Tag: knitting

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Hook and Needles: Double Knit Wash Cloth

So, what’s on the hook and needles? At the moment, I have one thing going. Double knit wash cloths. Dish cloths are still popular on Etsy. I have some in my shop. But these new ones are a little different.

  1. They are going to be select your own color. The exising cloths are sold as a set but these will be one offered at a time and buyers can choose what color is available.
  2. . These are double knit. Durable and soft for both skin and for household use.

As you can see, the yarn is Premier  Home. It’s 85% cotton and 15% polyester. I will do a yarn review and it will be generally a good one but this is quite splitty.  Be that as it may, it’s also very pretty and the double knit makes for a squishy cloth that will feel good in the hand even if it’s just used on dishes.

Just one project going…for now. I have some design time on the books for tomorrow and I’m thinking of adapting a pattern for a bag into a cowl and then maybe do the bag and have a potential matching set. Thinking about it; it would look great as a cowl.

 

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First Knitting Project

 

The first knitting project seems to be a scarf – but it isn’t. That’s how it was when I learned to knit – before there were circular needles. Actually, that’s not true, circulars were around about 40 years before I was. But still, scarves were the things to make first. But nowadays, the first thing we teach new knitters, is to make a swatch. That swatch can easily become the first knitting project.

A swatch is a block of knitting or crochet that is used to measure gauge – or how many stitches there are per inch with a specific stitch. Usually the swatch measures 4×4 inches. I am not from the ‘start by making a swatch’ tribe. I learned about swatches after I learned to knit. They weren’t interesting to me so I don’t make them. I also don’t teach knitting so I am not going against the new norm nor am I teaching a new generation of knitters to rebel. IF you have to make a swatch, make it something that can be useful.

Using a swatch for its intended purpose provides a need; but what do you dio with it afterward?

  • You can unravel it and use the yarn in the project you’re making that uses that yarn.
  • Save them and create a long scarf or blanket with them. (That will require a great many swatching opportunities.)
  • Make them into coasters or cozies like their knit counterparts.
  • Save them and place them into a personalized stitch/yarn dictionary. You can review the collection every year and toss those yarns which have been discontinued and you no longer have in your stash.

As I said, I don’t swatch – mainly because I don’t want to – but also because I don’t make fitted garments so it’s not a necessity. But I am a little intrigued by the swatch dictionary and I could do something of a swatch compromise by making squares and checking the gauge. It’s not a swatch; it’s a square. 

If you need some ideas on what to make first, check out this article from Spruce Crafts.

 

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Knitting Vs. Crochet

 

Knitting Vs Crochet: do you have a preference?

The debate continues: which one is better? It is an ancient argument.

For the record, knitting is older – way older.

This is knitting.

This is crochet.

They are different – though people tend to use them interchangeably.

I learned them both at the same time but my sister got me some yarn and needles and knitting won out. It would be more than 20 years before I picked up a crochet hook.I was married and learned my mother-in-law had to give up knitting in favor of crochet because of her eyesight and pain in her hands.

It was frustrating because I wanted to make granny squares and ended up with granny cups. Then a friend introduced me to the crochet corner. I made the squares and then the blankets and the sold the blankets in my shop.

Crochet is fun and has an elegance but knitting is my go to. I find there are more things to create with knitting than with crochet. I find the stitching more beautiful.

So I don’t make this post extremely long, here is an article by none other than Martha Stewart to talk you through the differences between the two.

I am gaining respect for crochet. It is faster. Mistakes are easier to fix and the right stitch combinations are lovely. The half double crochet is my favorite and paired with either a single crochet or double crochet, makes a lovely stitch.

But knitting is flat out beautiful. The smoothness of the stockinette stitch and the texture of the bamboo stitch and the fact you can blend the two if them together and make a beautiful fabric is still fascinating to me.

There are two projects going: a knit set of golf club covers and a crochet afghan. The covers have faux cables in them. Cables don’t look good in crochet. They instantly looked dated to me. But the flow of the afghan pattern is lovely and you just want to touch it. Crochet is more sensual because you’re always touching the fabric. In knitting, you are always touching the needles.

I am finding I don’t want to choose between them anymore and I am happy I know how to do both and to design in both.

 

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Hello There

Hello there –

I know. It’s hasn’t even been a week and I’m back. That’s because being on a regular schedule means getting through the calendar to do list faster and that means blog posts will be more frequent. 

Getting back to this kind of normal has been a little disconcerting. I have knitting on the schedule and there will be days when it seems I will be knitting many hours of the day but for now, the sessions have been far and few between and I’ve been catching up on other things.

For instance, my workouts are back. I’ve worked out five times this week. I’m not sure I’ve worked out five times during January let along in a week. 

