tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83149585833800216002024-02-18T21:31:18.115-08:00The Clueless CrafterWunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.comBlogger131125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-36463434327329765122013-05-13T14:16:00.000-07:002013-05-13T16:53:11.187-07:00Begin AgainLooks like my hiatus from blogging has lasted a year and three quarters. Good grief. <br />
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I go under the laser in 17 days to get a cataract removed. I am so looking forward to being able to see properly (all appendages are crossed!) I want to knit up a storm!
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I'm gathering momentum. Last weekend I took a Shirley Paden Master Designer workshop -- and "Finishing 'The Final Touch.'" Talk about an intensive, mind-melting, knitting weekend!
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<img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/2013/PadenClass-sm.jpg" /></div>
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<i>p.s. <span style="font-size: x-small;">None of the above knitters is me, I took the picture.</span> </i></div>
Today I signed up to join The Knitting Guild Association because I want to take the Masters Program.
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Watch out world, I'm comin' back!Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-30728297472629443842011-08-16T00:31:00.001-07:002011-08-16T00:58:46.494-07:00Baby Caps for a Good CauseThis quick and easy baby cap was designed for the <a href="http://www.clickforbabies.org/">"Click for Babies Period of Purple Crying Caps”</a> organization, a group trying to educate new parents about normal baby crying and how to respond to it.
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<br />It's called "Purple Pigtails (<i>or not</i>) Baby Cap" because, while it looks cuter with the corners embellished, Click for Babies wants donated caps to be plain, so, <i>not</i> on the caps for donation.
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<br />This pattern is free for anyone who would like to knit it for charity or for their own use. <a href="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/2011/ravelry/PurplePigtailsBabyCap.pdf">Click here to download the pdf.</a> The pattern has quite a few illustrations, but all of the directions are on the last page. Look at the pretty pictures on your computer monitor and just print out page 3 to save paper and ink.
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<br /><img src="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/wunx/70596790/LavPigFront_medium2.jpg">
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<br />The Purple Pigtails (or not) Baby Cap has the Sachi Cat seal of approval.
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<br /><b>Thank you so much to all of the fine Ravelers who test knit this pattern for me. Couldn't have done it without you.</b>Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-42513875706703880032011-07-29T01:40:00.000-07:002011-07-29T02:11:37.170-07:00Amil Fingerless MittsThese simple, knit in the round, fingerless mitts are intended to celebrate the beauty of the yarn. They can be made in any length from wrist to elbow. They are identical and interchangeable, so no need to worry about mirroring the thumbs. A quick knit in worsted weight yarn, they would be a good first mitt for a new knitter.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/2011/ravelry/amilblue640.jpg" width="640" height="498" /><br />RockLady, whose first name begins with an A, came to me before Christmas and asked if I could knit a pair of fingerless mitts for her mother-in-law. The word "No!" is rare in my vocabulary when it comes to knitting. Heck, if someone actually <em>wants</em> me to knit something for them, I'm tremendously flattered. So I sat down and knit the mitts, which were a great success.<br /><br />This spring, another friend was having trouble with cold hands as a result of chemo therapy, so I knit her a pair for her birthday and decided to formalize the pattern.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/2011/ravelry/Amilgreen-sm.jpg" width="640" height="608" /><br /><br />Thus were born the Amil (A's Mother In Law) Fingerless Mitts.