Category Archives: Knitting

Sticks and string.

Yoga Socks

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Evelyn’s birthday was last month so I made her some yoga socks. I didn’t use a pattern. Instead I did a gauge swatch and measured around my foot to figure out how many stitches to cast on. I based the design on the yoga socks Abbey made me. Basically it’s a sock without a toe or heel. We have similar sized feet but I went with a 1×1 ribbing to make them stretchy.

That picture doesn’t reflect the color quite right. Here’s another.

They fit and she likes them. Yay!

Pattern: Yoga Socks
Source: me
Yarn: stash
Needles: 4.0 mm needles
Size: custom
Modifications: N/A
Started: Dec 2011
Finished: Dec 2011

Strawberry Purse

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Leila, my friend Sera’s daughter, has a birthday this month. I have a tradition of making her a handmade item as a gift. On Facebook Sera had posted a picture of her in a Strawberry Shortcake dress and she was ecstatic. As soon as I saw it I knew she needed a strawberry purse to match.

I found the Girl’s Strawberry Purse Pattern on Ravelry.

It’s super cute! I altered the pattern some-I knit a row of k2tog, yo to create holes for an I-cord drawstring. And I lined it with cotton fabric from an old tshirt.

Sewing the yellow yarn into little seeds took awhile but it was totally worth it. A pic of the innards:

Leila loves her new purse! Yay!

Pattern: Girl’s Strawberry Purse
Source: Ravelry
Yarn: Lamb’s Pride
Needles: 6.0 mm needles
Size: N/A
Modifications: some, see above
Started: Jan 2012
Finished: Jan 2012

New hat and scarf for a new year!

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I have been wearing my REI wool hat for years. It’s cute and warm but as a knitter I wanted to wear something I made. So at the end of December I decided I needed a new hat and scarf for the new year.

I bought this Noro Iro several years ago at a big yarn sale. The colors are fabulous. I was in one of my moods where I didn’t want to follow any patterns and wanted near instant gratification. I wanted ribbing for the cuff in a complementary color. The pink Lamb’s Pride just kept calling to me. Though I’m not normally a pink girl I trusted the Knitting Muse.

After the ribbing I just knit stockinette until it was tall enough. I used Kitchener stitch to bind off. Then I added big tassels in and ode to Red from Fraggle Rock.

To add more flair I crocheted a flower and sewed a recycled button in the center.

For the scarf I decided to knit a Noro striped scarf. I alternated between two balls of Iro. Watching the colors stripe was so fun while knitting. I added fringe to match the hat tassels. If you look close you can see Sieben’s nose.

Granola joined us for the photo shoot.

I love my new accessories! I’m calling them the Pinktastic Hat and Scarf.

Pattern: Pinktastic Hat
Source: me
Yarn: Noro Iro, 1.5 balls
Needles: 6.0 mm needles
Size: custom
Modifications: N/A
Started: Dec 2011
Finished: Jan 2012

Pattern: Pinktastic Scarf
Source: me
Yarn: Noro Iro, 1.5 balls
Needles: 6.0 mm needles
Size: custom
Modifications: N/A
Started: Dec 2011
Finished: Jan 2012

Monster Bag will eat you!

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I’ve been wanting to make a Monster Bag for years. In December I saw another one on Craftster and got re-inspired.

RAWR!!!

This is definitely one of the most fun projects I’ve ever knit. After looking at pictures of monster bags on Ravelry and Craftster I decided to make up my own pattern as I went along. I used acrylic and fun fur yarn for the body and knit it in the round.

Knitting in the round pushed the fun fur to the inside of the circle so before starting the flap I turned the bag inside out.

Abbey loved the monster bag idea when I told her so we decided to do it as a knit along. She’s making hers out of brown yarn. We decided the purse straps should be the monster’s arms.

It was her idea to use kids gloves for the monster’s hands. Brilliant! I found the gloves stretched so before attaching them I decided to put a piece of felt inside for stability. I put a snap on the gloves. I suppose I could have just sewn them together and may do that in future versions. (How could I not make another?!)

For the teeth I cut out two pieces of felt, sewed them together and turned them inside out.

I did the same thing for the tongue.

I sewed the lining, teeth and tongue to the knit fabric.

For the eyes I used buttons. I sewed them on with the flat side up and super glued the wiggly eyes onto them.

