Summer, finally!

The last week or so I have been cranking out projects. I finished a cupcake pin cushion, a knit bikini top, almost a dozen recycled envelopes, and new tags for a few items I plan to sell. I have also been watching tons of diy videos on You Tube, especially those from Threadbangers. They have a really nice format, simple to follow instructions, and interesting projects that include knit, crochet, and sewing. I am not that awsome at sewing, which is one of the reasons why I still haven't finished the inside of my daphne purse. I really have to get going on that, since I totally want to use the purse in July!



I picked up some really cute doggy t-shirts over at Hobby Lobby. I got a black, a red, and a pink one. My male toy poodle likes the color pink (weird I know, but he just always seems to be attracted to things that are pink, maybe he's part bee), so I got him the pink t-shirt. I want to paint "Real men wear pink" on it in black paint, just because it would be hilarious.


He might also be part cat....

Other than that, I'm possibly planning to Julnowrimo. And, yay! I just checked the site and it is back up and running. I checked yesterday and it was still down. Now I just have to decide which novel I'll be writting next, the by-the-sea-romance or the time-travel-adventure. Both take place in the summer, so I'll have plenty of good weather (finally!!!) to help with my creativity!

Happy knitting!

Wwkipd

Saturday was wwkipd, which basically stands for world wide knit in public day. There were big get togethers and small gatherings of knitters doing what they do best out in view of the public. Now, normally I take something to work on pretty much everywhere. I especially love it when the bf drives, and we'll be in the car for a while, because I can get some more knitting time in. So, was I out knitting yesterday?

No!

I was hoping for lovely weather on Saturday. If it was nice out I planned on going down town, but I woke up to a drizzling rain that seemed to last all morning. I did not want to go out and sit in the rain to work on a pair of wool socks. Yuck. Of course, I completely missed some posts on Ravelry about where everyone was meeting should the weather turn out to be less than ideal knitting conditions. Blah. I could have gone!

As the day wore on, however, the weather cleared up. Heavy clouds passed occassionally and threatened rain, but it never happened. At about 2 p.m. I'd had enough of staying indoors, so I made the bf take me and the puppies out to the park. We grabbed some lunch, stopped at Panera for a plain bagel (for the dogs) and went to the park for a picnic and a walk. It was very pleasant and though I did knit in the car, I hardly count that as being within the public view.

So, that pretty much sums up my second annual world-wide-not-knitting-in-public-day-even-though-we-and-by-we-I-mean-I-should-have-been-knitting-in-public-day. There's always next year, right?

Happy knitting!

Knitting and reading

Oh, will this dreary weather ever end? Seriously, it is June, isn't it? This coming Saturday is World Wide Knit in Public Day. I really wanted to go downtown and sit in the park and knit, but not if the weather is like this! If it is like this, you'll most likely see me holed up in a Starbucks instead, at least for a little while.

I completed several more rows on my double-cabled scarf today. I am hoping to get through this one skein before this weekend. I want to start on a new pair of socks, but I want to use my knitting bag for them, and of course I can't since I threaded the scarf yarn through the bag. I will not do the same for the sock yarn, since I will be trying to make a pair on circular needles. If I follow the instructions correctly, I should be alright, but who knows, I might end up tangled and I do not want to pull out then rewind an entire skein of yarn if it happens.

Other than knitting, I finishing reading Pants on Fire, aka Tommy Sullivan is a Freak. Gosh it feels good to get through a book in less than two days. It was a pretty good book. The main character, Katie, was pretty relateable. Who doesn't tell a white lie every now and then? Even though she was totally cheating on her cute, jock boyfriend with the hot drama geek. Then, of course, Tommy Sullivan showed up....

I have to admit that among all of the love interests in Meg Cabot's book, Tommy Sullivan did not have it going on. I mean, sure she described how out of this world gorgeous his changing amber eyes were in different lights, and then there were those rock solid bicepts he had developed from the four years he spent in military school, but he had red hair! I totally kept picturing scrawny, 80's Eric Stolz the entire book. Which is way weird, I know.

I took that book back to the library and checked out Wicked Lovely,Peeps,and Devilish. It might be a bit difficult to choose what to read next, since they all seem really good. With any luck, Eric Stoltz won't be making an appearance in any of them.

Happy knitting!

