Sticky's Little Girl

2008-08-07T11:03:00.001-04:00

It's been a long time.

2007-10-17T20:39:00.000-04:00

Well, it's been about 2 months since I last posted to my blog. I have been busy working, crafting, sorta cleaning the house, and more recently feeding my Ravelry addiction.

Once again I signed up for Knit Michigan which raises money for local cancer charities. So far, I've knit 2 chemo caps. It's the Foliage hat from Knitty.com.

I also made a scarf for the Red Scarf Project. This year they were stressing quality over quantity. So I made one scarf and included Visa and CVS gift cards.

And here's a Tulips baby cardigan from the Dream in Color folks. It was a popular kit and got even more popular once the Yarn Harlot spoke of her obsession with it. This particular colorway way put together by the wonderful guys who own Threadbear Fiber Arts Studio.

While on vacation, I crocheted this vest for Afghans for Afghans. The pattern is available on their sit in both a knit and further down the page a crocheted version.

I also made this crocheted Katamari ball for my desk. I found the pattern on Ravelry but you can find it here if you're not a Raveler. It's designed by Amy Shimel.

In case, you haven't heard about it yet... Ravelry is an online community. According to their website, "Ravelry is a place for knitters, crocheters, designers, spinners, and dyers to keep track of their yarn, tools and pattern information, and look to others for ideas and inspiration." You can find out more here. And if you want to find me on Ravelry, I'm PhillyPa329.

There are several things in the queue but I'll save them for another day.

Sockapalooza Socks Arrive

2007-08-09T20:49:00.000-04:00

My sockapalooza socks arrived on Tuesday. I was so excited to see what my pal had knit for me. Kelley knit me these amazing socks. Check them out down below. The yarn is Knit Picks Dancing (41% cotton, 39% wool, 13% nylon, 7% elastic) in the Rumba colorway. It doesn't have the feel of wool but the socks are very comfy and they fit my size 11 feet perfectly. The pattern is the Baby Cable Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks, over 80 stitches.

I've made several pairs of socks in the past but none of them fit quite right (but I keep trying). So I figured I should sign up in the beginner category. These socks I received from Kelley are way better than beginner level work. They are advanced level work. The stitches are fine and even. There's no loose stitches or "holes" in the gusset area where you pick up stitches, the cuff edge is smooth and even, and the toe join is amazing. I can't tell from looking at them if Kelley knit them toe up or top down. The socks are truly a pleasure to behold. Thanks Kelley for my amazing socks.

Sockapalooza socks are done

2007-07-23T21:20:00.000-04:00

I finished my Sockapalooza socks last Thursday. If you look back at my prior post about the socks you'll notice the socks don't look quite the same. That's because I changed not only the yarn but also the pattern.

I liked the socks but they were a slow knit. The pattern had a number of twisted stitches in it. I kept messing up the pattern. And the deadline was looming. So I switched everything out and started fresh.

Details on the new Sockapalooza sock's:

Yarn: Cascade Fixation #6388
Pattern: Diagonal Fixation Pattern by Lela Conrad
Needles: CPY dpns size 3mm

Wendy Rocks

2007-05-23T22:02:00.000-04:00

I was the lucky recipient of an ISE4 scarf package on Monday. The box was from the UK and arrived via Air Mail. I wanted to open it right away but knew I would be distracted for a while if I did. So I waited until after I did my workout to cut the box open.

Inside the tissue paper was my favorite color, purple, and just the right shade of purple. On top was a card from my pal. Wendy of Wendy's Woolies.

After carefully removing all the contents from the pacakge I laid them out and took a picture. There was a lot of cool stuff in the box. Shower gel, Burt's Bees hand salve, soak, round bar of soap, chocolate foil wrapped lips, a chocolate pig, a Kendal Mint cake (a favorite of mountaineers and hill-walkers...definitely doesn't describe me), Pony point protectors, a purse size nail buffer, beaded bookmark, and earrings. Oh, yeah, and my scarf. Wow, I am so lucky.

Here's a picture of me after dinner in my scarf in 80+ degrees F. People were looking at me kind of funny. I just ignored them and smiled.

And here's a look at the scarf all by itself. Isn't it beautiful. It's my favorite color and it's nice and warm and long and snuggly. Thanks Wendy, you're the best.

Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport - pool or spiral?

2007-05-19T22:35:00.000-04:00

There's been a lot of questions out there about Lorna's Laces yarn. Does it pool? Does it spiral? I'm using Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport for my Sockapalooza 4 socks. It's my first time using a Lorna's Laces yarn. My swatch was done in plain stockinette in the round with 40 sts on size 1s. It pooled so much when the swatch was folded in half each side appeared to be done out of a different yarn. But I decided to go ahead with it anyway since my sock would not be done in plain stockinette. I also knew that the number of stitches and the stitch pattern chosen along with the length of the color repeat in the yarn all affect the final outcome.

I'm working with 72 sts on size 1 needles using the Broad Spiral Ribbing from More Sensational Knitted Socks on the instep. The sole of course is done in plain stockinette. I'm working toe up, two at a time, using the Magic Loop technique. The yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport in Purple Iris. Below are pictures of the instep with the ribbing pattern and the sole. The sole isn't pooling but is repeating nicely though not what I would call striping or spiraling. The instep does has a somewhat stripy thing going on. I'm curious how things will change as I continue the increases for the gusset.

sole done in stockinette

instep done in the ribbing pattern

I guess the debate will continue. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Hot Pink Scarf

2007-05-13T21:27:00.000-04:00

I finished the scarf for my ISE4 pal. It turned out really nice, if I do say so myself. I, of course, added some extras into the package.

Pattern: Feather and Fan
Needles: size 4 bamboo dpns
Yarn: 50% silk, 50% wool
hand painted at Heritage Spinning & Weaving
Color: Deb's Pink

Since I live in Michigan I included something from Michigan, dried cherries.

And one of my favorite things, soak. In four scents (citrus, flora, aquae, and celebration).

I made some stitch markers. The flip flops came from Michaels. I made the hearts a long time ago from shrink plastic.

A sock blocker keychain. I love mine, but then again I knit socks. I'm not sure if my pal knits socks or not, so I knit one using the same yarn as the scarf.

Knitting Resume

2007-05-13T21:10:00.000-04:00

I found this over on Lyndsey-Jane's blog and just had to do it.