<br /><br />The pattern is free to good homes. It comes in pdf format in three parts:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/2011/ravelry/Amil%20Fingerless%20Mitts-Illustrated.pdf">The full, illustrated pattern</a> -- gotta download this one, it's got all the bells and whistles.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/2011/ravelry/Amil%20Fingerless%20Mitts-barebones.pdf">A bare-bones version</a> suitable for printing (I don't know about you, but I sure don't want to print out the color photos and extraneous verbiage.)<br /><br />An <a href="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/2011/ravelry/CustomizingForFullerArms.pdf">addenda describing how to customize</a> the longer mitts for more muscular (or voluptuous) arms.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Yob6gpN7jG9ElZ4aL_AZlWzinZa9_99Ta-K0ObOcbqn3Vu6a-rFUFm40TcvShJxW4Qg5mYRWWtkMoHBI8ul60XgF-W-YbttOsJ12lqryaCMzbYUsWoUPVS9hGD4yJAaehBVNYp2PgJ0/s1600/AmilMittsLarge.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 396px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634697131197354402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Yob6gpN7jG9ElZ4aL_AZlWzinZa9_99Ta-K0ObOcbqn3Vu6a-rFUFm40TcvShJxW4Qg5mYRWWtkMoHBI8ul60XgF-W-YbttOsJ12lqryaCMzbYUsWoUPVS9hGD4yJAaehBVNYp2PgJ0/s400/AmilMittsLarge.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>And there's even a MAN size -- if you can manage to get a man to wear a pair of fingerless mitts...</div>Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-71599013289985384802011-02-04T00:46:00.001-08:002011-02-04T00:53:19.105-08:00Her Humie's KittehWhat's this?<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/2011/feb/whatsThat.jpg" width="600" height="421"><br />Sniff?<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/2011/feb/sniff.jpg" width="600" height="421"><br />Yarn!<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/2011/feb/isYarn.jpg" width="600" height="386"><br />Can you tell she's my kitteh?Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-6943479589846124912010-10-16T00:32:00.000-07:002010-10-16T01:24:36.272-07:00Campolmi Roberto FilatiWhen I was in Florence in September, I went to the biggest yarn store in town, <a href="http://www.campolmifilati.it/index.php" target="_blank">Campolmi Roberto Filati</a>.It presents a modest storefront tucked into a small alley under the shadow of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Il_Duomo_Florence_Italy.JPG" target="_blank">Il Duomo</a>. If I hadn't seen the two bright skeins of yarn tacked up by the open door, I might have passed it by.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/2010/october/filatiStorefront.jpg" width="600" height="697" /><br />The store had two rooms packed floor to ceiling with yarn.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/2010/october/ItalianYarnStore.jpg" width="600" /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/2010/october/ItalianYarnStore2.jpg" width="600" /><br /><br />I bought two skeins of this<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/2010/october/babyYarn.jpg" width="600" /><br />to make baby stuff.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/2010/october/BambinaBlossomHat.jpg" width="600" /><br /><br />And, I thought, this single skein of shiny cotton.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/2010/october/ItalianCotton.jpg" width="600" /><br /><br />Turns out the cotton was a mistake. It's several lengths all tangled together. I am trying to untangle it and wind it into a ball - or balls. I suspect it's going to take forever. I like the yarn, though, so shiny, so soft, such a wonderful color.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/2010/october/Italian.jpg" width="600" /><br /><br />Dang, I hope that one day I actually get it into shape to knit with...Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-69226256784328592642010-09-23T02:14:00.000-07:002010-09-23T02:19:25.400-07:00Italia FilatiFilati is how you say yarn in Italian. I know this because in the last week I've been to yarn stores in Siene and Florence. (Woo-hoo!) Look for the full report with photos when I get back to the USA.<br /><br />Yes, I did buy yarn, but not enough.Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-26416916378266615562010-09-02T15:15:00.000-07:002010-09-02T15:25:59.215-07:00So How Am I Going to Do This?