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Try New Things

In my effort to try new things, an effort I did not know I was making, I wanted to make a tortoise from the Knitted Toys book.This has been on my to do list for years. Finally did it after I saw it in one of my online knit groups.

So, I did it. Not the best instructions but I don’t follow them anyway.

It does look patchwork but it’s supposed to be like discs and though I knit discs, they look more like squares. That’s not minor. The discs look cute.I think it’s the way I sewed them together..

I will sell it in the shop. I don’t know if this is something that I would want to do as a custom order. Actually, I know I don’t want to do that. I want it to be scrap work. It takes the time it would take to make a couple of hats so a special order with specific colors might be do expensive to offer for both time and materials. I want to try new things but trying that might be a step too far.

I will be making more pocket shawls. Five to be exact. The yarn is in my possession and I’m ready to go. Can i just say buying yarn that will come in the door one day and walk out the next is not nearly as fun as buying yarn that’s going to be hanging around for a bit.

Work on those begins as soon as I leave you here. So, I’m leaving you here.

 

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A Day in the Life

A day in the life of a pro knitter, well, this pro knitter, is kind of hard to describe. Some days are so busy with no knitting to show for it. Needles can go untouched when there’s behind the scenes work to do.

Looking at my desk, I see a capsule of my knitting life.

Here you see my laptop, where the behind the scenes and the in front of the curtain action happens. Then recycled containers hold knitting needles and crochet hooks. Reusing items is always a good thing and these work well. There’s some yarn and a pair of scissors. I can almost promise when I need those scissors, they won’t be anywhere to be found. And, of course, if you have a laptop, you’ll need to have a tablet near by. it does come in handy.

Do you see the container behind the lemonade container? It’s from Target’s Monster trail mix. I love that stuff but now it’s a little pricey so I don’t eat it.  Mr. Honey put some holes in the lid and I use them as yarn bowls. But this one is a piggy bank. The radio used to be on my bed stand. We don’t have a bed stand anymore so now it’s on the table. Last, but not least, are my glasses. Which I wear just for driving and distance. Oh, there are also some quarters. I thought collecting one from each state would be a good idea. Not one of my better thoughts. The quarters are now in the trail mix piggy bank.

Mr. Honey is working on changing around the closet.We need a solution to because it’s stuffed and unworkable..I knew he was serious when he came in after dinner with his tape measure. He thinks adding another row of shelving will create more chances of organization and since he is better at organization than i, I am willing to let him come up with the solution and I will work within the system.

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Anytime I Want

It appears as if the pocket shawl is now a thing. So, of course, I had to try and make one of my own. OK, I made two. But let me clear, I can stop making this shawl anytime I want. It’s not like I’m obsessed with it.

However, I will make five more because someone ordered them and I do run a business. I decided to do my own pattern and it will be available shortly. I have the photos and the notes. They have to be put together and then it’s a go.

Someone sent me a photo of a pocket shawl and wanted to know if I could make it. There was no need to purchase the pattern, it looked straightforward enough, so i just make my own pattern. The one on the left is the pattern sample. There were some changes I wanted to make to the pattern and I wanted to make one in the fiber I was going to use for the order and made the one on the right. The left is Caron Big Cakes in Cranberry Crisp. The right is Caron One Pound in Mango – color is discontinued. Neutral colors will be used for the order.

Black, gray, cream, taupe and a color to be named later will be ordered once I have the deposit and the fun can begin. It was fun making up the pattern and redesigning the pocket about three times and I think it will look great in the neutrals. But I can stop anytime I want. I can, I really can.

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Might Be Obsessed

I might be obsessed with a new thing. I, of course, have this huge yarn obsession.Resistance to the yarn is futile. But I have also have hooks and needles.

I have straight needles, circular needles, interchangeable and double pointed needles.Then there are acrylic, aluminum, nickle plated, bamboo and whatever Signature needles are made of. I have short crochet hooks, longer ones, bamboo, metal acrylic. Tunisian and afghan hooks, too.There’s even a pair of Knook needles.

I have a Inoxal that I love and wish I could find more to sibling the one that I have. But no such luck there. So, I am going to going to give it an adoptive sibling. My favorite crochet hook. The one Mr. Honey gave me that belonged to his mother.

