And Now the Fingerless Gloves

I wrote about my piano gloves on this blog
back in October 2011.

I found this ruffle in one of my
books on edgings. I like it
on these gloves, but not good
for a sweater.

 I just wrote about not liking to knit gloves, and I have had a few requests to post pictures of the fingerless gloves that I do like to knit. I have made several pairs and I sell them at that Renaissance Fair in the summer and a holiday artisan store in the winter.

I don't always feel obligated
to put thumbs in

Fingerless gloves are a great way to try out patterns without having to make a sweater or even a scarf.  I have tried several different lace patterns, slip stitch methods, and even fancy cables. I always use double-point needles because that's how I learned to make socks and like them. I know lots of people like the Magic Loop method, but this works well for me.

I love knitting socks as well, but I realize that if I had to separately knit each toe, I wouldn't like doing socks any more than I like knitting gloves.

Does this pattern look familiar?
If you follow the book/movie
series Twilight,
you will notice it is the
cover of the book.
Very popular
design.

This is a slip-stitch herringbone
pattern. Not only fun to do, but the slip stitching
makes it double layered and warmer.

Lace. How can you ever go wrong with lace?

Gloves - ugh

I decided I don't like to knit gloves. I like knitting fingerless gloves, but not regular gloves. Obviously, that must mean that I don't like knitting the fingers.    It isn't just knitting a few stitches on double pointed needles, it is also having to weave in the beginning and end of ten fingers.

I like the results, but I couldn't wait to finish this project. The yarn is a sock yarn that I have had a long time and I don't remember where I got it. Also, the gloves don't fit quite right. There is more material on the web between the thumb and palm on glove than the other. I am ready to go back to knitting hats and shawls. I don't want to work with fit right now. Besides, I have several scarves that I need to finish before Christmas.  Scarves always fit.

Back to the needles.

Foothills Living

Living in the foothills of the Rockies has its advantages, such as the beautiful views and ever-present wildlife, but every few days we have to traipse into town to run errands. We try to combine as many as possible, which always means that Ken needs to stop by one of the homer stores and shop. I enjoy hardware store about as much as he enjoys doing through a Cold Water Creek store. We are about to solve this huge divide of interests by visiting a shopping center in Highlands Ranch that has both a Home Depot and a Tattered Cover book store. Thank goodness for cell phones. He drops me off and I can wander around or sit down and knit, waiting for him to pick up some plumbing pipe for his solar panel invention, or some piece of lumber that he needs to shore up some joint. He calls me when he is done and I don't have to look at paint samples to pass the time.

My idea of heaven is a yarn and book store combination with a really good brand of coffee. The Tattered Cover is about as close as to heaven on earth that there can be even if I need to bring my own yarn. First, I head to the magazine section to see the most current knitting magazines. I have a rule that I don't buy a magazine unless there are at least three projects in the magazine that I would definitely make. I don't buy a book unless there are at least five projects that I would make. Additionally, if my local library carried the book or magazine, I take it home first to see if I am still in love with the contents before investing in it.

It's a dumb rule.

Patterns that Sing to Me

Blanket for Oliver

Andrew and Kathy are having a baby boy. Andrew is my nephew, so what better opportunity to make a baby blanket?! Oliver is due around Christmas and he will be wrapped in this blue and white afghan, lovingly made by his Great Aunt (and I will be a great Great Aunt!)

This is one of my favorite afghans to make, so a couple of weeks ago, I pulled out my needles, grabbed the baby blue, white, and dark blue yarn to make another Quilt-Like Afghan. Maybe it's the combination of both knitting and crocheting, but I love this pattern.

Blanket for Zane

Have you ever had a pattern that just speaks to you? Conversely, have you ever had a pattern that your fingers just can't tolerate? Well, this is one that speaks to me. There is something about making these cute little octagons that I response to. Several times, I have started an afghan pattern only to frog it to cast on 8 stitches and start increasing. Since it's an afghan, I don't pay attention to gauge, and in fact, I don't even pay attention to the needle size and yarn size. I just pick out a few colors that I want to put together, look for matching double-pointed and circular needles, and start in.

My afghan -- or rather Neko's

This is the third afghan I have made from this pattern, and I am sure it is not the last. I made the first one for me, which Neko prompted adopted as his own. For this one, I even used the yarn and needles recommended by the pattern. The second one I made for my friend Amber and her son, Zane. My son Lorne has ordered one as well in a variety of colors, as long as one of them is not white. I have another friend who is having a baby by the end of the year, so I will start on that as soon as I finish some scarves for Christmas presents.

This is the free pattern from Lion Brand, so here is the link. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do:

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/929AD.html

Pre-felted Cat

This was meant to be a bed for me, right?

