Yellow Sweater cont.

Now that I've got about a foot of stockinette stitch done on my new sweater back, it's a lot stretchier than I thought and there is a chance it might fit me after all. My guage was a bit on the big side and that slight difference could give me just enough extra space to fit me. We shall see. I'll probably add an inch or two to sleeve length as well, because I have longer than average arms.

The Cost of Knitting

I've seen some lovely knitted items on Etsy.com and people keep saying they are selling their knitting. But I've never been able to sell a single knitted item on Etsy. My prices reflect the time invested, and I see many other knitters only covering the cost of their supplies. They don't seem to add any wage for their time spent. Not all of them, but some of them. I do know one lady that manages to sell $300 hats. But I just can't see selling a handknit hat for $20.00. And I can't compete with those that do. I know they are trying to compete with Walmart/Kmart prices. Or they live in countries where $1.00 an hour is considered a good wage. It's really a no win situation.

Knitting and Cross Stitch

Yesterday I got over to Michael's and got the embroidery floss 791 I needed to finish the Twilight cross stitch quote. I might design some sort of artsy border to go around it and to add more color.

I also started working on that multicolored sweater and did some more this morning. It's knitting up fast on the number 15 knitting needles. After my recent tedious projects it's nice to see so much progress so quickly. It's been foggy out and there is just something so cheery about knitting with bright colors on a gloomy day.

Sweater

I just started knitting a new sweater. The largest pattern size was L and I'm XL so it's probably going to be a gift or go into my Etsy shop. But I thought I'd learn some valuable techniques along the way. It's multicolored acrylic yarn that is mostly yellow. I got the yarn for free and want to put it to good use.

Velona and Kaffe Fassett

Yesterday I was looking up local yarn stores and found this Kaffe Fassette interview at Velona yarn store. http://www.velona.com/items/velona113.html

Kaffe's books are famous amongst knitters and fiber artists.

Checkerboard headwrap

This morning I finished the knitting part of the checkerboard headwrap. And not a moment too soon, as I only had about a foot of yarn left. Then using the same needles I started knitting another one out of Lion Trellis yarn.

That Does Not Compute

Here it is Friday the day after the American Thanksgiving. I'd rather be knitting but my computer is being impossible. For no apparent reason, my computer suddenly goes silent and whatever windows are open at the time just freeze on my screen, and I'm just dead in the water. The only thing that works is to turn the power off and then back on, and even then, it's taking a good 30 seconds to five minutes to kick back on and restart itself.

I spent an hour running a virus scan and just when it was about complete my computer froze again and I lost the scan. So now I'm running a 'quick scan' hoping it gets through before my computer has another seizure.

If I had to choose between computer problems and knitting problems I'd go with the knitting problems.

Vintage Book

Someone gave me some vintage knitting pattern books, so I'm trying out a bit of those on the new yellow and navy project I started yesterday. I had gotten through the first row of the pattern repeat when I spotted something fishy. So I tried to rip back to just that spot, but then I dropped another stitch, and eventually took out 3 rows, and tried again. Now an hour later I'm about to the point where I made the mistake the first time. Part of the problem is I'm using two strands of yarn and have to knit into the back of every other stitch so it's binding up a bit. Still, onward and upward.

Two strands together

I was cleaning and came across some navy yarn and some gold yarn. So I cast them on together on some rather large needles just to see how it would look. Sometimes I like knitting nothing in particular just for the heck of it.

Knitted headband with squares

Still working on this one but thought I'd share a few photos.

PLARN

I'm writing an article on using Plarn, or plastic yarn. Yarn that's made from cutting up plastic bags. So I need to make some samples for the article. I started a hat many moons ago, but I'm not sure where it ended up. So I'll start afresh on something new.

Another headband

I couldn't resist starting a new headband today in a checkboard pattern in pink camo yarn. If it turns out I'll share how I did it.

Getting Organized

I just spent over an hour sorting a tote bag full of tangled yarn projects. It had a hipband in progress, a finished pink snood, a Christmas scarf almost finished, a doll I started about 15 years ago, several balls of yarn that didn't seem to go with any of the projects, 2 crochet hooks, a circular needle, 2 stitch holders, and other odd bits. Now they are all hanging safely on hangers in the hall closet.

Projects Revisited

Here are photos of an original tube top I knitted a while back.
Projects like this are a great way to use up small bits of your favorite yarn.

Prayer Shawl Update 2

I worked on my prayer shawl tonight. Remind me not to try that again without wearing my reading glasses. Hard on the eyes with those little stitches. But at least I made some progress.

Yarn & Needles Tip

If you are working with a yarn that plies loosely, in other words, it keeps seperating, use needles with blunter tips to keep from splitting the ply. With any new yarn test it out on the needles you plan to use, and if it's a hassle make another choice before you've invested lots of hours in fighting with it.

Prayer Shawl

I have been knitting a prayer shawl for my aunt, who has stomach cancer. I get depressed when I work on it so I'm not doing that much on it at the moment. It's a pearly gray color and it's a lacey pattern in a triangle shawl.

Here is the pattern if you are in need of such a thing. Triangular prayer shawl.

Knitting Blogs and Pricing Your Knitting

I just realized I have three different knitting blogs. This one of course, then one on loom knitting and one on freeform knitting. I must really like knitting.

Today I got into a not very pleasant discussion in the Etsy chatroom about how it hurts all knitters when someone prices their items too low on Etsy. I know buyers can't understand why hand knitted items cost so much but they don't knit and haven't a clue how labor intensive it is to do even the simplest of knitting. Then you start tossing in cables and handspun yarn and beads, and the price goes up and up. But it's hardly fair to expect someone to offer a hat for sale that took them 10 hours to make for $20.00, now is it?

One lady asked how much she should charge for knitting a custom sweater. And I said I can't tell you, but you have to factor in how fast you can knit, the cost of yarn, buttons, and trim, your hourly wage (yes you should have one, you have to eat too), and how much time it takes to fix mistakes because you are working with a new design and there will be mistakes.

Free Head Wrap Pattern for beginners

Today I am knitting a head wrap out of Homespun that is 2x2 ribbing and 14 stitches wide. You can make one too.


Supplies:
Pair of knitting needles in a size you are comfortable with
Yarn that feels soft against your face
Yarn or tapestry needle.

Stitches you need to know: Knit and Purl
You must also know how to cast on and cast off.

Cast on 14 stitches.
Knit 2, Purl 2 until you reach the end of the first row.
Turn
Purl 2, Knit 2 until you reach the end of the 2nd row.

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until the piece is long enough to form a tube around your head.
Cast off.
Use yarn needle to sew narrow edges to each other using an overcast stitch or your favorite joining stitch.

Optional: Sew on an artificial flower or decoration.

Put head wrap on, take photo, and send me your picture and I'll add it to my blog.

Pattern copyright 2008 by Fayme Harper
For non-commercial use only.

Need help learning to knit? My favorite site is http://www.knittinghelp.com.

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