Monster Bag tastes the kitty…

…and decides he tastes so good he needs to nom him. Granola seems unperturbed.

Monster Bag also gives Sieben a lick:

For the lining I used polka dots. I love polka dots-they’re so cheerful. I put in plenty of pockets and have room for all my purse goodies.

It feels like I have a Muppet on my arm. I can’t wait to debut it around Taos!

Pattern: Monster Bag
Source: me
Yarn: green acrylic and green fun fur yarn
Needles: 6.0 mm needles
Size: custom
Modifications: N/A
Started: Dec 2011
Finished: Dec 2011

Making presents

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Last month I made some presents. I made my friends Grant and Megan reusable grocery bags. I used my own pattern for them.

Grant gave me upholstery fabric that used to be part of his late father’s living room recliner. His Dad Ralph was an awesome guy. So funny and so sweet-just like Grant though he’d never admit to the sweet part. I used one of our old pillowcases for the lining so the whole bag would remind Grant of people who love him.

For Megan’s bag I used recycled fabric. She sometimes goes by Bee so I put a flower and bee detail on the bag for her.

Megan’s father recently died. As is often the case around death the family was in a state of stress. So in addition to the grocery bag I decided to make her son Logan a hat. And I let him pick the colors.

They’re in MO so I couldn’t try it on him while knitting. I went with the Hothead pattern since it’s nice and stretchy. It fits him great and he loves it.

Here’s Granola helping with laundry again.

Pattern: Grocery Bag Gifts
Source: my own pattern
Medium: sewing
Started: Nov 2011
Finished: Nov 2011

Pattern: Hothead
Source: Stitch ‘n Bitch
Yarn: stash yarn
Needles: 4.5 mm needles
Size: medium
Modifications: none
Started: Nov 2011
Finished: Nov 2011

Xmas Stocking

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I made this Xmas stocking for a knitting class that ended up not happening.

Bummer about the class but still it was a good exercise in design. The pattern is my own.

The toe and heel are both a short row construction. The cuff is seed stitch with an I-cord loop attached.

I plan to officially write this pattern up soon.

Pattern: Xmas Stocking
Source: me
Yarn: Lamb’s Pride Wool, 3 skeins
Needles: 6.0 mm needles
Size: NA
Modifications: none
Started: Nov 2011
Finished: Nov 2011

A new flower hat

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I made another felt flower hat. Here’s my friend Alex modeling it:

This time I did several different colors for the petals.

This hat is currently for sale at Weaving Southwest. Want a felt flower hat? Email me at twilly23 @gmail .com

Here’s my orange muffin looking adorable:

Pattern: mash up of several patterns
Source: N/A
Yarn: Lamb’s Pride Worsted Wool, 7 skeins, some partial
Needles: 6.0 mm
Size: custom
Modifications: N/A
Started: October 2011
Finished: November 2011

Dog sweater

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I got my first commissioned knit piece-a dog sweater. Lori hooked me up.

Dog sweater

I found a free pattern on Ravelry-King of the Beasts (Lion) Dog Sweater The pattern was pretty easy. I altered it by doing a turtleneck instead of fringe and skipped the tail part. Other knitters on Ravelry mentioned how big this sweater turned out so I made a large and made the underneath part extra skinny.

Dog sweater

Lori had an old sweater from the dog and my new one matched up great.

Chaos knitting bag

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I’m behind on blogging several things-last year’s AZ trip, Taos Open, Taos Wool Festival, Occupy hats-but I just finished a new project that I’m super excited about!

This is my new knitting bag. My old bag was showing some wear and had gotten stained. I’m going to use it as a grocery bag. The new bag is made from my handspun Chaos yarn.

The lining is one of the last pieces of clothing I grabbed from the Taos Free Box before the town decided to shut it down-sob. There’s talk of trying to save it and I hope something can be done.

The strap is a nylon belt from one of Thebes’ old pair of pants. The sewing thread and snap are the only new items; everything else is recycled.

Now I have a matching set-my new knitting bag with my Chaos Yarn notions bag.

Don’t they look cute together?

Here’s a close up of the Chaos Yarn:

I love my new bag!

Sieben joined me for the photoshoot. He’s so cute when he brings me toys:

Pattern: improvised
Source: me
Yarn: my handspun Chaos yarn, 2 balls
Needles: 12.0 mm needles
Size: NA
Modifications: none
Started: Fall 2011
Finished: Nov 2011