felt like a change

Today i am learning how to felt: learning how yarn shrinks and tightens and gets all furry -- and i am whipping up these adorable little green and brown change purses that smell like my dryer! yes, i think felting can be as addictive as learning how to knit in general!

the change purses will be for sale at a local crafters venue to benefit the Island Food Pantry on December 10th December 31st. I have to make a bunch by then. more info soon!

and ps. the hat finally fits!

current project: the boyfriend hat

Knitting for guys can be tough, especially since there aren't as many cool patterns out there for guys as there are for girls. Its also tough because they're heads are way bigger --haha -- well in my case thats what went wrong! I followed a pattern from Stitch and Bitch to create a ribbed hat on strait needles instead of circular ones. It seemed pretty straight forward, only the first rendition came out waaaay too small (looked quite nice to wear to temple on sundays tho...) and I am currently on the third!

measure. measure. measure.

I did luck out by finding the yarn in a discounted bin so I was able to pick up lots of it for a good price. Plus it combines the same three colors that are in my boyfirends new winter coat.

help: all thumbs!

one way to make cozy armwarmers

cast on 24 stitches on size 10 1/2 needles.
knit in the rib stitch (knit, purl, knit purl entire row) for 3/4".
switch to stockingette stitch (knit a row, purl a row, all rows) for about 7".
rib the last 3/4" before binding off.
sew 'em up using the mattress stitch, leave about 1 1/2" - 2" about 1" down for the thumb to poke through...

and then here's where i ran into trouble -- the "thumb warmer" (i guess thats what we'll call it.) basically i didn't know how to make it one continuous peice, so i ended up making the thumb separately and sewing it on! by casting 15 stitches onto size 9 needles and knitting in the rib stitch for about 3/4" you get a cozy little cuff to attach at the thumb opening!


does anyone know the correct way to do this??

winter warmerz

I started knitting precisely a year ago and one of the first projects i wanted to make were a set of arm warmers -- little fingerless gloves that tuck inside your coat sleeve and keep your fists warm, but still allow you to dig your subway pass out of your wallet or operate your cell phone in subzero temperatures (very appropriate for a new england-city girl!) i thought these to be very difficult until i started looking around at some patterns and finally began making them -- so simple! I combined patterns found in vogue knitting and knitty.com to create my own and whipped them up in just two short nights. (i only had the attention span to make one each night!)

the completed cami

this pattern came from a book i have called Teen Knitting Club. i am not a teen (i was once though...) but i undoubtably love this book! It features patterns for things you would actually want to wear (boys and girls) and the instructions are easily written out instead of in abbreviations. everything about it is very simplified which is helpful to beginners as well as more advanced or adventurous knitters who want to modify patterns or come up with their own designs. i made only a few small changes to the camisole and got something waaay different from the book, yet it fits me as the pattern said it would. knitting, like anything, can be a lot of fun when you learn the rules well enough to break them.

yarn over...!

Recently upon yarn shopping I discovered this amazing, inexpensive yarn from lion brand called landscapes. I really loved the colors that were twined in each ball and how soft it was! I started knitting a practice swatch on size 13 needles just to see how it looked and couln't stop until I had a scarf.... voila! and added some fringe for fun.

yea, i do photography, too.