I do love this hook. And it’s handmade. One of Mr. Honey’s uncles was a master woodworker – what I call a whittler. He made beautiful stuff and we think he made this crochet hook for his sister. It looks to be a 9mm or about a L or M hook. I’ve used it and it works very well. There’s some writing etched or burned onto the end of the hook and it looks like it says size and nothing after it. Making something like this would certainly have been in his uncle’s wheelhouse. The man was great with woodwork.

I might be obsessed enough to ask my friend,Glen, to make me some hooks. He already made me the cross and flame emblem of the United Methodist Church. I’m thinking a set of hooks might not be such a bad thing to have.

No idea how much they would cost and if I would use them. There’s no one in the next generation even interested in crochet. Still, it’s something to think about.

 

 

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The truth is, I haven’t knit all week. I’ve been working but that work hasn’t consisted of making loops for about five days. It’s the other parts of the business keeping me occupied and knitting hasn’t been on the schedule for the past three days – things aren’t looking that great for tomorrow, either.

I’ve been doing stuff of Pinterest.

I’ve been buying yarn:I’ve been listening to podcasts and reading about social media and all sorts of other things that will help me grow the business.

There’s church work – though we are still social distancing – we put up a Black Lives Matter sign on our lawn

 

 

 

 

 

 

and someone(s) decided to slash it A group of young boys saw it and taped it up. We got an offer to have it replaced for free but we decided to keep it up as a symbol that though someone was harmful; we were not destroyed.

So, this page intentionally left blank of knitting projects but it is not void of action and living life. There’s a great deal going on here. I do miss knitting though. I am happy to say that it should be back in the new week. 

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Trip Down Memory Lane

A trip down memory lane can lead to a renewed vision and spark creativity. I would argue this is a good thing for me as I decide what I am going to make after this round of items I have on my plate.

This bag sold in myshop. I remember making it. I finally got to use Lion Brand Thick and Quick. Cables were new and exciting. (They still are exciting) and the color was so rich. This did sell fairly quickly. It helped convince me I was in the right place.

Would I make this bag again? I certainly would and have plans to do so. But – there would be some changes. First, I would line it. I know how to line bags now. Second, I would make a version where it was a tote bag. That means I could lose the fancy handles. I could replace them with knit straps

Lastly, I would change up the pattern (of course). I followed it to the letter.  But that time is almost all gone. I have an idea of how i would change it up and it still includes cables.

BTW, I would still use the Thick and Quick because I have some in the stash somewhere and it’s fun to knit with. One trip down memory lane makes new, fresh memories. I’m looking forward to making this new one.

it will have to wait until August. Knitting is slow this month.The month is more than half gone and I haven’t made everything I am supposed to make. This thing called life is getting in the way. But we are at a real crossroad in this thing and we as a country, a world and a society have some decisions to make. I am involved in making those decisions for myself and my community. If I leave the knitting world behind to make that world better; that is time well spent.

 

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Hat Head

Alas, I don’t have a hat head. There are many who do and I admire them a great deal.

It’s kind of like the dentist’s kid who has bad teeth or the hairdresser’s kid whose head is always a mess. I make hats and design hats but I cannot wear one with any level of cuteness.

Find these and other beanies here in the shop.

Nature had no idea someone would invent a head covering. If she did, I am sure she would have made us all capable of wearing one and looking good in it. 

Some say everyone can wear a hat; it’s just the matter of finding the right one to fit your face. I’m never quite sure of the shape of my face. It seems round but then it seems roundly oval.

I took the time to look up a guide on how to select and wear a hat. It is geared for those over 40. Which I can no deny that I am having left my 40s behind at least a decade ago. 

I fear I will never have a hat head and I am fine with this, truly. It’s not even a thought except on cold winter days. I have a higher tolerance of cold than I do of heat and it will have to be almost single digits before I even think of pulling on a hat and then it’s not that I care about how I look. It’s a product of function. I would put a live sheep on my head if I thought it would keep me warm when it gets cold enough for me to think I should have one on.

