Now you know what color my longies are

In between knitting my first priority, soldier socks, I am knitting these footless longies (aka: Nether Garments). This is just before I joined the legs, which I have now. My fingers are flying to the finish. I have tried them on a few times to make sure I was where I needed to be.......and they are going to be sooooo comfortable and warm.

I never thought these would be easy to knit.....but they are! The instructions can be found in "Knitter's Almanac" by Elizabeth Zimmermann. This pair is knit with Knitpicks Swish Worsted Superwash, in Dublin, using US sz 6 circular needles. I started out with dpn's, then 16" circs and graduated to 24" circs.

I plan on knitting another pair with some wool from School House Press.

If it's cold where you are, you just gotta try a pair. I've got to get back to knitting! Bye!

Garter Stitch Hat - in the round

As it happens, in the winter months - it gets cold. *brrrr
I have rarely worn a hat since it doesn't get that cold where I live and I'm not out in the cold that long.
Well, in my daily brisk walking I realized the winds have picked up a cold front!
After that walk, I came in and turned to my trusty computer to find something to knit up to wear around my little ears.

This "Cold Weather Hat" is perfect! It's knit in the round with two strands of worsted wool. I searched through my stash and found these two skeins........









.......and knit them into this.
It was a quick knit and I did one thing different - on the even rounds [of the decrease rounds], I purled them so as to keep it looking, well, like a garter stitch hat.
Well, I'm off now to take my brisk walk in the brisk cool air.....and I won't worry about my little ears getting cold.

Socks for Kevin

My son had to do some rough sketches so I could chart the designs and now.....the duplicate stitching is finally done!

THAT part of the sock knitting put these on hold for way too long. I don't know what I was so afraid of!

These socks went to Kevin, my son's friend. The green pair represents Tri-Force and the red pair represents Power Rangers. There are probably several of you who knew who those characters were. I had to learn. :)

I love the way they turned out and Kevin was ecstatic when he received them last night!

These were knit with Dale Baby Ull.

Fair Isle sweater swatch made into a cap

I finished my swatch......and my son loves it!!

There are some long floats in the beginning but they are holding their shape.

A big 'Thank You!' to the yahoo group that helped me get past some concerns. I am now ready to write the sweater pattern so I can begin my son's sweater.

My Alpine bag

Please excuse the dark picture of my unfelted bag. I am NOT the best photographer except in my mind.

You wouldn't know by that picture that the colors I chose were hyacinth, burgundy and sand in Knitpicks Wool of the Andes.

This, wonderful to knit bag, is a Deby Lake creation that she so generously gave. I have made a couple of her designs.....and not just bags.

You can find this pattern here as the October pattern. November's looks like a great one to do, too!

The color still isn't true but....here is the end result of my nervous felting. I was so afraid I would over-felt. I love, love, love my new bag!!!

I did a few things different: I used a 3 stitch I-cord method to bind off the top, knitting extra I-cord for the knot in front and then making a small opening at the back (for the closure). Next, I knit the handles 60" long with a 4 stitch I-cord using two strands. After felting and drying, I weaved the cord in and out in different directions.

Did I mention ~ I LOVE MY BAG??

Leisure socks ~ a gift

These socks were knit with Lady Bug handpainted yarn w/nubs in a cuff-down Slip Up Sock pattern (scroll to the bottom of the page for pattern and get a close-up look at the stitches by putting your mouse over the picture). It is a very nice yarn that I won in a contest with a promise to knit them up and send them back.
The pattern was easy to memorize and I found that I needed to increase the circumference by 6 stitches more. Even going to 72 stitches would still be okay since the pattern draws in.
.....yes, that's another one of my old doilies. ;)

Just found out that the handpainted yarn can be found at: Ladybug Sewing-Knitting, 121 Center St W., Warren OH 44481-9313. Phone: (330) 847-9965

The Sweater my son wants me to knit

Well, here it is - the infamous sweater my son would love to have. He sends me the picture and asks, "Mom, I really like this sweater! Can you knit this for me?". Of course I can, says I.

So, I finally charted it to the best of my ability, purchased the yarn, and have son's measurements.

Since I am a huge fan of EZ and Meg, I cast on my swatch as a cap - just as they would. I knit the ribbing in k2, p2 and then a few rows in stockinette. Here is where I noticed how.........far........apart.........the dark stitches are. Oh, oh!

I plunged right in (anyway) and followed the chart, catching the dark float every inch (as Meg would do). I then ripped the 5 or so rounds...........twice.

Did I give up?

Wellllll.......I can't - my son thinks I can do anything.

So, I joined this fabulous group (after searching yahoo groups with "fair isle").

I posted my question about long floats and got several, wonderful responses. I love that group!

Now I can try it again.

Note: After I explained my dilemma to my son, I asked him to look at the chart and see if he could put a few stitches in it here and there. He did so with my pencil, then looked at me with a slightly twisted face and said it didn't look like the picture anymore. So, not only can I try it again.....I WILL try it again. :)

Two doilies made for my mom

By special request from some great friends who think I'm so talented!
I took these pictures a couple years ago but made these more than 15 years ago while visiting at my mother's place in Colorado. I always have to be making something so these were it.
I believe the top doily was from an Old World/Old Time Crochet magazine and

I don't remember where the oval doily came from. I have a feeling it's from an Old World/Old Time Crochet

magazine, too.

My son loves my socks!

Here are some socks for my son. I used my CSM for the ribbed legs and am knitting the heels, feet and toes by hand.

The yarn is DG Confetti 100 superwash, color 14.04.

I am a loose knitter and have to resort to US sz 0 needles when using fingering weight yarns. It's a bummer when I read how others use sz 2 or 3!

I think I'd like to knit some fingerless gloves with this yarn to match his socks. Hmmm.