Voyager's Cap

I need to knit a voyager's cap. Also known as a liberty cap. There is a certain someone who wants one and his birthday is coming up in January so shhhhhh.

The Mitered Blanket & My Knitted Scarf Tutorial

This project intriques me: http://www.shellykang.com/all-about-the-blankie. I might have to give it a try and use up some of this yarn before it strangles me in my sleep. I'm not sure I have all that much sock weight yarn sitting around though, and if I did, wouldn't I be knitting socks out of it?

And speaking of socks, I just bought a booklet called Patons Stretch Socks Sweet to Your Feet, but the yarn is so expensive I haven't bought it yet. I don't really need a $16 pair of socks, that I have to make myself. But if I am judicious with my 40% off coupons from Joann's I might get some of the yarn called for in the book by Patons.

I finished my scarf tutorial today but didn't get it sent to the editor in time. The three hour time difference is killing me. About the time I get in full stride they are closing and going home for the night. Still, I hung in there and got the file sent to them. They'll just have to deal with it on Monday morning. At least it's off my plate for now.

Another FIrst

Yay! AllFreeKnitting  is up and running and the editor said I'm the first tutorial on their channel. http://www.youtube.com/user/AllFreeKnitting So drop by and watch my 'How to Purl" video. I'm sure they'll have more tutorials up soon. I'm sending them another one today for a holiday scarf.

All Free Knitting Dot Com

The people at AllFreeKnitting.com have offered to sponsor my knitting videos, so now I hope to be making two videos a week. I'm so excited. They've already approved my list of projects. They want a few technique tutorials first though. So if you are just learning how to knit I hope you'll follow my blog because I'll be embedding those tutorials here too for my readers.

It's a win win situation. I drive traffic to their site and they drive traffic to mine. They pay me a small bit to do that, so it helps me to keep going as an artist. Youtube is wonderful in that way. And because someone is actually expecting me to make tutorials, I'm much more motivated to make them and design new projects.  And then I have to finish more projects too, because what good is a tutorial if they don't teach you how to finish the project?

They are also interested in knitting loom tutorials, and I've had a lot of requests for those in the last three years. So if that's your interest, please find my loom knitting blog and follow that one as well. There are only so many hours in the day, so I don't have time to embed every tutorial everywhere, but I'll give you all a heads up as time allows.

Hat and Photo Props

I'm making a bunch of hats and baby cocoons and other photo props for my daughter's new photo studio. It's right in downtown San Luis Obispo, CA. We are all so excited for her! And she is also expecting, so she'll get to try out all the props on her son.

I'm making a striped long tailed pirate hat for babies right now in black and white. I've always loved black and white together. I don't know why I don't do more things in black and white. I used to be a mime...you'd think I'd have tons of black and white items.

Vampire Mitts

I'm working on a pair of blood red, almost brown vampire mitts (fingerless gloves).
I started off with casting on 48 and then doing 2x2 ribbing for 15 rows. Then I switched to stockinette stitch. The needles are size 7. If the pattern comes out I'll list it for sale in my Etsy shop.

Muliticolor Wrap

I just started knitting a multicolor wrap in the Kaffee style. There are 9 colors in the first row alone! I'm good for about 3 rows and then I need to uncross my fingers and my eyes. I need to rummage through my stash and find 3 or 4 more colors. I'd love to add a turquoise and an olive or light green.

Right now is the cool time of day in my backyard, so I'm going to take my knitting out there.

Comments and Spammers

Because of one very relentless comment spammer, I've now turned off comments. If you want to contact me you can email me at pigglewiggins at gmail dot com or look for me on Ravelry under the knitabitofmagic name. Someday that spammer will get a clue and go away, and then I can put my blog back to comment mode.

Catnap

Gee I wonder why my yarn bag is on the floor. Gee I wonder where my cat is.

Cat v Wool

Since I'm on this new year long project to only wear things I've made, embellished or repurposed, I need to knit myself some socks. Though I have knitted socks in the past I think I gave all those away or wore them out. So today I got some sock yarn.