The guide will come in handy if you’re wondering how to tote a togue. I am resigned to my fate and will get joy out of helping you look good.

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Never Too Much

There is never too much yarn. Even when I say there is. There really isn’t

This is part of my stash

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is too

stash 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

So is this:

stash 3

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yep:

 

 

 

 

 

 

There’s more at the house. You don’t see all that’s stuffed in the closet. I admire the way Ross and Crystal have their yarn rooms arranged. I just don’t want to do that because I don’t have the mindset to keep it that organized. I’m doing good to have the bins arranged the way I do in the studio. I’m gonna stay in my lane. There’s no need in trying to be something I ain’t and something I don’t want to be. It would be nice but it would not be me.

Even so, there’s never too much.

It’s time for me to buy yarn. I purchase yarn twice a year and I was hoping for Herrschners but the virus stalled their plans but a few friends and I are planning a road trip up there anyway. I am in search of a new basic yarn and it looks like I’ve selected this:

 

 

The road trip to Wisconsin is to pick this up. I may also pick up some other yarns while I’m there but that’s basically it. Maybe some Jeans yarn cuz that’s still my favorite yarn. I just made something from it that I will show to you.

I am also looking to replace the Sugarwheel and I still think that’s going to be with Cakes Blues from Ice Yarns.Ice Yarns may be replacing other Hobby Lobby yarns though the Premier site looks tasty.

Someone may have just  placed an order for some Universal yarn from that site. In the middle of writing this post. Not saying who. But if they did, they will be getting 10 skeins, 5 different colors and the price with shipping comes to $3.00 a ball for wool/acrylic blend pretty colors. Just sayin’. It could have happened.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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My Dreams Continued – Part II

In My Knitted Dreams I showed pics of all these yarns I pulled and I was gonna make so much with them. I didn’t use them. To be sure, my dreams continued and I knit and crocheted a lot in the two weeks since I made that post. I just didn’t make what I thought I was going to make. 

Well, I did use two of the yarns and I made the faux cable hat with both of them but that’s as far as I got. I wasn’t ready to make the faux cable hat. It comes up soon and I was jumping the gun with the other projects as well.

Instead, I used these yarns Lion Brand Jeans, Lily Sugar N Cream and Village Yarn Craft Cotton. You can find them all at Herrschners. The Jeans and Sugar you can find at any of the craft stores that carry yarn.

I made friends with the cotton yarns. There will be gift sets of washcloths in the shop.

Eight things make up this collection: The Market Bag, The Claire Cowl, The Shale Cowl and Textured Washcloth Sets and the patterns for each of them. There still a little over a week to the month. I’m hoping to add at least one more item and pattern. The next item in line is a 2 toned, 2×2 ribbed beanie. No pom-pom, Suitable for men and women. My dreams continued and grew bigger!

There are a ton of finished objects to be photographed and placed in the next Lookbook. Also, working on Dando, the newsletter about gift giving. I did buy a little bit of yarn though there’s more to be purchased. Lots to look forward to showing you.

 

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The Cables I Subscribe To

These are the cables I subscribe to. I gave up cable television years ago because it was very expensive for very little in return. But these cables are very reliable and, technically, they aren’t cables. I did the pattern for my Faux Cable Beanie. These twists are fun to make and I love them in the different colors I’ve knit them in.

This is Yarn Bee Sugarwheel by Hobby Lobby. I lovethe color and I love the yarn but I will be using up what’s in my stock and not buying any more. I understand those who will still support the corporation, I just won’t be one of them. But I love this color. I think I am going to be using Ice Yarn Cake Blues as a substitute. I haven’t used them but I do like the Ice Yarns I do have so I’m having faith.

I did do them in two other colors, each one from Caron Big Cakes: Blueberry Torte and Cherry Compote. Look at that texture. They are loftier than a ‘real’ cable. This twist is made with just two stitches. They almost jump off the hat!

They also hold up to the color and enhances the changes. I don’t what Caron has in mind for new colors for Big Cakes and I hope they aren’t discontinuing them because not only are they a great bargain at $9.99 for 600 yards, but they are also vibrant and lush colors that are fun to make cables with – even the fauz kind.