I can't knit a project without adding a little bit of cat hair to it. It's not by choice. It's just life when you knit around a cat, especially a cat like Neko. He is involved in everything.

However, he does seem to have a problem with the projects that I am about to felt. This is a pile of bags and wine bottle cozies destined for the washing machine to be felted, but Neko says nothing doing.

Guess I'll wait until he moves onto another pile of knitting.

Back to the needles.

He Does Have His Moments

Uh-oh. He grabbed my hand. Will there be blood?

I always make fun of the fact that Neko has attitude.  He is not a nice kitty. But I am insanely in love with him. He is not a touchy-feely type of cat. He is more of an ouchy-bleedy cat.

We have a plaque on our front door that says WARNING: This house is protected by an attack cat. This may cause you to snicker a bit, but the truth is that it is true. A normal cat would run and hide when the doorbell rings. Neko runs to the front door, front teeth showing and a howl in his throat, claws itching to dig into some ankle flesh.

I have been told that to get him to behave, I need to keep a spray bottle of water handy. We tried that. It only made Neko mad.

He thinking about it. The teeth are close to skin.

Now I suppose you wonder why we keep around a cat with attitude. The truth is that he has more character than any cat I have ever had. He is playful and funny. He loves to chase yarn and feathers throughout the house. Ken has invented games to play with Neko including a catapult that shoots little sponge pads across the room. And like all cats, nothing makes him happier than a laser pointer dancing across the carpet.

I swear Neko understands what we are saying and doesn't hesitate to talk back. We have had entire conversations with Neko saying nothing more than his throaty "Meow." 

Aw. Every now and then, my evil kitty surprises me
by giving me more loving

Yeah, I'm hooked

.

Baby Hat and Mitts

A friend of mine wanted some baby hats for Christmas, one in the Denver Broncos colors (orange and blue). So I designed this little hat and mittens for a newborn for her. I am really pleased with how it turned out.

Now I have to start knitting on the other hats. It seems the only things really selling at my holiday stand at the mall are my Colorado hats. No, I am not in a panic yet. Thanksgiving is tomorrow and then the full-blown holiday season starts.

Meanwhile, I am knitting away at Christmas gifts. I started making gifts last August, so why do I have so much more to do??

Anyway, back to the needles.

Lion Brand 387244 Fishermens Wool Yarn -Oatmeal (Google Affiliate Ad)Lion Brand 387244 Fishermens Wool Yarn -Oatmeal (Google Affiliate Ad)

My Colorado Hat

In Colorado, we love skiing. I think I saw that about one-third of the people in our state are skiers. I mainly ski cross-country now. Several years ago, I blew my knee out skiing so going downhill is a little difficult.  So skiing apparel is hot -- so to speak -- on our mountaintops.

My hat rack is at American Dreamers in Southwest Plaza in Littleton, Colorado for the holidays. I didn't make too many new hats this year, but I did design and make a hat with the logo from the Colorado map. I made two, one for adults and one for kids. They both sold the first two days.

So now, I am furiously knitting more Colorado hats. They are fun to knit, so I don't mind. Yes, I am going to write it up into a pattern and no, it will not be free. I will offer it for sale on my Craftsy pattern site, but you should be checking out that site anyway. There are hundreds of wonderful patterns to download for free or a small fee.

Check out some of my patterns:
http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/felting/grapes-of-wrap-wine-cozy/5626 or http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/felting/adele-felted-hat/2735

The Holidays are Coming

I thought long and hard about whether to put up my hat stand at the mall this holiday season. I have made money every time I did, covering the cost of the rental plus a little extra, but never enough to really justify the work. Actually, I will knit anyway, so I always say that this is a hobby that barely covers the cost of the yarn, although my time is never covered.

But with the election over and my freelance job is temporarily suspended, I decided to go ahead and set up my hat stand. I have enough inventory that I don't have to knit my fingers to the bone to make new stuff. So up went my hat stand. The store is really cute this year and if the economy continue to improve, I have a chance to make a little money.  I sold two hats in the first two days, so keep your fingers crossed.

Back to the needles.

Too busy to knit??

Okay, I feel guilty. I have not been writing on my blog, but I also haven't been knitting much this month either. I have been working on the presidential campaign every day, and will post more after the election. This is not a political blog, so you only need to know I am busy.

I have been working on a red shawl when I got a chance. I am close to finishing since I am doing the edging now. It's a beautiful soft alpaca and as I am working on it, I realize that it will probably be too warm for me.  I'll post another picture once it is done.

Back to knocking on doors. Go out and vote. See you in November.