I also got some wool for felting. When we got home from the store I left the bag on the couch, and went out to the garage to put in some laundry. So that took ten minutes tops. I came in to find my cat had pulled the only ball of wool yarn out of the bag. He had already gotten the band off of it. And he was now proceeding to put himself into the middle of the ball of yarn one loop at a time. So after my boyfriend unwrapped the cat, I put the yarn up on a high shelf.

Hopefully tomorrow I can get started on those socks.

Yellow Confetti Sweater

Since I'm on a quest to finish lost projects, I thought it was high time I finished my yellow confetti sweater. So I got it out of the bucket and it's sitting here as I stitch it up. I've done the shoulder seams so far. I still have to set in the sleeves, sew the side seams and weave in all the ends. I'm trying to figure out if I have anything else I can wear with it. I want to put together an outfit for the Fatshionista Flickr pool I'm in. That site has put the fun back into planning my wardrobe.

Update: I'm all done and it fits me. If I make another one I'll add even more length to the sleeves and make it a little less snug. But considering I started it in Dec. of 2008, and I've gained some weight, I'm lucky it fits at all. Which is another reason to finish projects in a timely manner, so you don't outgrow them before they are done.

Skinny Black Knitted Fashion Scarf

I love knitting long skinny scarves. I found this one I'd already finished so I listed it on Etsy. I have some big bags of projects I just dragged out to the patio to sort. In one there are 2 tychus hats that need to be finished, and a pumpkin hat and a gob of other things. So I better get back out there and make some progress before it gets dark.

Ponchini or Capelet in Covered Bridge Red

Yesterday I started making a ponchini/capelet thing out of Homespun yarn that I got off the free table at the All Things String knitting event at El Dorado Park. I knitted like a mad woman until 2 AM and finally had to call it a night. I think I can finish it in two more rows, only now I'm thinking a black border would look nice and I don't know where any black yarn is off the top of my head. So do I finish it right away, thus assuring it gets done and doesn't fall into the project black hole, or do I shelve it until I can find some black yarn in this mess I call home?

All Things STring Knitting in Public Day

Renata hosted a great bash. You can reach All Things String at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AllThingsString/

Rocking Horse Knitted Panel

Right now I'm knitting a rectangular panel with a rocking horse on it. I'm not sure what it's going to be but I was in the mood to knit something from a chart. In fact last night I knitted so much my hands were too sore to knit today at all, so I made earrings instead.
The important thing is that I made something, right? Maybe I can knit again tomorrow. I wish it wasn't midnight. I still have lots of things I want to do.

Knitting outdoors

I knitted this a while back and it got stuck in a bin.

Jumbo circular needles

Shrug on the jumbo needles.

I sure hope I have enough yarn.

During breaks on another project I got some knitting done today. This shrug is about half finished. I just hope the yarn doesn't run out before it's wide enough to go from wrist to wrist. Sometimes I wish I lived in a yarn store.

I used to teach knitting at Michael's. I would love to have some knitting students again.

Knitting Event

On June 19, 2010 at El Dorado Park there is an event that combines World Juggling Day and Knit in Public Day. It's at an archery range. So I'm going to take my hoops, juggling equipment, archery gear and knitting supplies. There is a small fee to drive into the park. I think it's $7.00. Bring something to share at the potluck as there are no food booths. We are on our own. If you do not live near Long Beach, CA you can check the IJA website for other World Juggling Day events near you.

Brown Knitted Scarf on Jumbo Needles

I finished the brown scarf and got it listed on Etsy. So good to be making some forward progress. This was one of the last two balls in the Tall Mouse store at the 90% off sale. I just heard they are liquidating another one of their stores as well. Then there will only be one left.

Anticraft Book

Today I went to Art Supply Warehouse and in the parking lot I told my boyfriend, "I'm going inside to see if I can find any more of those $5. books." And a few minutes later I had in my hot little hands this book on sinister knitting. I've never seen it before. The only reason I could find for the low price was it was a bit shopworn, and it was the only copy they had left. So I snagged it right up. How can I resist a book that tells how to knit and crochet things like floggers and handcuffs? Score!

On Sunday at the archery meeting, someone had tied together a bunch of twigs and found objects with some pipe cleaners. After staring at it all day we couldn't decide if it was art, or a dream catcher or what, but I couldn't resist adding a bit of spontaneous knitting done on large needles in a heathery purple yarn and interlacing it through the branches. Then I added a tassel. Various people commented on my addition saying it went from sinister to more friendly. I wonder if it will still be there next month. I hope it is and I hope other people added more to it. I wish I'd had my camera with me.