<div>I've decided to make fingerless mitts for my Minnesota nieces for Christmas. It seems that fingerless mitts are a hot fashion statement this year. I messaged the elder niece on Facebook and asked for current favorite colors: red and orange.<br /><br />The mitts need to fill several requirements.<br />1. Warm for the Minnesota winter.<br />2. Machine washable - a biggie.<br />3. Bright and colorful - got a leg up on that with red and orange.<br />4. Unique, yet not in an Aunt Ethyl ruffled underwear sort of a way.<br />5. Relatively quick and easy to knit.<br /><br />Numbers 1, 2, 3 and 5 can all be covered in one fell swoop. Superwash worsted weight wool, variegated for interest. </div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVNnEhFk3MnIsrbUC2p0JSp-Scaloj73-KO3mZopDrTSASJzfgRYq3Gp0mrO52zRYie61hmGVVdSHSomXzGbazt32XwL6UxWCzfShmy5zTurTkXO00pUu5nKaBCKW7gBmnL4BXb9WIcM/s1600/Csw220Vino.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 259px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512444018663013730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVNnEhFk3MnIsrbUC2p0JSp-Scaloj73-KO3mZopDrTSASJzfgRYq3Gp0mrO52zRYie61hmGVVdSHSomXzGbazt32XwL6UxWCzfShmy5zTurTkXO00pUu5nKaBCKW7gBmnL4BXb9WIcM/s400/Csw220Vino.jpg" /></a><br />The red was pretty easy:<br />Cascade 220 Superwash Paints in colorway 9958 (such an evocative color name.)<br /><br />I think a simple big cable down the back and we're cooking with gas. I can sound like Aunt Ethyl even if I'm trying to not knit like her.<br /></div><div> </div><div><br />But try to find a nice, bright, orange worsted.<br /><br />Ha!<br /><br />I finally ended up deciding to combine two yarns, Cascade 220 Superwash Sport colorway 822, two 136 yard skeins, and Knit One Crochet Too Crock o' Dye sock yarn in #250, variegated oranges, one 416 yard skein; held together to knit doubled.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/2010/september/orangeOrange.jpg" width="600" height="174"><br />One thing I really prefer to do when knitting pairs is knit both pieces simultaneously on one circular needle. That way they're pretty sure to come out the same.<br /><br />Geeze, I thought, ain't this gunna be fun, knitting with two skeins of orange sport yarn and one skein of variegated sock yarn, pulled from both ends. The possibilities for tangles would be endless.<br /><br />Fortunately, in my case, laziness is the mother of invention, and when I realized I was going to have to ball all three skeins anyway, I decided to try to pair up my strands early on.<br /><br />The Cascade and Knit One Crochet Too skeins were almost identical in circumference once I got them unwrapped, so I placed the sock yarn on my swift first, then stacked the first sport skein on top, making sure that both would unwind in the same direction and start at about the same place.<br /><br />Know what? It worked! I now have two skeins of doubled yarn all ready to knit with.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/2010/september/doubledOrange.jpg" width="600" height="459"><br />Let's hope that my offerings, unlike Aunt Ethyl's ruffled undergarments, are kid-cool enough not to end up living out their lives in the back of a dresser drawer. That's requirement item number 4, by the way. The one I still have to make sure I cover.</div>Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-74070178498781857982010-08-18T00:01:00.000-07:002010-08-20T23:03:51.657-07:00What I Did on My VacationI didn't go to Disneyland. I didn't go to Hawaii. I went to the cabin in Idaho and spent a good bit of time there knitting. And knit on the eight+ hour drives each way too.<br /><br />I finally finished the bunny slippers! Yay! Hurray!<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/BunnySlippersFeet.jpg" width="600" height="463" /><br />Their story is: He's a country bunny, come to the city to visit, and she's a city bun who's no better than she should be. Let's hope he doesn't lose his tail. (Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.)<br /><br />For a good friend who's undergoing chemotherapy, I knit two hats. The russet colored one is knit of Elsebeth Lavold Cool Wool, 50% wool, 50% cotton. Very nice. Soft. It's intended to be worn purl side out, so it's smooth on her sensitive scalp, as a sleeping cap. Since socks knit with the smooth stockinet side in on the sole are called "princess sole", I named this hat the "Princess in Disguise Bed Cap."