P.S. Luna says, let's go back to sleep!

Random Day

Today has been another one of those blah days, but at least I got a few things accomplished today.

No knitting or crocheting cute food items today. I tried though. I started knitting a cherry, but once I started attaching the stem, I realized it just wasn't going to work out. Let's just say the cherry was more eliptical shaped than round. I gave up after one attempt.

I did find a link to the documentary, We Are Wizards, from Harry and the Potters myspace (Link). I enjoyed some parts of it immensely, while others I wished were different, shorter segments, or otherwise arranged differently. Overall it was some good viewing.

The other thing that I did today, despite having a massive headache and not really wanting to do anything, was some more editing. Woohoo! I got through two chapters, which doesn't seem like a lot, but when I haven't worked on it in about two months.... Yeah.

I also read the first six chapters of Pants on Fire, by Meg Cabot. I love her books and I don't care who knows it! Why? Because reading is awesome.

Work tomorrow, long weekend over. I need to make some more summer to do lists soon.

Happy Knitting!

Backyard Cookout

Summer is a great time to get together with family and friends for a backyard barbeque. I must have been craving this summer ritual when I woke up this morning, because hamburgers seemed to be the theme of the day.



Dad cooked out on the grill tonight and we had hamburgers. But wait a second... that picture definitely does not contain a whole beef patty! And is that a cell phone?



It is! When I woke up this morning, I couldn't resist making this little purse. As of now it is yet unfinished. I've got to add a small zipper for the top burger bun pouch, fill the bottom bun, and, no joke, add pickles to the strap. This was definitely a great stash buster and looks yummy, too!

Rainy Days

Today has been a pretty blah day around the cottage. We went out for a walk after lunch. Right as we got back to the car it started sprinkling and hasn't really stopped since then. I worked on the double-cable scarf this morning and got another 24 row repeat done. It isn't very long and already the yarn in the first skein is running short. It will either end up being a short scarf, or I'll have to give in and go get some more yarn, praying that they have a few skeins left of the dye lot I purchased. I really am not loving working with this yarn though, so it may just end up to be short.

After we got home I sat down at the computer and checked out some cute knitting and crochet pictures online. I am really loving Twinkie Chan's food scarves. They are totally cute! They inspired me to make my own little food scarf. I call it Strawberry Necklet.

I was thinking about making a cherry one for my sister, but I'm not really sure how I will knit those tiny cherries. Maybe a popcorn stitch and some fiberfill.... Anyway, I stuck a bit of lavendar in the strawberry when I stuffed it, so it smells all nice and purdy.

Probably going to go watch a movie and knit some more. Happy knitting!

P.S. Company like this: is unwelcome at our house! Yes, that is a snapping turtle. And yes, he did climb onto our back porch last night. >.<

Socks n' Scarves

Sometimes I think I have the best boyfriend! We drove out to the park today to take a walk and then run some other errands. I had just got Knitting Circles Around Socks (and new sock yarn) a few days ago, but I only had one set of size 2 cirs in my arsenal. I didn't have to beg or plead. we ended up driving all the way out to Crystal Lake to stop at Sunflower Samplings.

I was hoping for two pair of size 1 circs, but apparently somebody else got to them before I did! No matter, though, because I will swatch with the size 2s and add or subtract stitches as needed. I'm an English major, but I can do some math! (A sentence you might never have caught me saying before I started knitting....)

While riding in the car, since he was driving, I got to sit and happily knit away on that double-cable scarf I started. I must be completely daft for knitting a wool scarf when it's 80+ degrees out, but it is really pretty and I'll have something new to wear this fall/winter.

I need to take a quick snapshot of it, but the sun has gone down behind the trees and although the sky is painted in gorgeous lavendars and pinks, it is not exactly the best lighting one could hope for.

Happy Knitting!

P.S. The peonies are blossoming and they are very lovely smelling!

Cabled Cell Phone Cozy

This is a free pattern. Please respect the copyright and do not create items for sale or distribute the pattern for sale. Thank you and enjoy!



