I’m knitting again!

5/13/2009

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything about knitting. I’ve been trying to do more knitting lately and decided to devote myself to knitting a hat for my mom. She’s been asking for one for more than a year now so I needed to get off my butt and just start working! (Actually, I guess I can knit and sit at the same time.)

This is the pattern: Robin’s Egg Blue Hat. It’s terribly cute, pretty easy and has so much potential for personality due to the button detail.

This is my first project to use a seed stitch too, so it’s great practice. Also, the use of 10.5mm needles to get gauge makes this hat “fly off my needles” as they say.

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So, it’s been more than a month since I started writing this post. I’m now finished with my hat!

The button is from As Cute As A Button. I still have to send it to my mom, but hopefully she likes it!

Gray Button Hat on Ravelry

What do you think?

Knits for Needs: Use your stash for charity

As soon as I decided to learn to crochet, I began collecting yarn like a maniac. A ball of this, a skein of that. I have tons of mismatching yarn and scraps leftover from projects sitting in my closet.

I started following @KnitsforNeeds to help myself find some new projects and inspiration because I haven’t been knitting or crocheting much lately. Knits for Needs is a charity that you can donate knitted and crocheted items to throughout the year to help those in need.

Most recently, Knits for Needs has posted about Prayer Squares, four-inch knitted or crocheted squares used while praying. Prayer Squares sent to Knits for Needs will be sent to Knit Wits who attach charms and prayers to the squares before donating them to chemo patients in cancer centers. These Prayer Squares are great for using up leftover yarns and yarn you just don’t know what to do with. Soft yarns will work best as they’ll be more comfortable to hold (- don’t use wool). For more information, read Knits for Needs Prayer Square blog post and/or join in the discussion on Ravelry.

I’ve started my Prayer Square and will post pictures when I’m finished. Is anyone else working on Prayer Squares? They’re a quick and easy project that will help give someone a little comfort, so I urge those of you that knit or crochet to start a Prayer Square and send it to Knits for Needs.

Things that have been keeping me occupied

Tea, of course.

Keeping my plants alive.

Occasional knitting (with the softest yarn ever!)

My new otocinclus who cleaned the tank all by himself!

And last but not least: reading. I’m in between 7 books… I must have ADD. (My current reading list)

What are you drinking, knitting or reading? What’s occupying you?

Fuzzy Bunny Baby Hat

I finally have some time to update and realized that I never posted any pictures about my fuzzy bunny hat! It took me a bit to finish knitting this one and to get the bows tied on but I think it turned out adorably! Amanda let me borrow her lenses (and well-lit living room) to take some pictures of the hat since my pictures weren’t turning out so great at home. Thanks, Amanda!

This cute little hat is up on Etsy with a couple other baby hats that I’ve made. It will fit newborn to 3 month old babies. Have a looksey!

Knitting like a speed demon!

It’s only been a short while since I finally got past the frustration of learning how to knit. I now can’t seem to put my knitting needles down for a minute! I continually work on my hats during lunch at work, I try to get some knitting in at night. I’ve got the knit-stitch down well-enough to relax my concentation a bit while I’m doing it. All-in-all, knitting has become a bit of a meditative act for me.

Last Wednesday I got an email from Amanda about a photo shoot she’d be having on Friday for a set of twins! She asked if I had any finished hats she might be able to use for the shoot. I had a few finished but none that matched. I told her I’d try but I didn’t think I’d be able to have a hat finished by Thursday night to bring to her. (I wouldn’t be able to bring it to her in the middle of the day on Friday because I work too far from her house.)

I had it in my head that I would start knitting from the moment I got home ’til I went to sleep, at lunch the next day and when I got home that afternoon. Somehow I became a knitting demon that Wednesday night and managed to start and finish this little hat to match the previous little candy hat that I’d made! Needless to say, I was feeling pretty proud of myself.

Better yet, though Amanda wasn’t able to get the twins to wear both hats at the same time, she did get a hat on little Savannah long enough to take this amazing picture! (As well as many other cute pictures!)