<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/twoChemoCaps.jpg" width="598" height="332" /><br />The other one is just for fun, knit from Crystal Palace Splash, 100% polyester. I call it the "Ditzy Blonde Cap."<br /><br />And, just to keep things even (heads and toes, don't yah know), I knit a pair of bed socks out of Patons Shetland Chunky Tweeds, 75% acrylic, 25% wool, machine wash & dry - I know the habits of the person who's getting these, they've gotta be indestructible.<br /><br />I thought I was selecting an elegant pattern. It looked elegant in the sock book. Of course, when knit with chunky brown yarn instead of delicate, pale saffron, sock yarn... What can I say? Something was lacking in the translation. The "lace" looks like Tootsie Rolls appliqued to the socks. So I decided to call them the Tootsie Roll Sweet Dreams Bed Socks.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/TootsieRollSox-side.jpg" width="600" height="512" /><br />Does that make it sound like the end result was on purpose? (I hope.)<br /><br />P.S. Yes, I do name all of my projects. I want them to feel important.Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-36593254865008542472010-07-29T21:52:00.000-07:002010-07-29T21:56:30.089-07:00Choices, ChoicesI'm headed off to Idaho in the morning - way, way too early in the morning. The trip does involve long stretches of sitting in the car, however, so I'm trying to decide what knitting projects to take with me.<br /><br />Hmmm...<br /><br />Chemo cap? Bed sox? Lace? <br /><br />I'd better hurry as the Engineer has decided we need to leave at 4:00 a.m.<br /><br />Is it any wonder that one of his many nicknames is, "my Insane Travel Agent"?<br /><br />Back in nine days.Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-4886614802509961012010-07-21T23:50:00.000-07:002010-07-22T00:02:48.279-07:00Sophisticated Circular Needle StorageMy friend, GuiGirl, who has taken up knitting, asked me how I store my circular needles. I said I'd send her a picture. I'm sure she's expecting something very elegant.<br /><br />Here it is GuiGirl.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/circStorage1.jpg" width="600" height="579" /><br />Yep. you guessed right in one. It's a gallon zip lock bag. If I could be bothered to take the time, I would write the size and length of each needle that I generally keep in my fancy storage container on it with a Sharpie, but instead I use a tape measurer and one of those little ruler thingies with holes in it to measure the circs when I need to select one.<br /><br />Hey, I never claimed I was efficient.<br /><br />Then I got extravagant and ordered a complete set of Knit Picks Options Harmony Wood interchangeable needles. I love 'em! They're just right for me most of the time; smoother than bamboo, but not so slippery as Addi Turbos.<br /><br />The Knit Picks set came in a plastic case with the needles elasticed to a card and the cables in little cellophane envelopes that fit into a plastic wallet. There are sleeves on both sides inside the plastic case for the needle tips.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/circStorage2.jpg" width="600" height="437" /><br />Not being a huge fan of plastic (other than zip lock bags), I bought a fabric needle case at Tuesday Morning for $2.99 on clearance, mostly because I like the blue print fabric. I numbered the needle sleeves in Sharpie and tucked the needles into them. Now I don't have to measure them every time. That's nice. I fold the fabric case in half because just the tips are a whole lot shorter than 14 inch needles. If I ever get around to it, I think I will put a couple of elastic bands with Velcro fasteners in the unused top half, lable them with the length of the cables and clip the cables into the same case.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/circStorage3.jpg" width="600" height="800" /><br />When I get around to it.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiY4hnC7i1gqmLCTBtqHxf9Fh8gB4yeodY9OjFfBeUJ_E0jeq4jW3kRO97SI3wmBc6Bot4sNPI_l0RLulefH62byNEejNiabnDKsoLhmvSqokPpxAwi2vJJBbDo_eQOT1UjbYigiA_vHM/s1600/circStorage3b.