Lover's Knot shirt

Lover's Knot shirt - my first published pattern!
This is more of a recipe than a pattern, but it will be very easy to follow.

 Photos copywrite: greysquare photographics

Do a gauge swatch in stockinette stitch and record results. Measure your bust and hips at the largest points for each. Which is larger? (Or, measure the largest circumference that the shirt will cover.) How many stitches do you need to make sure you can fit around this circumference?

My gauge: 11 St by 15 R = 5cm
My yarn: Colour Adventures by Anadiomenas Design, Merino Light, fingering, in colours Burple and Enigma (I recommend using a yarn that won't grow over time, this one might.)
My needle: circular, 5mm/8US
**Lover's Knot shirt** - This is more of a recipe than a pattern, but it will be very easy to follow.
The pattern is bottom-up, circular shirt with seaming, only to make the neck opening.
Size is dependent on gauge in stockinette stitch and body measurement of largest circumference for shirt to cover. With it being bottom-up construction, this shirt can be as long or as short as you prefer by trying it on as you work the pattern.
I used a merino wool. I recommend using a yarn that will NOT grow over time, merino might grow. Or, mix your merino with a cotton or sock yarn (nylon blend).
I recommend using two 5mm/8US circular needles, OR you could use one 5mm/8US circular needle and a knit holder.
A medium shirt used 126g of yarn; this equates to 521yds/476ms or 1.1 skeins. I expect for a teen, this could be made out of 1 skein; and, for XL 2 skeins.
This pattern uses a stitch pattern from: VOGUEknitting Stitch-a-Day 2012 calendar, Sept 5, Lover's Knot.

Get the PDF here!

Dann's Convertable Gloves.

Kelley’s Mitten Class on YouTube is the base for this project. I am altering it to make convertible mittens. It will have a gusset thumb (my first attempt) and will be a full thumb with conductive thread sewn on the pad. I thought of using the same technique for an afterthought thumb for the convertible part of the gloves/mittens. Here goes…

Nerd Wars - Ravelry

Exciting news everybody! Look out for me from February through April knitting (and maybe crocheting) for Nerd Wars a Ravelry tourney.
I am so excited and have joined fellow Doctor Who fanatics in Team T.A.R.D.I.S.
Stay tuned here for what fabulous creations I will make for each challenge, 15 in all! 5 a month! Wowee!

Abstract Leaves Cowl - the beginning

I bought this 'georgeous' yarn from Felicia at  SweetGeorgia Yarns. It is a beautiful English Ivy of 50% merino wool and 50% silk. So beautiful...


I had no idea what I would make with it until I came across the Abstract Leaves Cowl free pattern on Ravelry during a knit night. Now that I have more time to knit, it being the holidays. I am putting aside my other WIPs to start a new project.


I have decided to add some sparkle-y green beads I found in Dressew last week and looked on-line for how to thread beads onto yarn. Many mentions were made of using the blue floss threaders but I don't have any. Instead I covered the tip of my thread with nail polish, the clear kind, and twisted the thread tighter as it dried.


I had to do the procedure twice because I have chosen to add an extra repeat so 144 stitches were cast on and 256 beads were threaded onto the yarn. I chose to thread on 270 beads, just in case.



This is just the beginning and I hope to add posts when it gets interesting. Having never knitted with beads before, I am pretty excited to see what challenges arise and what it looks like! Yay!

Terrarium!

So, my husband's birthday is today and I decided last week to make him a terrarium. However, I made three.

They are so much fun and I have to thank childerhouse for their inspiration. My husband loves (loves, loves) dinos so making my terrarium the same way just made a lot of sense.
He thinks they are great. Yay! Birthday win!

Kid Silk Poncho

I am finally starting a new project. (Hopefully this will go better than some/most and I will finish.)
What is it with creative people not finishing projects? I think it has something to do with the final-ness of it all. By finishing a project I am not creating on it anymore and for me this is the difficulty.
I see this in my business being a photographer. I love the act of photographing people and objects, capturing the moments and making everything look its best. I love putting together albums after because I am good at creating a visual story with the photos. But, putting the photos in the album, it being the last step, I don't like to do. It is too final.
Just like a knitting project. I have so many unfinished projects lying around. Maybe I also get bored with the projects. I am still rather slow as a knitter so sometimes things take too long.
I will be learning to crochet this winter. Maybe it will be faster; I know it is easier. Maybe with crochet I will finish all my projects.
(Not likely.)

The Kid Silk Poncho.
I have been wanting to make this for over a year. I actually wanted it done for this summer. Oh, well. Instead it will be for next summer. It is a very easy pattern and from it I am learning a really interesting stitch which I will use in other projects.
It is looking pretty good so far. (I have only finished the first 11 rows.) I am excited about the finished project because I can already envision what it will look like finished. I have to finish this.
The yarn I am using is very slick, being silk this makes sense, and I have dropped a couple stitches but by now I am very adept at picking them up. With the metal needles I drop stitches a lot. Guess I should purchase bamboo needles for silks and other slick yarns.
Enjoy the photo and I will keep posting updates.

Okay, so I've been very neglectful...

I know, I know....but I am very busy during the Summer. I own a seasonal business and I get very busy.
Yes, this is all just excuses because I have a project that isn't going well. I am trying the bear ears toque from Stitch n' Bitch and can't get it right. Also, I lost my copy of the book somewhere. (I am sure someone borrowed it but never returned it...argh!) It is really frustrating and I can't start any new projects with this one hanging over my head.
To make matters even worse, it is a gift for my cousin, two years ago! Oops :-(
Ack!
I will purchase another copy of the book and get on with it. Also, I do want to try a few projects and learn how to crochet!

Wish me luck!