I don’t even have anything new to show you. I’ve been working on some new stuff. Oh, wait. I do have something:I finished the Basketweave Shawl. The pattern is done and up in designbcb. 

I think I should add more fringe to it and that may yet happen though it is put away and I’m not selling the finished product – so it could all be more of an idea rather than something that actually happens.

I am working on a headband and I’ve tried it on different yarns that have yielded not the best results but I am back to cotton and I think it’s going to stick. The problem is the first and last stitches are somewhat loose and it leaves a messy edge. I’m trying different techniques to get it cleaned up. Cotton is the preferred fiber because these are warm weather headbands. I’m sure if I take it to the YouTube, I will find a solution.

I also did some yarn shopping – which I have now stopped until August and I purchased some Zing crochet hooks – nice but a little disappointing and some Zing double points – looks promising but won’t know until I make a hat. There will be things to show in the future. Right now, be impressed that I did two posts in the same month!

 

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Missing Things

I’ve been missing things. Some little things, like a good  thunderstorm that doesn’t knock over trees and powerlines and leaves the air smelling freshly washed. Some more important things like a church gathering where you can greet each other close up. Civility and not so random kindness. And prayer shawls like this one.

 I haven’t made many prayer shawls this year and no one has inquired about them this season. I haven’t found a substitute color that is as rich in autumn tones as this one and that may have something to do with it.

Autumn as a colorway is very popular which may explain why this hat is selling and being favored I’ve made three of these thing week. I just received two orders for different stocking caps. Stocking caps seem to be a big thing. I created a section for them in the shop.

But the most fun thing that has happened since we were last together was the custom order for a Lenny Kravitz scarf. You know what I’m talking about. Someone ordered a scarf like this one. I had to create the texture stitch and they chose a charcoal gray wool blend. I’ve been working on it a couple of weeks and it’s due to them in five days.

I am already afraid because the knit math has started. No matter how much I knit, it doesn’t seem to get past four feet and this thing has to be somewhere between eight and nine feet long. I originally got seven balls of yarn but I don’t think it will be enough. So I picked up four more yesterday. Certainly that should appease the knit math gods and they will let go of the inches and I can get on with it. I’ve already decided to do a crochet version as well. 

There’s no doubt this is a stash buster. Among the missing things you’ll have is yarn. Pictures to follow.

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2020 Be Like….

2020 be like, I ain’t leaving no one untouched. For me, I lost a friend in an officer involved shooting and we lost our nephew in a bad motorcycle accident. I’ve written about that nephew. He leaves behind four young children. 

There’s far too much to say and nothing to say about both those events. You can share things and then leave them alone.

Knitting has been done. Someone wanted to purchase a warm weather hat and they wanted it in the incredibly beautiful color purple. Look at it. Lush, rich and soft. The hat is made from Red Heart with Love in aubergine.

I’m looking at this color, and I am thinking cables. I need to make something with cables. I love this yarn – I love it better than I love this yarn by Hobby Lobby. It doesn’t have the color depths of ILTY and it costs $1 more but it has more yardage than ILTY and it is softer and fuller. Other than the two skeins I have, I don’t think I have a lot of it in the stash and there’s no reason for me to stock it. I have plenty of worsted weight solids but this is going on the list for the January yarn buy.

There are also some long stocking caps made and I think I have figured out how to take photos with my lightbox in the studio so I don’t have to try and cart all this stuff outside and work on the side of the building. 

 I think every one will be happy to see this year in the rear view. 2021 has to be better. Right? 2020 be like a very hard year.

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Discovery Channel

It’s like the Discovery Channel – Knitsville Edition. Where the folks in Knitsville are putting away the winter clothing and pulling out the summer clothing only to discover some fall clothing no one remembered they had.

That is to say, I have found a number of hats and scarves hiding away in places and there will be some new additions to the shop when I can get around to it all. I’ve also cataloged the ready to ship items and they have new sku numbers and if they weren’t in the shop before they are now.

I am also working on some new stuff that is piled unto on one of the trunks. This  stocking cap is about to come off the needles.All that’s needed is a stretchy bind off and a pom-pom. It can be a little splitty but I can overlook it. There is a review of the yarn right here. 

The move in continues. I still have boxes in the room. Some I’ve opened by couldn’t completely empty until I find something else in another box.That is somehow a good thing. There will be more donations when they start up again. I am discovering yarn I forgot I had. It is kinda ironic I am looking forward to my biannual yarn buy. I know I am not likely to be using it soon no matter what I get so all I will be making is room.

I enjoy cooking in the kitchen. It will be better when the boxes are empty and off the counter. I’ve been ambitious in this new place. I did an eleven hour low and slow roast and I’ve baked some bread – really delicious. Gonna have some right after this. Loving two bathrooms and no stairs.