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 226px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496621962598684402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiY4hnC7i1gqmLCTBtqHxf9Fh8gB4yeodY9OjFfBeUJ_E0jeq4jW3kRO97SI3wmBc6Bot4sNPI_l0RLulefH62byNEejNiabnDKsoLhmvSqokPpxAwi2vJJBbDo_eQOT1UjbYigiA_vHM/s400/circStorage3b.jpg" /></a><br /><br />As an added benefit, the last little needle sleeve works well to hold the Knit Picks tightening key.<br /><br />So that's my system.<br /><br />Except for the needles that I have scattered other places around the house.<br /><br />Darned if I know where some of them are.Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-57678165627564625302010-07-04T14:45:00.000-07:002010-07-04T16:12:18.526-07:00The Big Tink - Step by Step#1. Knit over to where the mistake is and put a stitch holder on your needle so you don't lose good stitches as you work on your repair.<br /><br />#2. Drop the necessary stitches. <br />I dropped one full 12 stitch repeat to make sure I didn't make any mistakes following my pattern. Do this one or two stitches at a time - <b>carefully</b> is the byword here.<br /><br />Since this is lace, I made sure to drop back to a purl row, that way I knew I had the right number of stitches and they were all the same. Dropping back to a knit row would have meant coping with yarn overs and knit togethers - why do that if you don't have to? The green locking stitch marker neatly holds the strands I've unravelled. It keeps the strands from tangling and me from using the wrong strand to knit with. <br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/bigTink1.jpg" width="600" height="447"><br />#3. Place the dropped stitches on a dpn one by one as you unravel them.<br />I've read that you should put the dropped stitches on a dpn that's a size or two smaller than the original needle. I don't agree with this as it boogers up my tension, so I use the same size. It makes it a little tougher to do the last couple of stitches in the group, but I think it looks better in the end. If you have trouble picking up the stitches with the working size needle, use a smaller one, then transfer them.<br /><br />#4. Put a stitch holder on the needle you haven't gotten to yet so those stitches are secure as well. <br />The only loose stitches should be the ones you've dropped on purpose. (Since I was knitting this on a circular needle, I just pulled the two sides of the needle through so the stitches were on the cable instead of the needle - I'm kinda lazy.)<br /><br />#5. Knit.<br />Carefully select the correct strand of yarn by seeing which is closest to the dpn your stitches are on. Take that one strand out of the locking stitch marker and using another dpn knit it as per your pattern. I use my pinky to control the tension until there is too little yarn to grip, then I pinch it between index finger and thumb.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/bigTink2.jpg" width="600" height="583"><br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/bigTink3.jpg" width="600" height="466"><br />#6. Purl.<br />I purl back to try to keep my technique as similar to the original knitting as possible. Purling back is also a good idea because your tension might be different at the beginning of a row where you have more yarn to work with than at the end of the row when the yarn is tight. Working both ways will help even this out a bit. If you hate purling, it is possible to knit the purl rows too by not turning your work and always starting at the right hand side since the work in on dpn's.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/bigTink4.jpg" width="600" height="412"><br />#7. Tah-dah!<br />When you have completed all of your reknitting, just take the stitch holder off your right hand needle, knit the stitches off the dpn, then move on to the left needle.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/bigTink5.jpg" width="600" height="369"><br />Your repair probably won't look identical to your original knitting, but massage it a bit both while it's dry and when it's blocking, and nobody besides yourself will ever be able to tell. (Unless, of course, you point it out to another knitter, who will say, "Oh, yeah, I see," but be impressed nonetheless.)Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-60047331626794386602010-07-02T00:00:00.000-07:002010-07-04T14:44:34.466-07:00The Big TinkI'm knitting on a deadline. You know what that means... Big Time Screw-ups. I was eight rows past the boo-boo before I realized I'd made it.<br /><br />Evil Language!<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/bigTink1.jpg" width="600" height="447" /><br />The pattern has a twelve stitch repeat, so I dropped the whole repeat that I'd slaughtered down eight rows and stuck the stitches on a dpn. I'm going to wait until it's light tomorrow to try to reknit so I can photograph and blog the joyous experience.<br /><br />Cross fingers for me.Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-72326580280493938882010-06-28T23:28:00.000-07:002010-06-28T23:54:00.430-07:00Still Knittin'Though my fingers may not have been typing lately, they have kept busy with knitting. Here's the apropos section from my Ravelry projects page. Have about a half dozen other things in progress as well.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/knittinstuff.jpg" width="600" height="570"> <br />I'm afraid I read like I knit. Right now I have 15 library books checked out. I'm in the middle of three, have finished one and read bits and pieces of most of the others. (Or, if I'm really honest, looked at the pictures. What? I <em>like</em> pictures.)<br /><br />Is it any wonder I have trouble keeping track of things?Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-52093809671632735772010-06-21T16:37:00.000-07:002010-06-21T16:49:50.451-07:00I Thought It Was Just a Fling...but it looks like it's going to be a long term relationship. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6W54XHxoBC0Muea7slHMHqfEpRJbhvtxkv_xjGUxxbPc7IdHzkc8Fv2d-PdQR-K-iNi21Bcct0UkVewwfu4GQVfuLX5TCsFIIZ70WWfM62liQTQH48Q17ez-ne9HH4fa74h7fTljK0QU/s1600/BNtat.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 273px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485376002435879634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6W54XHxoBC0Muea7slHMHqfEpRJbhvtxkv_xjGUxxbPc7IdHzkc8Fv2d-PdQR-K-iNi21Bcct0UkVewwfu4GQVfuLX5TCsFIIZ70WWfM62liQTQH48Q17ez-ne9HH4fa74h7fTljK0QU/s400/BNtat.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Last week was <a href="http://www.wwkipday.com/" target="_blank">World Wide Knit in Public Week</a>, so Saturday I went to the most L of my LYS's, <a href="http://www.blazing-needles.com/" target="_blank">Blazing Needles</a>, to do just that. Cynthia, the owner, was totally geared up, she had food and drink, lots of extra chairs and temporary tattoos for her knitters. Since Blazing Needles has a way cool logo, I immediately stuck out my arm.<br /><br />Woo-hoo, I be bad to the needles!<br /><br />Got some real double takes as I went about the rest of my day's activities. It was fun. The Engineer thought it was atrocious, which was also fun. What good is a spouse if you don't tease him occasionally?<br /><br />Well, 52 hours, two showers, several spot washings and a couple of body lotion scrubs later, it looks like I'm in this for the long haul.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 355px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485375686316501106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgL-oj3pb3i17MU_rJ8tknuLUI3Q0SLP8cs2NsmCtREvYpTMda7fU_Aa3dYIuxWBp52MTcOFkWkiWZv7i4WpgE_YtTW6h8r4S6Q80103L7z6zG9tHSjeltNDUbKxcA-GUy9B-6WlWwDvc/s400/BNtat2.jpg" /> And it's to dang warm for long sleeves, so it's gunna show.Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-54441008771178192312010-06-03T00:04:00.000-07:002010-06-03T00:56:48.163-07:00Dye LotsI bought some stuff from KnitPicks.com a few weeks ago and to get my order up over the $50 mark (FREE Shipping, don't yah know) I bought one skein of "Last Chance Colors" yarn. 462 yards/100 grams of 75% wool, 25% nylon sock yarn in kettle dyed "Grasshopper" colorway - $6.99, not bad.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/KpEssential1.jpg" width="600" height="380" /><br />It arrived promptly and I liked it.<br /><br />Then I stepped on my size 4 needle and broke it. <img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/bustedNeedle.jpg" width="600" height="111" /><br />Yes, I should know better than to try on the tabi toe socks while they're still on the needles, but how else am I going to know if the toes are long enough and when it's time to turn the heel.