Edit the list, bold for stuff you've done, italics for stuff you plan to do one day, and normal for stuff you're not planning on doing.

Afghan/Blanket
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cozies…)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars
Olympic knitting
Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn
Knitting with DPNs
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with self-patterning/self-striping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/arm warmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Pligg is in

2007-05-07T23:00:00.000-04:00

Blogger thought it could handle anything. Blogger thought that you could have a group blog with an unlimited number of members. Blogger thought it had seen everything. Blogger was wrong. It was knocked out by 1000+ knitters. Sock knitters to be exact. We're all participating in Sockapalooza 4. And we killed it. Technical knockout.

Pligg to the rescue. We're using Pligg now to handle our new blog. It's different. I don't always like different, but I'm learning to accept. I read most of my blogs with Google Reader and I don't think I can do this with Pligg.

And before I forget to tell you...I had picked out yarn and a pattern for my pal's socks. Well, I'm not happy. In fact, I said a few too many words I shouldn't repeat in public just knitting the toe of the toe up socks. You can't give a knitted gift with that kind of karma. So on to a new yarn with the same pattern.

Am I common or not?

2007-04-23T21:17:00.000-04:00

HowManyOfMe.com

There are
1,124
people with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

Retirement Ripple

2007-04-21T11:41:00.002-04:00

I've started another ripple for a friend who's retiring, well technically her retirement has not been made official yet, but I can't wait til the last minute. I rarely make things for people I know. Not that I don't like them but it becomes challenging to explain why I made something for person A but not for person B. So I typically limit gifts for people I know to babies and weddings. Most of what I craft is donated to charity.

This afghan for Doris' retirement will be an exception. When I met her she was already married with children. And I've known her for almost 20 years. So I figure she's worth it. I asked her if she might be retiring and I might decide to make her an afghan, what color might she want it to be. She said green and cream.

I chose Caron Simply Soft because I believe she will be heading to a warmer climate and I wanted to make it easy care. She might want to use it outside on the porch or as a picnic blanket. Handwash would be a pain and she might not use it as much.

It's the Shades of Coral Ripple from the 200 ripple stitch patterns book by Jan Eaton. I'm using an 8 row pattern repeat of 2 rows Dark Sage, 1 row Sage, 2 rows Off White, 1 row Sage, and 2 rows Dark Sage. So far only 1 repeat is done.

Nautie

2007-04-14T21:05:00.000-04:00

I finally decided to try and make myself a Nautiloid. It's one of the cool patterns from Knitty.com. The pattern looks easy right, just stockinette stitch done in the round on dpns. No big deal, right? Wrong!!!!

Actually most of it is really easy so far. The problem I have is the part where you coil the shell and connect it. You just pick up a stitch and knit it and the one next to it together, just a k2tog. Maybe it's me, but I find it to be rally awkward. The shell's getting in my way. But Nautie is worth it.

I'm making really good progress and hope to have him finished soon. And the one awkward stitch is only 1 stitch every 4 rows. I can handle that.

The color's not showing up quite true. This is the Caron Simply Soft Brite in Grape that I had left over from my Ripple Afghan. Nautie's head will be done in the Lemonade shade.

Feather and Fan Scarf

2007-04-10T22:57:00.000-04:00

My scarf for the International Scarf Exchange is coming along nicely. It's grown a bit more since the picture was taken and is around 36" long. I plan to make it around 60" long unblocked figuring it will grow once it's blocked.

Dulaan 10,000 or Bust

2007-04-10T22:56:00.000-04:00

This month I mailed off 12 hats, 1 pair of baby booties, and 1 pair of thrummed mittens to the Dulaan project.

Ripple is done... well almost

2007-04-10T22:17:00.000-04:00

I have almost completed my Ripple Afghan as part of The No-End-In-Sight Ripple-along. The ends still need to be woven in. In my push to finish it over the weekend I overdid it. Now my hands are achy, my knuckles swollen, my tendonitis acting up, and the circulation not too good. I'll rest them for a few days and they'll recover.

Here are the stats...

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft Brites in Lemonade, Limelight, Blue Mint, Berry Blue, Grape, Watermelon, Papaya, and Mango. Just a smidge more than 1 skein of each color.

Hook: Size H real cool wooden hook, Ebony or Rosewood

Size: 48" wide and 63" high

Pattern: Malibu Ripple from 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns

Color Sequence: designed by my friend Dianna. All eight colors in sequence for a total of four repeats.

Meeting Stephanie aka The Yarn Harlot

2007-03-31T23:24:00.000-04:00

Last night I went with my muggle friend Doty to meet the Yarn Harlot at the Joseph-Beth bookseller in Pittsburgh, PA. Even though the event was not scheduled to start until 7pm, I wanted to be there early to avoid the rush. We arrived around 5 and it's a good thing. We got good seats, 4th row aisle, and we got in group A for the book signing.

While waiting for Stephanie to arrive, Doty and I chatted with the other knitters who were patiently waiting. Most of the audience was knitting. Many of them knitting socks. Many of them wearing their work. One gentleman who was there said he only wears handknit socks. The woman who knit them was next to him and let me tell you she does a beautiful job. Doty said they look like they were purchased in the store. It was great to be among my own kind. Now keep in mind, I do not live in Pittsburgh, in fact I live 350 miles from Pittsburgh. But I felt right at home with this group of knitters.

At 7pm sharp, Stephanie walked down the center aisle, close enough for me to reach out and touch that gorgeous Bohus sweater she was wearing. If you read Stepahnie's blog you know she takes pictures of her "tour" sock with the people she meets and with the landmarks she visits along the way. So she began by taking pics of her sock with all of us as the background.

Then Stephanie talked for about an hour. She talked about how muggles (non-knitters) underestimate us, how we knitters really step up to the plate when asked. It was humorous, inspiring, and great fun. My friend Doty thought it was great and she doesn't knit.

Joseph-Beth has a great system for book signings. As you come in, you get a slip telling you what group you're in. They have a path all set up for you to get to the author. It's kind of like trying to get to the cash register at Best Buy the day after Thanksgiving. Or trying to get on a ride at Disney World. Since we got there early I was in group A. And I got my picture taken with the Harlot, see above. And Stephanie took my picture to post on her blog. Click here to see the post.

It was a wonderful evening and if you ever have a chance to go meet Stephanie you should do it. You will not be disappointed.