What's a Ponchini?

I literally bought the last two skeins of yarn left in Tall Mouse at their 90% off liquidation sale. The day before at their 80% off sale they still had about 20 skeins left. I wish I'd grabbed them then because they were gone the next day. But I did pick up 5 knitting books and 3 pairs of big knitting needles.

One of the books I got was a crochet book on making Ponchinis. I'd never heard that term before and had to look it up online when I got home. Evidentally it's the same thing as a capelet. But it looks like fun to make.

I used my new skein of brown yarn with a silver metallic thread and the size 17 Clover needles I got to start on a scarf. It's about 3 feet long already. I don't normally wear brown. So I'll probably put it in my Etsy shop or gift it to someone.

Multicolored Knitting on Straight Needles

The multicolored knitting I started yesterday. I got to work on it a bit more today. I think I may make a hat or a headwrap out of it. A vest would be nice, but I don't have enough of this yarn.

Pastel Baby Booties

Here is my daughter with the baby booties I knitted for her.

Ravelry

If you are on Ravelry, please add me as a friend. http://www.ravelry.com/people/knitabitofmagic I haven't done much on that site yet, but then I found out one of my real life friends is in it so I'm sure I'll be using it a lot more now. And maybe if I start keeping track of my projects over there I'll get more of them finished.

I was looking at sock yarn yesterday at Joanns. It looks like the socks would be $10 a pair to make. I can't say I've ever spent $10 on a pair of socks in my life. But the yarn is lovely. I have a thing for self-striping yarn. So if any of it should ever come my way via birthdays or holidays, I wouldn't turn it down.

Knit a Bunny Rabbit

I'm designing a new bunny rabbit. So far I have his head, ears, and half his body knitted. He is purple. My fingers were getting pretty worn out last night so I had to put the bunny down. It's so hard to stop isn't it? But I don't want to injure my hands again. They've been doing pretty well lately.

This is a prototype. That means there is no existing pattern. It's trial and error. People wonder why one of a kind items cost more. It's because so much time is invested in research and developement. I may have to make four or five of these to work the bugs out. A prototype item will always take a lot longer to make than something done in assembly line fashion.

Knitting Event June 19 at El Dorado Park

My friend Renata said that on June 19th 2010 we are meeting again to celebrate World Juggling Day and a knit-a-long at El Dorado Regional Park in Long Beach CA. There is a park entrance gate that was $8 to drive in last time I went but other than that the event is free. Jugglers, knitters, spinners, weavers and archers are all welcome. The archery range is right there. We will be under the trees at the back of the archery range (by the street). There is no nearby street parking so I recommend carpooling or paying the gate fee. The last time I went it was a potluck, so you might want to bring food to share.

Teach a Friend to Knit

Tomorrow I'm going to teach my friend to knit. I printed up a few pages of basics so she has some reference material when she gets home, because she can't kidnap me. I read once that most people learn to knit an average of 7 times before it sticks with them. That's because we stop knitting for months or years at a time. But if you do it a few times a week you'll remember it.

Mock Cable Pattern

I wanted to add a bit of knitting to a frou frou peach colored scarflette I'm making. So I found a mock cable pattern to try and made a swatch of it in bright white. But although the piece will fit in the space I have for it, the bright white is just too jarring next to the peach  and ivory tones. So I will save that piece for another project and make another one in ivory when I have time again.

Ravelry

I just joined Ravelry http://www.ravelry.com/people/knitabitofmagic and I really like it so far. They kept mentioning it on the Knit and Crochet TV series and I finally remembered to go look for it.

Bunny or Bear?

I actually found some nice Caron yarn at the dollar store. So I took the color Mulberry Mist and started knitting a teddy bear. Then I thought that since it's almost Easter I might knit a bunny. I'm starting with the feet and the ears come last so I still have time to mull it over. I'm using a technique with straight needles where you cast on 8 stitches, pull out some yarn from the skein for a butterfly bobbin, and cut the yarn.