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/tabiToes2.jpg" width="600" /><br />So, since I had to order new size 4 Harmony needles from Knit Picks, I decided to get four more skeins of that nice Grasshopper sock yarn. That would be enough to make a dandy big shawl.<br /><br />The KnitPicks box arrived promptly.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/KpEssential2.jpg" width="600" height="463" /><br />The new skeins of yarn are not the same color. Nor are they in the same format. The first skein was "Stroll", the sock yarn formerly known as "Essential." The second order was that former yarn known as "Essential." Same yarn, really, except for the dye lot. The four new skeins are yellower and less variegated than the original skein. I don't like them as well.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/KpEssential1-2.jpg" width="600" height="540" /><br />Ah well, live and learn. And four skeins, 1,848 yards, is still more than enough to make a dandy big shawl. With the favorite skein left over for getting creative -- socks, hat, scarf, mittens, who knows what it will become.Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-20679283648880543912010-05-24T16:12:00.001-07:002010-05-24T16:14:02.497-07:00Where Have I Been?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigg2VBzEisyu_i29f6AoqRV7L0VZ8xcbSXewbjVkCsVi0h10SC7Kj0GrHQ6baa1eBiNsy5cN16893wPIQ46c74iWExKfRyRYmLWDAiabc007BgCX9MSIC5k0srBDQfptthSf7YlGHnLec/s1600/underRockKnitting.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 246px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474978424939921378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigg2VBzEisyu_i29f6AoqRV7L0VZ8xcbSXewbjVkCsVi0h10SC7Kj0GrHQ6baa1eBiNsy5cN16893wPIQ46c74iWExKfRyRYmLWDAiabc007BgCX9MSIC5k0srBDQfptthSf7YlGHnLec/s400/underRockKnitting.jpg" /></a> I really am trying to crawl out...<br /><div></div>Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-19528372753375149992010-02-03T01:01:00.001-08:002010-02-03T23:13:32.349-08:00Yarn Lust ReduxAlmost since learning to knit two years ago, I have been afflicted with a serious case of yarn lust. I've always had the potential. I've never been able to walk through a fabric store without running my hand over the bolts of cloth and fantasizing, I've always loved buttons and fine papers, things that seduce my sight, touch and other senses.<br /><br />I have boxes in my office closet of fabrics of vintages from my undergrad years to current. I have beads and pheasant hackles, art paper and jewelry findings, paints and markers, clay tools and macrame cord.<br /><br />The yarn lust didn't overwhelm me immediately upon learning to purl. I'd learned to knit in grade school, but wasn't able to wrap my mind around purling until I went at it Continental style two years ago. The yarn for my first few projects came from my closet boxes (yes, I already had some yarn from college days as well as my Mother-in-law's antiquated stash) and JoAnn's. Then I discovered real yarn stores and all hope of abstaining from gratuitous yarn purchases was dead.<br /><br />Now looking at my stash page on Ravelry, it shows I have 175 individual yarns stashed, 30 "used", 1 that I'm willing to trade or sell (anybody out there want 5 skeins bright red-orange eyelash yarn?) and 8 "traded/sold/gifted". Which makes a grand total of 214.<br /><br />Geeze louise!<br /><br />What's really sad is I think it's contagious... <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 353px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433939902086959490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_H7MquJIzCy84vG2txXsgj2ms2qCQihmE92sRlczMUfCkilFuzo6mQtDYHQMODmtYu9tzRfq8iIQjUp9pwQI-ePWddMMZpfTi217TrMIh1aXi4YSO6JLe_wRirAMSN98PaQgThn95Pkk/s400/claimingTheYarn.jpg" />She's got a thing for alpaca. It's a good thing cats don't carry credit cards.Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-22545498826964674952010-01-28T15:18:00.000-08:002010-01-28T15:46:32.587-08:00Knitting for NPRThe NPR station I keep my car radio set to, <a href="http://kcpw.org/">KCPW</a>, is having a Valentines Online Auction. What, I asked myself, would be a romantic bit of knitting I could donate? I'm not good enough to knit a slinky, see-through tank top. Nor did I think it would be a good idea to get into the more risque type things that they rate for "Adults Only" on Ravelry.