I made it to the Yarn Harlot's blog

2007-03-31T19:06:00.000-04:00

Check me out on the Yarn Harlot's blog. Click here to view it.

Yarn Harlot Book Signing

2007-03-30T11:57:00.000-04:00

I'm going to meet the Yarn Harlot tonight. Stephanie's in town (Pittsburgh, PA) for a book signing tonight. I'm so excited. I've got my socks on their circular waiting to meet her sock on their dpns. It's going to be great. Hopefully I'll have pics to show tomorrow.

Scarf Exchange Update

2007-03-26T22:28:00.000-04:00

Last time around, I knew pretty much exactly which pattern I was going to use. So I bought some yarn and got started. Other people were posting that they couldn't find the right yarn to go with the pattern they had picked out or they couldn't find the right pattern to go with the perfect yarn they had selected. I couldn't relate to what they were talking about. Until now.

I bought some 50% wool 50% silk yarn at the LYS, Heritage Spinning & Weaving, in pink. It's fingering weight and would make a great pair of socks but alas this is not a sock exchange. I swatched and blocked 4 or 5 patterns over the weekend. I didn't like any of them. The yarn was definitely the right one so I had to keep looking for a pattern. I finally decided. It will be feather and fan. A friend had suggested feather and fan in the beginning but I ignored her. Turns out I should have listened.

There's not much done yet. And it won't look really good until it's blocked. I leave for vacation in 2 days and I needed to make a decision so I can take the project with me. I can work on it while waiting in line to meet the Yarn Harlot, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. She'll be signing her new book at a shop in Pittsburgh while I'm in town.

ISE4 - International Scarf Exchange

2007-03-22T22:07:00.000-04:00

The 4th International Scarf Exchange (ISE4) has begun. Yesterday, I learned for whom I'm knitting a scarf. She does not live in the United States and it will be exciting to try to pick a yarn and a pattern that match her personality. I have until the end of May. Wish me luck.

Socks Toe Up, Two at a Time, Magic Loop

2007-03-15T21:35:00.002-04:00

I'm taking a four session sock class at Heritage Spinning & Weaving taught by Deb Harowitz. It's toe up socks, two at a time, and using the magic loop technique (one really long circular). I'm using Cascade Cherub Kaleidoscope D.K. in colorway 1321. Instead of doing plain stockinette, I decided to do a waffle weave along the top of the foot. Once I finish the gusset and heel I can seamlessly continue it all the way around the leg of the sock.

The advantage of toe up socks is your sock ends when you run out of yarn. It could be ankle high, calf high, or knee high. By doing both socks at the same time, the 2nd sock is done a few minutes after the first. And you don't have to count the rows to make the socks match cause you're working them both at the same time. And you don't suffer from 2nd sock syndrome where you never get around to knitting the 2nd sock. Magic loop, what can I say. Knitters used to use 4 double pointed needles (dpns). Then there were 5 dpns, then 2 circulars, and now one really long circular to do the magic loop technique.

You should really try magic loop. It's good for any small circumference knitting in the round. Collars, cuffs, sleeves, socks....

Rippling Along

2007-03-15T21:35:00.001-04:00

I joined The No-End-In-Sight Ripple-Along. After seeing all the marvelous ripples I just had to join in. I've been crocheting ever since I can remember but I can't remember who taught me how. Two of my aunts crochet yet they both say they never showed me how. Maybe they just inspired me to go out and learn.

My ripple is going to be for a child. It's around 45" wide. After looking through the 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns book and swatching several patterns I decided on the Malibu ripple. The yarn is Caron Simply Soft Brites. Most of the colors I had tagged for a different project but I changed my mind. After adding 3 more colors to the mix I'm up to 8. The colors in order of use are Lemonade, Limelight, Blue Mint, Berry Blue, Grape, Watermelon, Papaya, and Mango. I also have some black but I'm not sure if I'm going to use it or not.

After several days of crocheting, I made it through 5 colors so far. The stripes are 3 rows each.

Road Trip

2007-03-07T20:01:00.000-05:00

My friend Pam and I took a last minute shopping trip to Lansing, Michigan. I get the weekly Threadbear email and it said "Spring Clearance Sale". Lots of yarn on sale from 20% - 70% off. Who could resist. And if I was going to Lansing, I had to stop by Rae's Yarn Boutique.

We went on a Sunday and stopped at Rae's first since it opened earlier. At first we were the only ones in there and that's great. You get the full attention of the shop owner. Then a stream of shoppers arrived. Pam & I were just the opening act. Rae's store isn't really big but she has great stuff in there. I bought some Socks That Rock Lightweight in Purple Rain, Socks That Rock Heavyweight in Love-in-Idleness, and Sock Candy in Henpecked. All made by Blue Moon Fiber Arts. I also picked up felted starfish and seahorse patterns and Lucy Neatby's book Cool Socks Warm Feet. And two more Sock Blocker key chains.

Then we went to Threadbear for the big sale. Threadbear is the largest yarn shop I've ever been in. Pam screamed "sensory overload" 15 feet into the store. Threadbear is run by Matt and Rob. They are so wonderful. Rob was teaching a sock class but Matt helped Pam pick out colors to make a bath rug for her master bath. He showed Pam how to mix fibers and colors to get the look she wanted. He twisted strands from 3 different colors together and it looked very different than when you looked at the full skeins themselves.

At Threadbear, I bought a small tote bag which is pictured below with supplies for my sock class at Heritage Spinning & Weaving. Toe Up, 2 Socks at once, magic loop technique. And, more sock yarn, Twisted Fiber Art yarn in colorways Exile and Portal. And, Mission Falls 1824 Wool, 100% merino superwash, in dark red for a Red Scarf project scarf. Also, for a Red Scarf scarf, I purchased Alpaca with a Twist's Baby Twist, 100% alpaca, in a medium gold color. And, Karabella Aurora 8, merino wool, in Red (color 7) and Burgundy (color 18) for Red Scarves.

All the sock yarn I bought on the road trip is superwash merino, except the Sock Candy which is 96% cotton and 4% elite. All the socks will be for me. All of the yarns are ones I've never used before but heard good things about.

