It's like magic

Hey Kate,

I finished my Mitred Dishcloth last night. It has that lovely garter stitch feel to it and I must get some non-kitchen colored cotton (this was the Bernat Handicrafter Cotton Twists) so that I can make some to use for washcloths. The pattern is completely brainless and like magic! You start off with two sides and bend it up to make a square. The rounded corner is the middle of the cast-on sides. I can see what Ann and Kay are on about.

I am now officially over my cotton knitting phobia. Knitted cotton has such a delicious feeling where crocheted cotton encourages the stiffness and makes it too chunky.

Later!

Robin

My little model

Hey Kate!

I hope your trip back was uneventful and safe! I had so much fun spending the day petting yarn with you, I can't express it.

I finally put the straps on my first knit/crochet design. And I did a terrible job of it, so I'm going to have to re-anchor them. Here's a pic from before they all fell off. Emme never pulls on her shirt, but has been pulling on this one all day. Sigh.

Using Bernat Satin (100% Acrylic but super soft), I just did stockinette in the round according to her chest measurement plus a little bit. I crocheted the edges and did crocheted tied straps -- the ones that don't work. The bottom curls up... overall not a good design, but it was fun to do and it is a usable top. I now want to make a jumper for her, but I need a pattern.

I also finished my crochet case. It is a bit lopsided, but I still love it. The pattern is from my 2006 Crochet Pattern a Day calendar and is crocheted with either Lion Brand Cotton or Lily Sugar'n Cream -- I don't remember which and Recycled Sari Silk yarn -- just odds and ends from my stash.

As you can see, Emme is helping me display the case. She's very helpful that way.

Right now she is running around with her new Xbox 360 hat on (thank you!) which I rescued from her daddy.

And now... well, I gotta go.

Later!

Robin

HA!

Hey Robin,
Betcha didn't think i was gonna write "from the road" didja? Huh huh? I am comandeering Dad's wonderful laptop while he is doing other things... and trying to decide how many of the LYSs listed in the Glendale area actually still exist... and then how many of them i can get to in the matter of a few hours. Hee.

No pics todaybecause #1: I didn't bring my camera... and #2 I can't figure out how to dl pics from Dad's camera to this 'puter. I got lots of action shots of him dancing wearing... the Kilt Hose Toppers that i made for him! Yes. My Dad does Scottish Country dancing, which is a bit like square dancing, though a bit older I would guess. His group had a big shin-dig last night and i got to go watch (no thank you, my two left foots have been declared dangerous, and are not allowed too close to other dancing feet). Too fun!

Oh and I think we're finally going to go see the new HP movie today. Yay!

Can't wait to see ya tomorrow!
Later,
Kate

Instant Gratification

Hey Kate!

I've been crocheting some immediately useful things because, well they are immediately useful and I just love that high of completing a project. Well, who doesn't? It's why we're here.

First of all, I used some of the same cotton that I used to make my dishcloth to make Crochet Dude's Grocery Bag Dispenser (scroll down). If I keep using the same skein to make useful kitchen stuff, it will look like I actually planned a coordinated kitchen project. Ha ha ha ha ha. Ha. Anyway...

In order to make the bag, I needed 5" hair elastic thingies, so I got a big card full of them so I could make other useful things with them.

You see, I have a hard time keeping track of my hair scrunchies. Kira doesn't like me wearing them and makes them disappear after removing them from my head. So I used some of the lovely wool from my purse to make a hair scrunchy that I just found on the floor with either Emme spit or Loki spit on it... Both were lurking in the vicinity. Anyway, I used the City Slicker Scrunchy pattern from the 2006 Crochet Pattern A Day calendar. It was a VERY quick project and I plan to make quite a few more of them, particularly since that one seems to have disappeared again.

My OTK projects remain the same, though I haven't listed the crocheted crochet tools case that I'm working on during Active Emme Time. I re-started the MS3 and enjoyed working on that last night. Unfortunately for the stole but fortunately for other reasons, I have to work hard on my writing job tonight, so I probably won't be able to work on the stole till tomorrow.

Gotta go!

Robin

Let's hear it for the purse!

Hey Kate!

I am finally done with my purse! It doesn't hold very much, but it's big enough for my purposes and can replace this one. I don't know why the pattern called for 45 inches of i-cord because the handle came out quite a bit longer than the one in the pattern picture. But I like the length of the handle and the stretchiness makes it work over the shoulder as needed.

