Funky Retro Hot Pads

Lots of fun -- made in a day. Vertigo had hit so I couldn't see very well and I was confined to inactivity. mainly bed. I had to do something while I listened to a book -- David Plotz' Good Book. So, I decided to use The Pisgah Yarn & Dyeing Co., Inc Peaches & Creme Double Worsted I've come to love for summer knitting. Colors:
1. Leftover from cones, 55.3 yards in colorway #95 Red
2. 1 skein (50.0 yards )in colorway #203 Faded Glory reds, blues
3. 1 skein (50.0 yards)in colorway #194 Yorktown blues reds
4. 1 skein (50.0 yards)in colorway #193 Gettysburg blues
Needles: #9 wooden
For the pinwheels, cast on 12 stitches and knit all in short rows, decreasing one stitch every other row (at pointy end of pinwheel). About 10" in diameter diameter. Eight sections -- a little waffly but I bound the loose edges with a crochet borner. They'll pull together when washed and dried. The square -- I used the basic log cabin with my variation of one extra stitch at each end of the pick up row. Dimensions: 10.5" x 10". Bound with crochet to tighten up the edges.

Aren't they "ironic"? And, I really enjoyed Good Book. A day most profitably spent.

Peyote Stitch Bead Weaving

For the May meeting of North Country Spinners guild member Jeanine shared her expertise in Peyote bead weaving. Unfortunately my eyes couldn't handle the tiny, albeit lovely beads in the kits provided -- after an hour I was seeing double and did so for the rest of the day! However, I am most fortunate to have a generous sister who is also a beader. She very kindly gave me some size 8 for me to practice on. I just knew I could master this technique and it was so satisfying to succeed after the frustration of not being able to do it at the guild workshop. Peyote stitch reminds me of cross stitch or needle point; it's quite logical and self-correcting. This weekend I made two of the sheep. There's also an adorable cat but I don't have the beads for that. My hope is that with enough practice I'll be able to use the gorgeous beads Jeanine provided and make those delicate little weavings.

The one on the left is for my sister; I plan to stitch it to a felted project bag. She also suggested that a cloud would look awfully nice in the deep and wide sky. Horror vacui? On the right is the first amulet I made. (I'm going to call it something else -- I'm very uncomfortable with the word "amulet.) It's a little funky, with an extra row of beads on either side and lots of starting and ending threads. We'll hang it up on the front door of our "country" house to indicate that a fiber artist lives there.

Can heavy beads withstand the weight if hung up? Will the sun rot the threads? I'll find out, won't I?

Potholders...duh

I can't find my favorite Ritz terry cloth potholders. And, I never think of knitting for myself. But, I had a breakthrough and I'm thrilled. There was this great Elmore Pisgah double worsted bright red yarn in the stash, just waiting to be useful. So I knitted up a test potholder -- 30 stitches on #8 wooden needles for 32 ridges, with enough yarn at cast-on (or off) for a generous loop. Before washing: 9 1/2" wide by 11" high. After washing, 9 1/2" wide by 9 1/2" high -- just what I wanted. I have enough for 4 nad have dug out several other balls of double worsted cotton -- tho' they're only 2oz and these potholders take 3oz. The finished one is good and thick but with the pliability you need to pick up a hot lid or something.

Angela's Shawl Resumed

Hooray, I've resumed knitting my sister's Christmas (2008!) present. I had to "review" the lace edging of Meg Swansen's "Garter & Lace" shawl. I'm using some New Zealand yarn my daughter bought me: Sue Bateup 88% Mohair, 12% Wool. It was a breeze to knit till I got to the edge and then I lost heart. But, I understand it better now.

Thrifty Knitting

Okay, okay, I admit it. I'm a fan. It's the practicality and the whimsey that attracts me to the Mason Dixon Knitting series. Now that Spring has come I'm preparing cotton projects for the hotter weather to come. In particular, I'm working on household items from last year's new release from Ann Shayne and Kay Gardiner, Mason Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines. Don't you just think swiffers, and all their ilk, are THE most wasteful cleaning product? Not to mention landfill stuffers? Some of my closest relatives and friends are, I'm afraid, avid consumers who now, as times have changed, are interested in the genius "Swifty" by Ann & Kay. I promised these as presents last December and my daughter wants one. But, cotton tending to mildew as it does, I think I'll make each recipient a few. What a perfect way to use up all my kitchen cotton odds and ends... Double thrift.

Finished Sweater and Vest for Grandson

Yummy patterns from Louisa Harding's Natural Knits for Babies and Moms. The sweater was inspired by JoJo's Basic Crew Sweater. I added 2" 'cause the grandbaby is a long 'un. Also, because I like symmetry and I wasn't sure I had enough of the yellow, I made the sleeves the same. The Oz Vest, from the same book, has that funky little bit at the bottom of the v-neck with I don't like. Both are made in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino #340016 med green. The sweater used 1.2 skeins #340017, chartreuse yellow and 2.05 skeins of the medium green. The Oz Vest used 1.9 skeins. The color of the sweater is closer to reality than the Oz Vest which looks turquoise. #5 and #6 needles. I don't like stretched out bottom edges so I usually cast on 10% fewer stitches and increase in the first row after the ribbing. These are both size 18 months.

Organic Cotton Kimono

For little Madeline, born in October 2008.

Natural color. I washed & dried a swatch and figured out the shrinkage – mostly vertical accounted for it. I measured the width and had to adjust to the largest size in the pattern, not the original newborn size intended. Garter stitch just stretches out, doesn’t it? I have come to loathe this “free” pattern from a back issue of Knits. The directions are more complicated than the structure which is pretty clever. And, it’s not sized correctly. Yes, I’ve checked my gauge. Cast on for small size – allowing for the shrinkage of my swatch – but it came out big enough for 24 month size for which it is an odd style.
Materials:

Rowan Purelife Organic Cotton, #786 Lipstick Natural 3.1 skeins, #3 needles.