While I was at lunch today I visited the craft store and got myself some new knitting needles to go with some sock yarn I picked up (that won’t be used for socks) – so I’m off to do some more knitting!

Cupcakes, Candy and Crafts

I got more done this weekend than I thought I would. Because of those many games I bought, I figured I probably wouldn’t be knitting or crocheting at all when I had free time (except at lunch). Alas, I could not stay away from my hooks and needles. Something about just laying in bed with my yarn and tool of choice helps me slowly forget about the rest of the world. Concentrating so hard on one task, I sometimes get way too deep into my thoughts and what I’m doing. I’m sure if I concentrated hard enough, I could get close to a meditative state.

I read somewhere that Friday was International Crochet Day, so I decided that even though I hadn’t picked up my crochet hook in quite a while, I was going to do something that involved crocheting this weekend. I started crocheting because I fell in love with amigurumi. I got out my copy of Amigurumi World, picked out some yarn and started creating a little cupcake of doom!

Unfortunately, I got to the part of amigurumi that I almost can’t stand—sewing all the parts together. This one isn’t even that bad, it’s just two parts connected to each other. I got almost all the way around when I realized that somewhere along the way, I’d started sewing into a different row than I’d started on. Frustrated, I undid all of the yarn and quit. Someday little cupcake will be whole but today is not the day!

During lunch today, I finished the I-cord on my most recent baby hat made from delicious “Candy Baby” Bernat Softee Baby yarn. When I got home, I sewed in the ends and ta-dah!

I really like the shorter I-cord on this one. It’s cute as a button!

Crafts: Two very colorful baby hats

I’ve been pretty busy lately. Well… by choice. I just bought two new games: Spore and the new Viva Pinata game; John hasn’t been working as often. Today will be his first day back to work since Thursday, when I came home from Chicago. (I promise I’ll be writing a post about my Chicago adventures soon!) During the weekend I convinced John to take us to the downtown library. (John checked out eight books! He’s been a reading fiend lately.) I checked out a few, mostly books on religion and knitting.

Anyway, in between games and reading, I’ve been knitting a little! Here are some pictures of my current works-in-progress:

Fuzzy Bunny Hat

Candy Baby Hat

I definitely need a better name for this hat. This is my first time using light weight yarn. It’s nice! This is Bernat Softee Baby Yarn in the “Candy Baby” colorway. It’s machine washable and dryable and so soft!

Crafty Monday: How do you start to design your own patterns?

I’m still fairly new to the world of crochet and knitting. I’d really like to be able to start designing my own amigurumi patterns so that I can sell my finished projects without getting in trouble with anyone for copyright infringement.

Does anyone have any advice as to how to get used to designing from scratch? How did you learn to design your own patterns if you do?

I’m sure other people around the web who are just starting out have the same types of questions, so any feedback would be appreciated!

Stitch Markers!

I received some cute tea-inspired stitch markers from tinkistwinkling.etsy.com! Very well-made and haven’t snagged a thing!

Crafty Monday: Illustrations

Soo.. I know drawing isn’t really “crafty” but I haven’t done much else in the ways of craftiness this week. I thought I’d share some of my silly sketches with you today.

It’s Monday, I’m back with a hat!

My sister, Brandi, has moved and my dad now officially has the job in Philadelphia. I’m really sad to see him go but it’s such a great opportunity for him so I’m really excited!

Since I finished my first knit hat (which I just now realized I never posted on), I’ve finished a second and have started a third! They’re really easy now that I’ve gotten a hang of the knit stitch!

Pink, First Knit Hat

Sunshine Baby Hat

The Start of the Chocolate Milk Baby Hat

After the Chocolate Milk hat is done, I’m going to be starting another for a coworker of mine who likes pink and yellow. It’ll be like pink lemonade!

On another note, I’ve decided to change Crochet Monday to Craft Monday. I haven’t been crocheting quite so often now that I’ve started knitting and I’d like to post about art or other crafts that I might create at some point. I don’t think anyone will be too disappointed. Just thought I’d mention it.