Now for the pictures:

Purple Rain - Henpecked (2 skeins) - Love-in-Idleness
Portal
Exile

yarn: Baby Twist
pattern: Ribbed Scarf with a Twist by Ann Budd

yarn: Aurora 8 in Burgundy
pattern: Simple Scarf, Melissa Leapman's Cables Untangled

yarn: Aurora 8
pattern: His/Hers Reversible Scarf from Melissa Leapman's Cables Untangled

yarn: 1824 Wool
pattern: Steam by Diana Gates

Sock Blocker key chain
with a completed sock made from Cherry Tree Hill yarn

International Scarf Exchange 4 (ISE4)

2007-03-07T19:46:00.000-05:00

I signed up for ISE4. I'm so excited. During ISE3 I knit a scarf for Loribird. And received a scarf from Lyndsey-Jane. Who will I be matched up with this time?

They think I'm good

2007-03-07T19:32:00.000-05:00

I've always felt I was a very good crocheter, maybe even very, very good. My family told me that. My friends told me that. I enjoyed hearing it, but they don't crochet. Maybe they thought I was good because they didn't know enough about it to know I was just ok at it. How could I be sure?

After joining the Crochet Guild of America, I discovered they offered a Masters in Basic Stitches. How cool is that. So I read the course description and decided to test myself. I procrastinated a bit but finally got my binders together and sent in my swatches (see previous post here).

And guess what? I am good at crochet. CGOA validated it when awarding me a Masters of Basic Stitches degree. I received 235 points after having 9 points deducted. The perfectionist in me wants to argue the merit of the deductions. But the student in me is proud I received my degree. The crocheters think I'm a good crocheter, therefore I must be.

Knit Michigan

2007-03-06T22:23:00.000-05:00

The first Knit Michigan took place on Saturday, February 3rd. I had a blast. Since I was afraid I would be late I set three alarm clocks and instead I was the first marathoner to show up at 8:35am. The marathoners raised over $7000 for the four cancer charities. One woman raised $1100. My friend Pam had the 2^nd highest amount, $750. She won a scarf kit and the book Fabulous Felted Hand-Knits by Jane Davis.

Thanks to all of my sponsors, I raised $718 and took 3^rd place. My prize was a kit to knit a bunny. A kit I had almost purchased earlier in the day. They know me so well. And if you look real close you can see the time on my watch, 11:47pm. If you’re wondering how I can look that awake that late in the day, thank Candice. My friend Candice brought me a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts. (a sugar buzz can keep you going for hours if you keep feeding it)

During the marathon, I met a lot of very nice people. I also managed to get a hat completed (well almost, I finished it on Sunday). Classes were offered to marathoners and I took the Thrummed Sock class. My Thrummed Sock class was taught by Rae of Rae's Yarn Boutique. Thrums are pieces of unspun wool which are knit into the item. They keep you very warm. We started a mini sock during class and I finished it on Sunday as well.

I did take advantage of the fact vendors were present and made a few purchases during the day. Since I decided to knit from my stash this year (see post here) I did try to limit my purchases. I rationalized it all by reminding myself a portion of the proceeds would go to the cancer charities. I purchased hand carved crochet hooks in sizes F through K, a Candace Eisner Strick scarf kit, and some Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn in one of the Water colorways.

We received a letter from the organizers (Bridget and Joan) of KnitMichigan at the end of February. The 2007 statistics are as follows:

185 chemo caps were donated
9 shops and 7 guilds participated
55 people registered as marathoners
270 people came through the door for the general public portion of the event
$4,557 was raised for the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Center
$5,092 was raised for the Genesys Health System
$4,797 was raised for Gilda's Club
$3,836 for the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center

Mark your calendar for next year, February 2, 2008.

I'm a Knitting Guru

2007-03-04T21:45:00.000-05:00

I was reading Matt's blog and saw he was a Knitting Goddess, but wasn't necessarily happy about that label. Well I took the quiz ...

and this was the result:

What Kind of Knitter Are You?

You appear to be a Knitting Guru. You love knitting and do it all the time. While finishing a piece is the plan, you still love the process, and can't imagine a day going by without giving some time to your yarn. Packing for vacation involves leaving ample space for the stash and supplies. It can be hard to tell where the yarn ends and you begin.http://marniemaclean.com
Take this quiz!

Knitting Guru suits me. Well, I think so. Do you agree?

Cable Mistake

2007-01-25T22:33:00.000-05:00

I am knitting a hat with a cabled brim. It's the Braid-edged Cap from the Knitting Pattern a Day calendar, March 19 & 20, 2005. Well I realized I crossed a cable incorrectly but I was about 4 inches and 3 crossings beyond that point at the time.

In Melissa Leapman's book Cables Untangled she suggests not frogging back but rather dropping down the one part of the cable which needs fixing and knitting it back up. So I took a leap of faith and determined which 3 stitches were involved and dropped them down to a spot just below the mistake.

Then I followed the directions in Vogue Knitting for picking up dropped stitches. Stitch by stitch, row by row, I knitted those stitches back up making sure I crossed them correctly. It took me a while but I think it looks pretty good.

I've never done anything like this before and I was nervous to say the least. Yet, I took the chance. And now, I have a great sense of satisfaction and I know if I have to do something like that again, I can do it. Yes I can!!!!

Knit Michigan - marathon to raise money for cancer

2007-01-22T23:39:00.000-05:00

I am participating in Knit Michigan: Hands Create for a Cure. It's a knitting marathon to raise money for several cancer charities. Actually you can knit, crochet, spin, or weave. Local shops will be selling their goods. The public can come in and learn to knit, crochet, spin, and weave. If you don't want to commit to the whole marathon you can come by between 10am and 3pm to sit and knit (or crochet or weave or spin). I think it will be a blast. If you live in the metro Detroit area and want to be a marathon participant you can sign up through January 31st. Or just stop by and cheer me on.

I just started the Winter Lace Scarf

2007-01-13T02:23:00.000-05:00

The past few years I've purchased or been given the Knitting Pattern A Day calendar and the Crochet Pattern A Day calendar. This scarf, the Winter Lace Scarf, is on November 15 of the 2007 Knitting Pattern A Day calendar. I'm using 2 strands of Patons Decor held together, Secret Garden Variegated and Deep Aqua.

It's an easy knit since the pattern is a one row repeat. I think I'll donate it to the 2008 Red Scarf Project because it may not get done in time for the 2007 due date.

Blog Changes

2007-01-03T21:36:00.000-05:00

I just completed the switch to the new version of Blogger. At the same time I decided to update my design. Hopefully you like the new look.