Skill Level: Intermediate

Materials:
Yarn: Cascade Yarn 220 Wool (any color of your choice!)
Needle: US size 8
Notions: Cable needle, yarn needle, measuring tape, button, needle, thread

Cable Pattern:
4-st LC = Slip 2 sts to CN and hold in front, K2, K2 from CN
4-st RC = Slip 2 sts to CN and hold in back, K2, K2 from CN

Cast on 15 stitches
Row 1 (RS): P3, K4, P1, K4, P3
Row 2 (WS): K3, P4, K1, P4, K3
Row 3: P3, 4-st LC, P1, 4-st RC, P3
Row 4: Repeat Row 2
Repeat Row 1 – 4 until piece measures 8 in.

Flap:
Row 1 (RS): Purl 15 sts
Row 2 (WS): Knit 15 sts
Row 3: Purl 15 sts
Row 4: Knit 15 sts
Row 5: P1, P2tog, P9, P2tog, P1
Row 6: K2, K2tog, K5, K2tog, K2
Row 7: P1, P2tog, P5, P2tog, P1
Row 8: K2, K2tog, K1, K2tog, K2
Row 9: P1, P2tog, P1, P2tog, P1
Row 10: K1, K2tog, YO, K2
Bind off purl-wise

Finishing:
With yarn needle, stitch sides together.
Tuck in ends.
Place button and sew into place.

Abbreviations:

K = knit st(s) = stitches
P = purl K2tog = knit two stitches together
RS = right side P2tog = purl two stitches together
WS = wrong side YO = yarn over
4-st LC = 4 stitch left-facing cable CN = cable needle
4-st RC = 4 stitch right-facing cable,


This pattern is also available in PDF format, just comment if you would like a copy e-mailed to you. Thank you and, as always, happy knitting!

©2009 knitcottage.blogspot.com. All rights reserved. This PDF document, including pattern, images, text, and layout design, is intended for private use only, not for distribution or sale of finished product.

Best Wishes!

Ooh! I've been making these really cute cabled bracelets tonight and I got so involved with that, I almost didn't post a blog today. (But really, can you blame me? They're really cute.)



I've made two of them, which really doesn't sound like a lot when I stop to think about it. It takes a while to cable. I am getting scarily good at kitchner stitching... if that's how it's spelled. That's funny that I can remember the steps (*purl, purl-off, knit-off, purl*), but I can't actually remember how to spell the name for it....

Along with making bracelets, I finished sewing the lining into my netbook bag. It is very nice and snuggly and my netbook, if it had feelings, would be quite content with the outcome of the project. All it needs now is a handle!



Happy knitting!

Cables!

Last night I spend a bit of time playing around with cables (the knitted kind, of course). The end result was a cute cabled cell phone case. The first one I made is very pink, mottled pink yarn with a bright pink button.



This morning I got myself onto You Tube and learned how to create a quick, inexpensive PDF document, downloaded the necessary files and typed up the pattern. It will be going into the free patterns section on the side bar (yay!) when it is finished. Right now, I'm test knitting it to make sure I have all the instructions correct. I'm also working it in a different yarn that I think will hold up better to the wears and tears of being put into pockets and purses.

So, look for that to be posted!

Other knitterly items I am working on at the moment include the Oliver Twist scarf from Cables, Mittens, Hats, & Scarves on the go! and finishing the lining on my Daphne purse. I really want to sport that purse for the Midwest Fiber and Folk Art Fair in July. All that I have left is to sew up the sides and line it and I've already got the fabric to do so.



Happy Knitting!

Spring has Sprung...

and June is finally here! Admittedly, it is my favorite month of the year. I love summer weather and being out in the sun with the added bonus that summer has just begun and there are still two more glorious months of it left.

That said, there are a lot of things I am looking forward to doing this summer, including day trips to the city, sitting in the backyard with the dogs and knitting, finishing up the first edited draft of my novel, gardening, a trip to the Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair, and much, much more!

I finally finished up the secret socks I was working on in April and May. Those took a long time to knit, because it was a basic sock pattern, plain black yarn, and made for size 13 feet! They did turn out pretty nice.



I went out shopping with my sister and mom in late May. I ended up with four skeins of sock yarn. They are so pretty! The shop I bought them from had samples knit up to show what the stripe pattern will look like and they were both gorgeous. The darker yarn (Chili) will be knit up in plain sock for my mom and the lighter yarn (Purple Spice) will be a knit into a pair of socks for me. I also bought a new sock book, so I will probably choose a simple lacy pattern to try from that.





Happy knitting!