a cord so that it can be made into a rugsack and one can carry the laundry to the machine.
One could also use the lacy squares and add a single colored cotton lining to the bag, and get oneself a big bag...

Biting through the list...

Right now I'm making several things at a time...

I started knitting the lacy cardigan, but found it boring, so I started knitting a lacy shawl. Besides, it's a mystery shawl that started a month ago, and everyone else has already made it, so it's a bit hurry... *blush*
(And if that wasn't enough lace, I'm dreaming of these Shui Kuen Kozinski's lace shawls... so BEAUTIFUL!!!)

I am also making a birthday surprise to my sister Vappuleena :-) (Halauksia, jos luet tämän :-) Etpäs tiedä minkä värinen - tai kokoinen tai näköinen tai miten se on tehty... :-D)

Then I visited the Yahoo! crochet group I'm in, and they have a wonderful list of projects... so I printed about 50 pages of "want to do"... There was this wonderful "table top" - a big doily/small tablecloth for Mothers' Day... really pretty. I hope it's easier than the leafy tablecloth I crocheted just a couple of months ago... that was... Pheew!

The I found this: Kaya Wool - Aran Cabled Shrug. I don't know what it would look like on me, but the first impression was "stunning!"

Then there are these two blogs: Croche Croche! and Bem vindo ao Mãos Maravilhosas. So fascinating!

And, of course, visit Ravelry...

One day I will knit myself a Norwegian Lusekofte

Here's also some pretty things...
Jimmy Bean's Wool - Free Patterns

Another one day I will crochet the dodo... or a lot of dodos... a lot of dodos in the Yule Tree... *_*
Or perhaps just Robins... *hmm*

What Ket did?

I went to Stockholm with my sisters to buy some yarn... I really need a cardigan, and there's lovely patterns in KnitScene fall 2006. So I bought some. Very nice and soft Merino wool in fascinating reddish-orangish color.

I am currently knitting the horseshoe cardi from MagKnits... I can't find MagKnits anywhere, so I fear it's gone... :-(
This one is of pink cotton I got from my sister :-) I knit very loose though...

I'm also crocheting a crazy quilt as my hubby calls it - free crochet afghan - of blue and brown cotton-acrylic mix yarns, half with some sort of effect. Not my flavor, but the colors go well together and I'd hate to throw yarn away. Hubby loves the afghan and I don't think it's bad either, so - another success.

I have also been crocheting and knitting dishcloths of all the pure, thick cotton yarn I have. Most of it is leftovers from Little Bear's blankie, so the color combinations are... hmm... interesting LOL My dear hubby said "YOU use those!"

I think that's it for now. I haven't been active in any of my groups nor in the internet. Life isn't too easy right now. I'd really want to write, but don't seem to get my thumb out of... err.... TMI LOL

Hugs,
Ket

I love these bird nest pins!

I'm tired of being tired and sad

So here's some things I have picked from the net

Both Craftzine and Whipup posted this link to Cherry Pickers earrings... Really cute :-D

Bagsket tutorial - how to sew a "basket" out of fabric. Very nice.

Crafster's Dollar Store Challenge... People are so imaginative and innovative! I don't "like" most of the stuff, but all of it is inspiring and ingenious :-)

I am very disappointed...

I joined an Easter basket swap. Sounded like a great thing.

I decided to make it up to two previous swap pals I had failed, so I made three Easter packages.

I sent them on 10th of March, so that they will be sure to arrive before Good Friday.
On 14th I got the first "It has arrived" message.
The second package arrived to New Zealand perfectly straight before Easter.
I don't know what has happened to the third package - the "real" Easter basket swap package. I don't know if it has arrived, or got lost in mail or what. I haven't heard anything from my swap pal.

In fact, my swap pal hasn't "said" one word to me since the end of February, after she gave me her preferences list and address...
I don't know if she has received my list and addy. She hasn't responded to any of my mails.
They haven't bounced, so they went somewhere.
I posted them as replies to her mails, so I assume the email addy was correct and she has got them.
But I can only assume.

The worst thing here is that my swap pal is the organizer of the swap...
She thanks a lot of people in her blog for sending her a hostess gift. I'm not mentioned.

I asked in that blog entry if she has received my package. She hasn't answered.

She has announced another swap.

I am bitter, angry, seriously p'd off... I feel like I was being used, and this person is a person I used to look up upon, as a role model in the Internet crafting community.

I would have full understanding if she lost my mail address, but the thing is that I have left comments on her blog, and those comments have a link to my blog. All she would need to do to get in contact with me was to leave a comment in my blog.

And, frankly, the swap organizer shouldn't loose the swap participants' addies. Sure, accidents happen, but she has organized swaps before and will organize swaps in the future as well.

I would have full understanding if she was late with the package, because I think she's moving right now... Only if she told me what is happening. It's the least one can do, communicate with one's swap pal...

And how will I get any... compensation, sympathy, apologies or something? I was let down by the organizer herself! If she doesn't think it's important enough to communicate with me during the swap, why would she care about finding out if people have been let down and organize swap fairies?
I was the fairy in the swap I arranged.

I am not only bitter and angry. I'm also sad and disappointed... I was really looking forward an Easter surprise...

I'm also confused and worried, because I know "things" happen and I don't know what has happened here.

But this will be the last swap I'll ever participate in my life. It's fun to get packages, but this is not fun at all.

P.S. After I had written this post and left a message in her blog telling her that I don't find the absence of communication and swap amusing, and that if she is so stressed she says she is, maybe she shouldn't be organizing swaps, she suddenly found my email address and managed to get through not only one (9th of April) but two mails - something she said she hadn't been able to do previously >:-> - telling me that I am "extremely pushy and demanding", "unhappy person" and drama queen, that I have no business in telling her how to manage her life, that it's my own fault that I haven't got anything (not even other mails but these "oh-poor-me-bad-you" mails), that her life is so horrrrrrribly difficult right now and how she doesn't "need this negativity" - as if I do - and how mean I am, spoiling her blogging and swapping experience with my nasty comments and unlikable behavior...
Not one word of apology for my hurt feelings and bad experience, only demands to understand and forgive hers...

She also said "If you would have given me the chance I would have posted what you sent as well". It's 12th of May now, and she still hasn't posted "what I sent as well"... What kind of "chance" does she expect to get? A year or two, perhaps?

She also said that she had sent my package "over three weeks ago" - she said this on April 9th, 3 weeks after Easter... I wonder how long she calculated a package from USA takes time to travel to Sweden... it's usually 2-4 weeks. It's quite possible that the package was still traveling from USA to Sweden. Considering that it has been all silent from the post office, I doubt it is coming...

She said she's going to send me another, and I told her not to. I hope she respected that wish of mine, even though I got the impression from the mails that she might just send me a package just to spite my wish... I really don't want to have anything to do with the person.

Do you think I painted her as a monster in this blog entry, like she says? Or as a bad swapper, like I say?

Added 23/3-20 - 12 years later and still, every year, when I see an Easter basket, I remember her and I hate her.