Happy New Year - 2006 Round Up

2007-01-01T18:28:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year to Everyone. I appreciate all those who take time to read my musings. The end of 2006 was rather busy and I did not blog as much as I would like. Today I will catch you up on all the items I've been working on.

I plan to sign up to participate in Knit Michigan. It combines a knitting/fiber marathon, a knit-in, a marketplace to buy great fibery items, and beginner lessons for the public. The money raised goes to several cancer charities in Michigan. As part of the marathon fee they ask you to make a chemo cap. Here's mine. I used Bernat Satin since it is very soft and easy care. The pattern is Gulf Shores by Melissa Rotert on the Crochet me website.

I completed the last of my scarves for the Red Scarf Project. These two give me a total of five. You can see the other three here. The One Row scarf from the Yarn Harlot was done with Patons Classic Wool.

The Short Row Rib scarf from Mag Knits was done with Patons Shetland Chunky Tweed.

I made several hats for the Dulaan Project. The Three-cornered hat is an Elizabeth Zimmerman pattern. It's from her book Knitter's Almanac. Books can be ordered from Schoolhouse Press.

Several years ago I found a nice pattern which was designed by Susan Krause for the Ships Project.

This basic crocheted hat pattern comes from a very old Coats & Clarks pattern, circa mid 70s.

And these hats were done using combinations of the above patterns.

I've also been trying to design a reversible cabled scarf. I chose two cables from Vogue Stitchionary 2. Side A is Garlic Braid (#91). Side B is the Retwisted Taffy (#19). Click on the picture to see a larger version on flickr. And if you move your mouse over the picture on flickr you'll see the cables highlighted.

Here's Side A:

And here's Side B:

I'm not sure whether I like it or not. The two cables are very different and I'm not sure I like the effect on the reverse of each. Then again, maybe I need to go up a needle size or two so it has more drape. I'll keep at it in between other projects.

1st resolution for 2007

2006-12-18T21:09:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've written a post. There are lots of reasons but none that are very interesting. I have broken the silence because I read the coolest thing on Lori's blog which she got from Wendy's blog and it goes along with the cash flow issue I've been trying to resolve.

Knit From Your Stash 2007

Here are my rules: (you can read Wendy's rules and Lori's rules on their blogs)

1. The Knit-From-Your-Stash-a-Thon will start January 1, 2007 and run through September 30, 2007 -- a period of nine months.

2. I will not buy any yarn during that period, with the following exceptions:

2.a. Sock yarn does not count. I am trying to learn to knit socks that really fit.

2.b. If someone asks for a specific knitted gift that I really and truly do not have the yarn for, I may buy yarn to knit that gift.

2.c. If I am knitting something and run out of yarn, I may purchase enough to complete the project.

2.d. I get one "Get Out of Jail Free" card -- I am allowed to fall off the wagon one time.

3. I am allowed to receive gifts of yarn. I will not solicit such gifts if it is not my birthday.

This will be very difficult for me. Right now, I am trying to resist the urge to go out and stock up on yarn before the end of the year. I'm not going to make any promises. It is holiday time and I will be out of town on vacation where I can visit stores I don't have here and there is some overtime money in my next check. I'll keep you updated on what I make from my stash.

I finished 3 scarves for the Red Scarf Project

2006-11-14T23:07:00.000-05:00

I completed 3 scarves for the Red Scarf project. First is the Windy City Chicago scarf.

Then I made the Fun Fringe scarf.

And the Touch of Whimsy scarf.

I have two more scarves in progress and will post more info when they are completed.

International Scarf Exchange

2006-11-06T23:08:00.000-05:00

I received my scarf today. It was so exciting to come home and see the box on my porch. I took the package inside and calmly opened it so I wouldn't possibly cut the scarf while trying to get the tape off the box. Lyndsey-Jane wanted to make sure nothing fell out on the box's trip from the UK to the US. My scarf is a lace scarf made of 100% alpaca in a lovely purple (my favorite color) with red and blue highlights. There were also two boxes of chocolates in there. And I love chocolate.

Thanks so much Lyndsey-Jane for my beautiful scarf.

Many Red Scarves will be mailed in January

2006-10-22T20:55:00.000-04:00

I've been working hard on scarves for the Red Scarf project. On Thursday I finished a crocheted scarf. It's the Windy City Chicago scarf from the little box of scarves.

Then I went to the Michaels yarn sale on Saturday afternoon and bought some Patons Shetland Chunky Tweed and Patons Classic Wool. While watching two movies and about 4 hours of Tivo I managed to get 3 scarves started.

And I have more red yarn to make more Red Scarves, one of which will be the Irish Hiking scarf using Patons Decor. I almost forgot, there's the Touch of Whimsy scarf which I work on at lunch time.

The Scarf is practically in the Mail

2006-10-18T22:19:00.000-04:00

I'm mailing the scarf off to my secret pal tomorrow morning. The chill is already in the air where she lives and I wanted to get the scarf in the mail so it can keep her nice and toasty. I don't want the scarf to be lonely during the long trip (outside of the continental United States) so I picked up some other goodies.

At a local Sheep and Wool Festival I found tiny sheep figurines and some llama roving from a local artisan group. My secret pal not only knits she spins yarn. From reading her blog, she's tried many different fibers but I don't remember seeing llama.

Since I live in Michigan and my pal doesn't, I decided to include some Michigan items. So I picked up a 2007 calendar with picturesque scenes of Michigan, Cherry vinaigrette salad dressing (Michigan is known for cherries), foil wrapped milk chocolate cars (she has children and I live in the auto capital of the U.S.), chocolate covered Michigan cherries (who doesn't love chocolate), and fancy chocolate covered chunky pretzels (sweet and salty) from a local Michigan shop.

And while picking up the tissue paper (a blue, green, and yellow print) which coordinates well with the color of the scarf, I found some stretch gloves in green with cream trim and a matching pair in solid cream. Then in the next aisle, actually a few aisles away, I found some butterfly shaped post-it notes in green and blue. I didn't know if I could fit the scarf in the box with everything else. I couldn't so I had to get a bigger box. And soon it will be on its way to ------. Can't tell, it's still a secret.

