December 18, 2012
Meet Nibbler!
Last month my husband and I got our first dog!
It's much like a baby in that you have to clean up after it, but he's also super cute so it makes up for it. Our house is old and a bit colder than most, so I knit him a cozy sweater.
He's still too small for it, but he's growing so fast I'm sure he'll be in it by January.
Nibbler likes knitting too. His favorite part is smelling and biting my knitted works. He says the wool tastes yummy.
December 17, 2012
I have been bugging my wonderful husband for the past year about making him a sweater. Usually he was disinterested, but this fall has sparked a new interest in him. He's kinda specific about what he wants, but that's the joy of knitting it yourself: I can make all the alterations I want!
I'm starting out with a pattern found in Knitter's world called Copper and Walnut.
Alterations:
- Adding some sweet Celtic cables to the back and front
- Using a tubular cast on in a 1x1 rib instead of 2x2
- Widening the collar to create a double breasted look
- Using Berroco Jasper in Blue/Brown
- Adding some more stylish buttons
Here's what I have so far:
Hopefully it will be done before the cold weather is.
December 12, 2012 (12-12-12)
Merry Christmas!!
You'll have to forgive the long break I've taken since June. Graduate school has been intense. Here's a look at the few projects I have been working on since this summer.
Blocking the Aidez Cardigan
Here's it from the front
From the back. Sadly I failed to measure myself before I started and it ended up being WAY too small for me. I'm planning on gifting it to one of my smaller friends.
I also decided to make socks out of some wool I bought from a local vender at a knitting conference. This was definitely the case where the yarn choose the project. I attempted to make a shawl out of this but decided socks would be better. Lovely yarn...it still smells like sheep and I love it! Came from a ewe named Blossom. Here's her picture on the label:
Here's the socks I've started to make with it. I'm really excited to wear these with some boots!
June 11, 2012
For quite some time now, I have had this sweater idea running through my brain. I wanted to create a sweater that was trendy and fun. I just started it last week and I'm really excited to watch it grow. Maybe I can even get my knitting guild friends to help me iron out the pattern. That pattern is called "Drop it Like it's Hot". So named for the dropped stitches. Here's what I have so far:
June 10, 2012
NEW NEEDLES!!!!
I just bought a set of Harmony Wood Interchangeable Circular Needles from my local knitting store. I've done some investigation and decided these are a really great product. And as an added bonus, if you break one, just send it back and they will replace it!! That was really the seller for me since they aren't cheap. I've only been knitting a year so I know that I have a lot of knitting ahead of me. I am very excited about using them.
May 22, 2012
You may notice that the pieces to my sweater have a little yellow bit of yarn on the bottle. That is what we call a TUBULAR CAST-ON. Once you learn this cast-on, you will want to use it for every project that starts with 1x1 ribbing from here on out. It creates a beautiful edge that looks just like the edges you see in machine knit garments. It is also super easy to learn. Let me teach you step by step. Check out the video here:
Start by casting on HALF the desired amount of stitches PLUS ONE loosely in waste yarn. For example: if your pattern calls for 37 stitches cast on 19. NOTE: This really works best with an odd number of stitches. If your pattern calls for an even amount, try to find a secret place to decrease one.
Knot your real yarn around the tail of the waste yarn.
Row 1: with your real yarn K1 *YO K1* repeat * til end. turn
Row 2-4: Slip the knitted stitches purl-wise with yarn in front. Knit the YO 's.
Row 5 & all the rest: Knit the knits and purl the purls as you see them.
It's really that simple.
Just cut out the waste yarn and you are left with a beautiful edge that will make your knitting friends jealous. I usually leave it on till the end because the waste yarn keeps it neat and tight.
This is called a tubular cast-on because in essence you are double knitting on rows 2-4 creating a hollow piece. Feel free to repeat rows 2-4 as much as you want, I just stop at row 5 because the it's quicker to knit purl. There is an identical bind-off to this cast-on that looks equally wonderful. More info on that to come (it's not as easy as the cast on).
May 18, 2012
Summer is at hand and here I am working on a wool cardigan, but I love it! Here's a look at the back of my Aidez
cardigan finished. Just about ready to start blocking the pieces.
April 21, 2012
Check out my Penguins under the weather! (click on them, move them around, tease them). My computer nerd husband put them up for me. He's actually the one who set up my entire site. A web developer genius he is! I can't thank him enough for his proactive support. Adrienneknits.com was his idea in the first place actually.
On a more serious note, I have teamed up with my local knitting guild to knit some socks for charity. It's a great cause actually. A young girl name Blair was hit and killed by a stray bullet last fourth of July. She was working on a project for Girl Scouts to give foster kids socks. Sad story, but I'm so glad I can help out. Here's more of the story: blairsfostersocks.org.
If you are a knitter, please consider a sock donation of any sized socks. If you aren't a knitter, they take store bought socks too. Socks go to foster children any where from newborn to teenage. I will soon beginning my first pair of Blair's foster socks after I finish the unholey monkey socks. I got some really fun pink and white yarn from the guild's charity stash. Knitting Guilds Rock by the way. Join one near you.
April 16, 2012
Hello,
Last night I finally started a project I've been wanting to begin for quite some time now...the Aidez Cardigan. I acquired the yarn a couple months ago from my local knit shop. My current project is the Unholey Monkey Socks (pictured below), but the tiny needles are driving me a little mad.
So, I needed something larger and decided to begin the Aidez. I'm just far enough into the cable to absolutely LOVE IT! Here's a peek. Can't wait to work on it some more!