Overall, I love the pattern. I learned many things including button holes and i-cord and some shaping techniques... It's a great project for a beginning knitter who wants to learn some basic intermediate techniques. I had a blast knitting this and I can't wait to use it today.

I also love love love the yarn. It is Wool of the Andes from Knitpicks. I expected it to be similar to the Peruvian Highland Wool from Elann.com, but it was much smoother and less fuzzy. I only have the chunky to compare it to, but I can't imagine the worsted being too different. The Wool of the Andes was lovely to knit with no itchiness and my purse feels smooth and soft and lovely. The colors are vibrant and the price is right. I highly recommend it.

Of course, everything is a hat to Emme, so she tried it on while I knitted the handle.

Well, I have "work" to do and my next FO to choose. Life is good.

Later!

Robin

Anna Russell, eat your heart out...

Hey Robin,

Wow this knitted up fast! It's the Baby Brunhilde kit from Bella Knitting. Uses Aurora 8 yarn from Karabella... oh my my I want to knit something else with this soon. Yummy-licious yarn!!

In case you are wondering... yes, I did try to hide the fact that I stuffed the hat with a balloon and set it on top of my water cup. Hee.

More on Anna Russell...

The Leaves...

...And then there crept
A little noiseless noise among the leaves
Born of the very sigh that silence heaves.
--Keats
Hey Robin!

I am so-very proud of this scarf... i am giddy. I am tempted to wear it today though it is sure to be over 90 degrees and this thing is VERY WOOLLY (wooley?). *Sigh* it's loverly... i am just so happy that it looks as nice as i had envisioned and that it blocked out OK (my first blocked project! yay!). It really opened up when i got it wet. I was very surprised how that went...It still reminds me of the Van Gogh painting... Trees and Undergrowth (1887). Albeit with a bit less green than the paiting... can't wait for Autumn when it will really fit in with the other kids.

Even the back looks neato!

Forgive the little 'woops' bottom-left. I couldn't figure out how to get the blocking wires through those loops. Ah well. I still love it!! (Mystic Creations Yarn, Mother Earth colorway, eBay store purchase and Branching Out pattern by Susan Pierce Lawrence)

Yippee!!
Kate

The Idealist

Hey Robin,

Back when I was young (a week ago) I had promise... talent even... I became too cocky. My hubris would lead me down a path that I have vowed not to take again (until next time). Melanie wasn't kidding... lace-knitting on this magnitude is not for the faint-of-heart.

Fortunately I am not faint of heart... but i might be a little faded-at-the-temples. It isn't helping that Stephanie joined in and finished Clue #1 in a heartbeat. Have you SEEN that video??

I have never frogged a project so much as I have frogged this one! Ack and other-expletives-i-can't-write-down! Finally I managed to get to row 89 and I am currently afraid of picking it up in fear of flubbing it up again. I am taking a picture so that there is PROOF that I made it this far!

Not even done with clue #1 yet, but happy to have that lifeline where it is...

...Next time i'll listen to Melanie. Hee.

Meanwhile this is sitting next to my keyboard wondering what it did wrong and why is it not finished.... Shoosh you! You were SUPPOSED to be done before i started this madness!!

Are there any psychologists available on Sundays?

...later.

Some Lace Enthusing

Hey Kate!

So I finally got my lace yesterday. Woot! As you know, it's the Silk City Supramerino in Robin's Egg and it is so very soft. It is such a pleasure to work with, I wish it hadn't sold out in an hour at Elann.com.

Speaking of which, they sent me a very nice email when I complained about the delay. It is obvious that it is the Post Office who delayed it getting to me, because they shipped it when they said they did.

Last night, I started swatching. First, I used the Boye Interchangeable kneedles in US 4. The cord is so stiff -- even the largest size -- that it was a little tough to knit with. Also there is more friction than I would like on the kneedle itself and the join is a bit rough. The 7s are working out fine on my purse, but for precision knitting, I really don't like them. Happily, the swatch came out too loopy, so I moved on.

I only did partial swatches due to time constraints and I didn't block them. Next, I tried the Knitpicks Classic Circulars in US 3. Love them. The cord is way flexible and the points are way pointy and the kneedles are nice and smooth. The lace came out better and I can use my pretty safety pins as stitch markers. Yay!

Knitting lace was much more fun and less stressful than I thought it would be. I can't wait to get started on the real thing.

Later!

Robin