I almost forgot. Here are the scarf details:

Pattern: Farrow Rib Scarf from the little box of Scarves
Yarn: Cascade 220 Quatro in colorway 9432, 100% Peruvian highland wool
size 9 needles (I think)
4 skeins including the fringe, which I included in the package as an option
Measurements: approx 7.5" x 102" (she did request LOOOONG)

My respirator has been unplugged

2006-10-18T22:18:00.000-04:00

I have lost the battle in Sock Wars. I was taken out by assassin Mlle Udah who used a pair of pink and yellow socks to deal the fatal blow.

SABLE

2006-10-16T23:51:00.000-04:00

I found some post-its at the CGOA convention which had SABLE written on them. SABLE stands for Stash Accumulated Beyond Life Expectancy. It is my goal and I think I'm on the road to achieving it. There are 8 shelving units in my basement for my yarn stash. Each has 5 shelves which are 36" wide. I began seriously organizing it a few weekends ago and was amazed at what was down there. Being the anal retentive person I am, I created a spreadsheet to keep track of it.

And since I know you want to know what I've got, I published it on Google Spreadsheets. There are tabs at the bottom for "Current" projects, items I have "Started & Stopped", projects for which I have all the "Materials Gathered", and the beginning of my "Stash". I put the link over in the sidebar to the right and I'll add it here for the sake of completeness.

My Own Little Yarn Store

CGOA ready to go

2006-10-15T20:04:00.000-04:00

I am ready to mail off the 2 binders containing my swatches and my answers to a bunch of questions. I can't believe I'm finally ready to mail them off. Yesterday while reviewing my work, I realized I did one of the swatches incorrectly. Then I realized I didn't answer all of the parts to one of the questions. Boy am I glad I went over everything one last time. It will go in the mail tomorrow and arrive at CGOA with only a few days to spare.

Finally....the last swatch is done

2006-10-14T01:10:00.000-04:00

I just finished the last swatch I need to do for CGOA. It's pinned to my ironing board to cold water block it a bit. The CGOA gives you a year to finish the requirements for the Basic Stitches coures. I procrastinated for a long time doing other projects and not really starting it. Now I have until October 27th to finish everything and send it in. This is the last of the swatches, yeah ! ! ! !

Socks of Doom - Part Deux

2006-10-08T19:55:00.000-04:00

I received the unfinished socks from my target's target's target Robin, early last week. Early this morning, I finished the Socks of Doom. I was a few yards short of yarn to finish the toes so I searched my stash and came up with the yellow sock yarn I used for the toes. The socks are destined for Australia tomorrow morning on the way to work. I also picked up a Michigan magnet to include in the package. Now I just have to write a quick note and wrap it all up.

ISE3 scarf for my pal

2006-10-02T23:10:00.000-04:00

Here's a picture of the scarf so far. It's about 64" long. I want it to be at least 72" long not including the fringe.

Round 2

2006-10-02T22:58:00.000-04:00

Round 2 of Sock Wars has begun for me. I received the socks in the mail from Robin. She's my target's target's target. Robin hadn't gotten very far on her socks but I was easily able to pick up and continue knitting. Hopefully, I'll have a few days to work on them before a pair of deadly socks lands in my mailbox.

ISE3 scarf is so close to being done

2006-09-30T01:58:00.000-04:00

It's roughly 62" long excluding the fringe. I just need to bind off and add the fringe and then I'll be done unless I decide to make it longer. Maybe. Maybe not.

[Edited to Add]
I originally wanted the scarf to be 72" long. So I decided to go ahead and knit some more using a fourth ball of yarn.

Sock Wars Update

2006-09-27T23:30:00.000-04:00

My target sent me her mailing address. I sent her socks off on Tuesday morning on the way to work. Her death is imminent. My assassin is working on the socks which will mark my death.

Socks Wars Round 1

2006-09-25T00:40:00.000-04:00

I have completed my socks. The next step is to mail them to my target. But alas, Yarn Monkey has still not gotten out all the dossiers. My target doesn't want to give up the mailing address. So I must wait for her to "play fair" or for Yarn Monkey to send my dossier. Hopefully, I'll be able to survive to knit another pair.

Impatient

2006-09-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

I can't wait for Sock Wars to begin. I was hoping to get my scarf done for the International Scarf Exchange (ISE3) beforehand. But alas, it is only about half way completed.

Now, I'm just waiting for yarnmonkey, the hostess of sock wars, to send out the pattern. Then the war begins. I don't want to be sleeping when the war starts but it's almost midnight and I have to go to work tomorrow.

A watched clock never rings and a watched email account just dares the Comcast gods to kill the connection. I think I'll go to bed and check in the morning, unless I have to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom or get water in which case it would be ok to check, wouldn't it.

Goal Setting

2006-09-17T17:24:00.000-04:00

A week ago I posted the following:

My goals for this week are to finish the Baby Surprise Jacket, the crocheted bear for the Mother Bear project, at least 10 more inches on my ISE3 scarf, and at least 2 more swatches for my CGOA coursework. If you plan it, it will happen... right?

Well it didn't happen. Almost, but not quite. I did not get my CGOA swatches done. Not good. But I did get everything else done. Very good. So now I'm behind schedule on my CGOA stuff and Sock Wars starts on Friday. I forgot to swatch using the yarn I selected so I'm doing that now.

For this week, I set these goals. By Friday, add 10 more inches to my ISE3 scarf and do 4 CGOA swatches. On Friday, Sock Wars begins and that is my focus until (1) I complete my pair of socks and send them off or (2) I receive a pair of socks in the mail and the fun is over. Since it starts Friday, the odds are the earliest I will be assasinated is Monday. Every day when I come home from work I won't want to check the mailbox. It can only mean the end of the game. Wish me luck.

P.S. I got gauge with my Sock Wars yarn. I went up a needle size to do it, but I did it. Yeah! ! ! !

Baby Surprise is ready for a baby

2006-09-16T19:20:00.000-04:00

I finished my Baby Surprise Jacket (BSJ). It was designed by Elizabeth Zimmerman and can be found in her books Knitting Workshop and The Opinionated Knitter. Click here to see a pic of my BSJ before I sewed the shoulder seams. The entire jacket is knit in one piece. I used Caron Simply Soft in the Baby Brights colorway.

Pierre for the Mother Bear Project

2006-09-16T13:41:00.000-04:00

I finished my first bear for the Mother Bear Project. He's crocheted using Bernat Satin Yarn and a size G hook. Click here to see how he looked before he was stuffed. My friend Pam, named him Pierre. Pierre is about 15 inches tall and is happy to be going to live overseas with a little boy or girl who will love him. But Pierre would like a friend to travel with. He's never been on a plane and wants someone he knows along for the ride. Not that he's scared or anything. Pierre thinks it will be more fun to travel with a buddy. So I need to make another bear, maybe a girl this time.