Then using the main skein, cast on another 8 stitches. That way you knit both feet at once and they come out even without any guesswork. This technique can be used to make dolls or humanoid forms of teddy bears, bunnies, and so forth. Eventually you join the feet together and knit the torso. Then cast on enough yarn before and after the torso for the arms. Maybe this is hard to visualize but I'll take photos as I go along.

Last year I knitted my grandson a bunny rabbit for Easter. I'm thinking of giving him another one this year and starting a tradition of a new bunny each year.

Update:
I've decided to explore the bunny idea. I'm calling this the All-in-One-Bunny because it's made all in one piece. I didn't invent this techinique. I learned it about 30 years ago. And it was a doll, not a bunny.

Here you see the two feet knitted side by side in garter stitch. (Knit every row).

Keep going with the legs until they are the length you want.

When the legs are long enough, working from the right side, knit straight across to join.

Switch to stockinette stitch and continue with torso.

Here I've worked on the torso and added a few purl stitches to make a belly button. It's almost long enough to add the arms.

'to be continued'

Knitting a Goblin Hat

My hands have been in pain so it's put a serious damper on my knitting. So I've decided to spend some time mentoring new knitters instead of knitting myself. I did do just a bit of knitting on a hat band this morning for a knitted cap I've come to call the Maize Hat. The band is the easy part, so if I can just get through that I'll have a new goblin hat. Yay! It's raining today so it's a good day for knitting.

Mother Bear Project

As soon as I get paid again for something I'm going to send for a knitting teddy bear pattern for the Mother Bear Project. They've given nearly 50,000 teddy bears to children with HIV/Aids in Africa and other places. All bears are made from the same pattern, and either knit or crocheted. I'm just ordering the pattern because I already have yarn and needles. Just the pattern is $5.00. If you need a whole kit, it's $20.00. If you are near Anaheim CA it would be great to have a group gathering for bears. What do you say? http://www.motherbearproject.org/

More Reasons to Knit

Lucky me, I was going through some old magazines, and I just happened upon a Vogue Knitting from winter 2007 that's full of Valentine's Day ideas. So I started straight away knitting a heart motif in black yarn that I will probably put on a T-shirt and let the shirt show through the lace part. And I got that idea from the TV show http://knitandcrochettoday.com/ rerun where they featured circular crocheted motifs around the neckline of a t-shirt. My imagination grabs things like that and just runs to the knitting needle organizer.

In other news, just before Christmas I started knitting my daughter a baby cocoon and a few days ago she called to say she's pregnant with her first child. Now I definitely have to finish that cocoon because they work best for baby photography when the baby is 0 to 3 months old. And I never told her I was making it so it will be a surprise for sure. (Unless she reads my blog). But she's far too busy right now for blog reading.

Drop Spindle Dyeing Wool

I dyed some wool in Kool-Aid and I'm amazed at how vivid the color is. It is harder to spin though. A spinner on Etsy said that when you dye yarn it can compact and be harder to spin. So I think I'm going to spin first and then dye. Does anyone else have thoughts on that?

Drop Spindle Making Yarn

I got to work with the drop spindle I made from a toy car wheel and a dowel. The video I saw on youtube gave me some useful tips, so I was able to make better yarn than I have in the past. I had less breakage and a more consistant size than I used to have when I was using trial and error. And now I know how to ply it and wet it and hang a weight on it to dry, so I can eventually even knit with it. That's where I was stuck. Once I had a bobbin full of single ply yarn that would go to pieces if I let the tension off, I had no idea what to do next. Thanks to all you out there that are making free tutorials for people like me.

This spindle is a top whorl  job. But I also made a bobbin whorl to try next. Then I can dye some roving to make my plied yarn more interesting. Sooner or later I'm going to be able to knit with this stuff. I'm looking forward to that.

Maize Bonnet

First thing this morning I worked on a bonnet I'm knitting. It is a maize colored yarn for the background with a little Fair Isle work on the surface. The white yarn is a bamboo and acrylic blend, and it's been too soft and fussy. I won't try that again. Not all yarns play well together. Used by itself though, it will make the softest pair of baby booties or a baby cocoon. I've been wanting to try a baby cocoon on the Knifty Knitter loom. But I don't want to get too far ahead of myself. I need to finish a few other hats I already have started.