It’s amazing the things that thrill us. 

 

 

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I’ll Try Something New

I didn’t know what I was going to show you in this post. I had to go to the Google because I thought ‘I’ll try something new’ then had to see if I had actually done it.

There was this:

Lasagna. I haven’t made lasagna in years and it was tasty. I’ve made it twice and the second was better than the first. This does take some time to prepare. The sauce is sooooo good. I did only a small variation. I don’t like ricotta cheese so eliminated that. The recipe is here. 

And then there was this:Doesn’t look like it’s finished but it is: except for the pom-pom. Couldn’t put that on there because the pom-pom maker is at the condo. But as soon as I’m over there, this will a completed hat.

 

 

But wait…there’s more: I started and finished a mask. Pattern was pretty simple and I even wrote it down on paper. I haven’t lined it yet because the cotton and thread and needle are all at the condo. (We move a week from tomorrow.)

There’s more. I finished the Shale Cowl in gray. There’s a few thing sitting in my bag waiting to go over and hang out with the rest of the finished projects and they all need to have their photos taken. I will be over there tomorrow or the next day to get that done.

I made a pork roast using a new recipe. It was good but I cooked the pork too long. My dutch oven really gets things done fast. I will use a meat thermometer next time. All in all, a very good week.

I have a new hat on the needles made with Ice Yarns Tweeds in two colors. I’ve got a toy turtle or tortoise started. The week will be busy and there’s no telling yet but the next post may be from new place! Now, that would be something new.

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Nowhere Fast

If you’re reading this anywhere in the world, I don’t have to tell you about the Coronavirus, Covid-19 pandemic/ I am in Illinois, Chicago, to be exact and we are under sheltering orders until the end of the month – or we were. The governor extended it to the end of May but some businesses are reopening.So I am going nowhere fast.

For me, it doesn’t make that much of a difference because I work from home and my boss didn’t give me any time off.

The condo is filling up with boxes and the move has been scheduled. I am packing/cleaning. I have done some knitting but no photography. But this is what I’ve got thus far: The mittens to match the hat. The hat is at the condo and I haven’t been there since Easter. The Shale Cowl is really pretty and it’s now complete. I have another one in shades of gray that’s about a day away and another hat.

I was not going to jump on the mask train but along with the extended order came the mandatory wearing of face coverings. Might as well make some pretty ones. They aren’t medical grade so I don’t have to pretend they are anything other than pretty mouth coverings. I can make them in cotton or any of the blends or acrylic. 

I did have some sales. A pleasant surprise. If you feel the need to go shopping – here’s my shop.

I was going to take a photo of all my needles. They were all in one place for a hot minute but I packed some of them away and don’t want to pull them out until they are at new place. I had to select a different sleeper sofa. Mr. Honey took measurements and it won’t fit through the space. Picked put a smaller one that costs more – sigh.

Moving is not for the faint of heart. I hope I am doing this again any time soon. Unless I can find a way to be younger. A younger me can handle it.

 

 

 

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Yes and No


Has there been progress made in the move? Yes and No. There’s nothing new in the studio but Mr. Honey and his brother have done the floor in the living room and the hallway. I’ve also done my first product shots at new place.

That’s something like progress. The floor is gorgeous. He and his brother left it covered in sawdust and I got out the vacuum and the Swiffer and it cleaned up great. It’s even more gorgeous than the photo. 

There are boxes in the dining room/kitchen, bedroom and studio but they can’t be unboxed because there’s no place to put the stuff in the boxes and that’s because we haven’t moved the furniture. I didn’t know moving companies were considered essential so I didn’t even think about scheduling them during a Coronavirus pandemic but they are working. Now the floors are done, we can seriously think about doing a shift from living at the house and coming to the condo to living at the condo and going to the house to get it ready to sell.

It’s not quite real yet. I’ve spent time in the studio and even in its present state, I find it comfortable. I like the bathrooms – better than the one in the house. But I still can’t imagine us being here. I think the shift will help with that and get me in the mindset of saying good-bye to the place I’ve lived the in the longest.

In knit news, like I said, I took some photos at new place.

These are not edited but they came out fine. There’s a small patio area – not even big enough to be a patio – can’t set a chair out there though you could get a small gas grill there. But it will work well for taking photos.

Though these have yet to be put up for sale, you can find the available market and beach totes right here at designbcb.

I also completed a hat and a pair of mittens which I will happily share once I get pics of them. 

I also had 3 sales – 2 patterns and 1 order for a hooded scarf. That’s always good news. 

So, not in the condo but getting closer. Decisions made and more packing to do but knitting goes on. Hopefully, there will be more to share next time.