P.S. I mailed my box of 50 caps for Caps to the Capital today. And the Baby Surprise Jacket will be completed this weekend. I promise.

I had a productive weekend

2006-09-10T21:13:00.000-04:00

This weekend I managed to get some more household chores done which were on the list. Since it was a normal weekend and not a dedicated housework weekend I didn't force myself to work too much.

On Friday, I went to the LYS to get a 2nd opinion on my ISE3 scarf. It seemed a bit tight with the size 8 needles and I wondered if I should go up a needle size. Well, each of the two employees in the store had a different opinion. One said it was fine, the other thought I should go up a needle size. Both said, if I thought it was too tight I should change it. So I did and now I have 9 inches done. Yeah!!

While watching a movie Saturday night, I started a crocheted bear for the Mother Bear project. The bear is knit or crocheted in one long piece from the toes up to the top of the head and down the other side. During that one movie I got it all crocheted except for the scarf. The bear is a beigy color with dark green pants and a light green sweater. This project was featured on an episode of Knitty Gritty on the DIY Network.

I also pinned the seams of my Baby Surprise Jacket together so I can seam it up. Here's a picture of it before I pinned it.

My goals for this week are to finish the Baby Surprise Jacket, the crocheted bear for the Mother Bear project, at least 10 more inches on my ISE3 scarf, and at least 2 more swatches for my CGOA coursework. If you plan it, it will happen... right?

Sock Wars Update

2006-09-08T19:22:00.000-04:00

The yarn, needle, and gauge requirements for Sock Wars was posted today. Another trip to the yarn store was necessary. Instead of your average sock yarn, DK weight is the name of the game. Yarnmonkey says she did this since a lot of newbies enlisted.

Here's a pic of the yarn I bought. It's Lola by Schaefer Yarn. It's a handpainted superwash merino wool. I hope the recipient likes the colors as much as I do. They're a little out there but I thought the bright colors would encourage me to knit faster.

100% of my goal

2006-09-06T21:49:00.000-04:00

I did it! My goal for Caps to the Capital was 50 hats by Thanksgiving. I completed my 50th hat less than 10 minutes ago. It feels so good to be able to help 50 newborns. Most of the hats were made with Patons Decor, some with TLC Essentials, some with TLC Lustre, and a few with Bernat Satin.

Yarn Shopping was Fruitful

2006-09-05T16:38:00.000-04:00

This yarn is Cascade Yarn's Quattro in colorway 9432. It's a blue and green mix. I'll use it to make the Farrow Rib scarf for my ISE3 pal. The pattern was part of the Little Box of Scarves. Quattro is 100% Peruvian Highland Wool. I hope my secret pal will like my choices for her.

Patons Decor is one of my favorite yarns to use for charity projects. It's 75% acrylic and 25% wool. It feels great and it's machine washable. I'll use this yarn, colorway 1714, to knit the Elaine scarf for the Red Scarf Project. The pattern was found in Sally Melville's Book 2:The Purl Stitch. I chose a machine washable yarn because I was afraid my scarf would go to a young college student who would inadvertently put it in the washer. With a non-washable wool it would felt. And back in college I know I didn't want anything hand wash only or dry clean only.

ISE3 has begun

2006-09-05T12:12:00.000-04:00

I woke up this morning and was excited to find my secret pal information for ISE3 in my inbox. In anticipation of the event I had started a scarf. It's a nice one but the color isn't going to look right on my secret pal. So, yippee, I get to go to the yarn store today and pick out new yarn. I love shopping for yarn at the LYS. Today, I'm going to go to ...have you any wool? It's close to my house and they have great staff working there.

Now what can I tell you about my secret pal without giving too much away. She may be reading my blog, ya know. She's a she rather than a he. She lives in a cold climate so I'll make a scarf to keep her warm. And she's got a really nice blog. I can't post the address or everyone would know who I have. Once I pick out the pattern and the yarn, I'll post a pic.

P.S. In the afternoon I received an email from the person who gets to knit a scarf for me. This is so exciting. And she's got the greatest email address "Secret Knitter". I think she may do a lot of swapping. What do you think?

Following the Rules

2006-09-03T22:29:00.000-04:00

It's Labor Day weekend. I have three days off from work and I scheduled two more off. What can I do with 5 days off? Crafting for 5 days would be lots of fun. But the dishes would continue to pile up in the sink. The dust bunnies would continue to grow into giant mutant rabbits. And the vast amounts of stuff accumulated in my house would still be there (sometimes I think it multiplies when I'm not looking). I gotta set some rules.

Here they are. Each day I must work on household chores (there is a list of them) for at least 6 hours. I am only allowed to craft (there's a list for this too) after dinner or after 8 o'clock. Depends if my 6 hours of work are done by dinner time. Sleeping late does not get me out of doing the requisite amount of work each day.

And when I do craft I can only work on certain items. I signed up for the CGOA's Masters of Basic Stitches course. You get a whole year to complete 21 swatches and answer 18 questions. I have one month left and as you can see on the sidebar I am less than half way done. This must get completed on time. My goal for Caps for the Capital is close to being done. I am allowed to work on this because it's a good take along project. It's amazing how much you can get done while waiting in line or for your meal to be placed in front of you, or while every gabs at the table after finishing dessert. And lastly, I am allowed to work on my Baby Surprise jacket an Elizabeth Zimmerman design) since it only needs to be seamed and the buttons sewn on. I first saw it on Smokin' Hot Needles blog.

I had such good intentions. I had to go to work on Saturday morning at 6am. But they weren't ready on time so I tried to go back to sleep, tried again later, and eventually went in at 10. That threw me off and I took a nap when I got home at 3pm. So I didn't do any chores and I went over Karen's for dinner and movies with her and Brent (aka Pez). I did get 3 caps made while at Karen's. Today though, I did really well. I worked for over 6 hours on chores, crossed several items off my list, and I finished three more swatches for my CGOA coursework. Yippee ! ! !

Tomorrow is the last day of the Michigan State Fair. Karen, Pez, and I are supposed to go. To stay on track I need to get some stuff done before I leave the house and after I come home. Hopefully, I can do that. Well I know I can but will I do that. Only time will tell.

Tuesday and Wednesday will probably be productive since my friends will be back at work. No distractions. I might actually achieve my goal of a clutter free house by the end of the year after all. Several more weekends with rules will be required for that to happen. Wish me luck.

Gotta Focus

2006-08-29T21:44:00.000-04:00

I have a problem. I am easily distracted. Very easily distracted. I want to work on the next project even when I'm not done with the one I'm currently working on. Or rather the several I'm working on. Just check out the works in progress on the sidebar to the right. There's a lot of stuff in that list. And that's only the stuff I am even remotely kinda sorta actively working on. At least the ones I'll admit to. There are really more than that.

It's not like I don't enjoy working on the current projects. They're great and I want to get them done. Really I do. If I didn't, would I track their progress? Let alone track it publicly. For all the world to know I never finish things. That would be like failing a test on international TV. Did I tell you my parents were both educators so failing is not allowed? Especially publicly.

Yet, I am anxious to start a new project. While attending the MI Fiber Festival I bought a kit to make the Fiber Trends Huggable Hedgehog. It's so cute. Isn't the hedgehog cute? You gotta admit he's cute. I really want to start it. Wouldn't you want to start it? And it's felted so it knits up big and it should be fast. Right? I can finish it over Labor Day weekend with no problem. By the time I add it to my works in progress list it will be done. So I should just go ahead and do it, right. Where's an enabler when you need one?

But I have so many things already in progress. And they're all scattered on and around the sofa in the living room. It's a large sectional sofa and there's no place for guests to sit because of all the projects. What's a girl to do?

Accidental Meeting

2006-08-25T20:35:00.000-04:00

Back in May I went to Borders to buy a knitting book. There were at least three books on the list. All of them were on the shelf. I had a coupon. I didn't buy any of them. Do you want to know why?

Sitting on the table was a book I had heard a little something about but it didn't seem to be my style. I decided to thumb through it anyway. There was a section titled "In defense of the warshrag". The caption for the picture on the facing page said "If the Anti-Dishcloth Coalition targets you for making dishcloths, resist peacefully and start singing Bob Dylan songs." I was hooked.

This book was not only about knitting but it made me laugh. Out loud. For long periods of time. In public. The book had to go home with me. It's called Mason-Dixon Knitting by Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne.

I discovered Ann & Kay have a website, Mason-Dixon Knitting. There's a great blog there too, Mason-Dixon KAL (KAL stands for knit-a-long). I started knitting ~~dishcloths~~ warshrags, and I can't stop. Must give them as Christmas gifts since I don't really cook, and therefore don't have dishes to wash.

My house is bursting at the seams with Sugar 'n Cream dishcloth cotton. I keep buying it even though I have enough to last me a few years. Tomorrow, I'm going to the tent sale at Mary Maxim to buy more. There's always another color to buy, another warshrag waiting to be made.

Once I discovered Mason-Dixon Knitting, I found dishcloth patterns everywhere. Criminy Jickets has a wonderful Garterlac dishcloth pattern on his blog. It's entrelac but done in garter stitch. Then I discovered a Monthly Dishcloth KAL Yahoo group and had to join. I need a support group to save me from all this. I've considered cooking so I can create dirty dishes so I can use all my wonderful warshrags .

Many people tell me they're too nice to use. They'll get dirty. wah, wah, wah. Your sponge gets dirty too. When the warshrag gets dirty just throw it in the washing machine. What's the problem? Tell someone you're knitting a warshrag and 9 times out of 10 they say, "you're making what?" which is quickly followed by "why would you want to do that?" Yet, every once in a while someone says "I love those. My Mom always used them" to which I respond "I'll add you to my gift list".

Renee

P.S. This isn't the usual list. The one where your name gets added at the bottom but nothing ever gets made for anyone on the list. This is the list I actually work from.

P.P.S. The Mason-Dixon Knitting book has lots of great items, not just warshrags. There are baby bibs, burp cloths, a cute baby kimono, a nightie, curtains, and more. If you haven't taken a look at the book, you definitely should. It's a great read even for non-knitters.

Interesting Swaps

2006-08-21T22:18:00.000-04:00

I signed up for two "swaps". The first is ISE3, the 3rd International Scarf Exchange. It's an opportunity for me to knit a scarf and send it off to someone I've never met. I've selected the pattern and the yarn. I hope my pal isn't averse to fall colors or allergic to wool. And someone out there in the world will be sending a scarf to me. I can't wait. I love gifts. I love surprises. Come join the fun. You have until September 7th to sign up.

The other event is part swap, part challenge. I've enlisted for Sock Wars. According to yarnmonkey, who's hosting the event, "... you will be emailed a top secret file containing the details of your target and a pattern. To kill your target you must knit them the pair of socks in the pattern and mail it to them..." If you are killed you mail your unfinished project and your target's info to your killer. The sole survivor is the winner. I wonder if I am up to the challenge. Are you? If so, sign up by Spetember 8th.

Crocheting caps for a good cause

2006-08-20T12:10:00.000-04:00

In July, I attended Chain Link 2006, the national conference of the CGOA, in King of Prussia, PA. During the annual meeting, they discussed a new partnership between the CYCA's Warm Up America! Foundation and Save the Children called Caps to the Capital. Knitting and crocheting hats is a simple, low-cost practice that could save newborn lives in developing countries around the world. We were told "the goal is 500,000 hats (applause from the crowd) but we can do 1 million, can't we? (thunderous applause from the crowd)". The group of crocheters sitting in the room loudly declared we were up to the challenge.

I am constantly making something and find it very satisying to make items and donate them to worthy causes. So when I heard about Caps to the Capital I went right home and searched my stash for stray balls of yarn. My personal goal is to make at least 50 hats by Thanksgiving. I crochet or knit most days in the cafeteria after I finish my lunch. Usually I can complete at least one hat during my lunch hour. The other day I finished two. Please don't tell my boss. You can keep up with my progress by glancing at the bar over on the right.

Hello and Welcome to my Blog

2006-08-14T21:09:00.000-04:00

My name is Renee and as you might have guessed Sticky was my father. Actually his name was James, but Dad's college friends all called him Sticky.

I am a craftaholic. Primarily a fiber person. Crocheting is my first love but I am a big fan of knitting. In prior crafting cycles I have done beadwork, teddy bears, porcelain dolls, quilting, polymer clay, and basketweaving.