<br /><br />And, oh, by the way, the auction starts Friday, February 29th.<br /><br />Hmmm...<br /><br />How about a spa set?<br /><br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/SpaSet.jpg" width="600" height="782" /><br />Custom designed, one-of-a-kind. Add a bar of organic lavender goat milk soap, a couple of sea shells and a candle for romance.<br /><br />Oh yeah, mushy!Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-64948826382686863982010-01-24T16:56:00.000-08:002010-06-03T01:16:13.930-07:00Another Free PatternFor Christmas knitting, I wanted things that were quick but nice with a bit of elegance. For my favorite sister-in-law-in-law I made a neck wrap of baby alpaca.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/BLneckieside2.jpg" width="600" height="535" /><br />Ooh, soft!<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 290px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430478152583849186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9Wxiusb_cYXSTdVC_DQcaOwqjcsdvNRPMOCgWMccrwIIt58n1pNOiY7yB8dpHGLLydE4tixjlrq9WGKnOtZYef2LAcX6fFfzbSoddgHl9c6qRz0Q68vaUf0qX4ozMawfHSujMjHStUI/s400/BLneckie.jpg" /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghtHrLRtlVt-mU_d0Qe7DuHEUENftB17XHRYxSaRuUs42q8WkW7TpVb6C98a6UgMxd8uN8Sa213tbJtNQwyuNIdQq4H7Ykvx2QQ21DeUUH8RwSPWRRtRuS3CoJKAD8NGvZZvnOOt9uN0s/s1600-h/BLneckie-front.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 345px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430477930929127410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghtHrLRtlVt-mU_d0Qe7DuHEUENftB17XHRYxSaRuUs42q8WkW7TpVb6C98a6UgMxd8uN8Sa213tbJtNQwyuNIdQq4H7Ykvx2QQ21DeUUH8RwSPWRRtRuS3CoJKAD8NGvZZvnOOt9uN0s/s400/BLneckie-front.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4rN7Xvgbz2iCtO-b1oK-oy5ar8VSqv5-7eHc3khdHySxz9nLjOG486FKaGNr2vD83G9E3Wdv84fOYEcQ4mzy9ovrLVitCOOh3cb88KOO83nDzoWDdGyQC8XyXzK67cxV8s016qiuuEw/s1600-h/BLneckie-backside.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 325px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430477822064628434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4rN7Xvgbz2iCtO-b1oK-oy5ar8VSqv5-7eHc3khdHySxz9nLjOG486FKaGNr2vD83G9E3Wdv84fOYEcQ4mzy9ovrLVitCOOh3cb88KOO83nDzoWDdGyQC8XyXzK67cxV8s016qiuuEw/s400/BLneckie-backside.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidxtRpqn-p2tUsdHU68nnPHgMy1gtoNj4mZjeot4f_N5TMGF9dqLgILVM8iwb13P_NRLFEazZC0U6E9ETjvImigURdxeqEbwnSPDRu24aGhBEp5AKLAGlbx4qytm0ud1ra12pAgUZGFoA/s1600-h/BLneckieside1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 351px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430477576741008946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidxtRpqn-p2tUsdHU68nnPHgMy1gtoNj4mZjeot4f_N5TMGF9dqLgILVM8iwb13P_NRLFEazZC0U6E9ETjvImigURdxeqEbwnSPDRu24aGhBEp5AKLAGlbx4qytm0ud1ra12pAgUZGFoA/s400/BLneckieside1.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALwIXFdJ8AYp_q5PDs0YhK9mlZfGi4sP4G5EdK26Ns_de5Qdcmj1aIVjHMbw1CBPhHmRw2c0lmo1aVq2sVHi3ufRsT2GWlcdYSIZQ9nUtPfS_V2lY6dVIZBEl-qFdA3wu02NrSutc-IQ/s1600-h/buttons.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 246px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430477437986322850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALwIXFdJ8AYp_q5PDs0YhK9mlZfGi4sP4G5EdK26Ns_de5Qdcmj1aIVjHMbw1CBPhHmRw2c0lmo1aVq2sVHi3ufRsT2GWlcdYSIZQ9nUtPfS_V2lY6dVIZBEl-qFdA3wu02NrSutc-IQ/s400/buttons.jpg" /></a><br />Click <a href="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/ReversibleLaceNeckWrap.pdf">here</a> or go to the links on the side for the free <a href="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/ReversibleLaceNeckWrap.pdf">Reversible Lace Neck Wrap</a> pattern.Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-17262405265212591122010-01-21T21:31:00.000-08:002010-01-22T00:17:44.503-08:00Back With a Touch of ElegancePerhaps a celebration is in order since this is my first blog post in over a month.<br />Step in, relax, have a glass of wine.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/wineStuffinUse.jpg" width="600" height="536" /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCsg4DNzTniQibdRRIEygDN3-5dX87ht1OiS-oJs5xkoqPc2jXiApatfvv-k8PJxkfWrAmDpq8bFtvO4HHHOZTVnVW76TdNEciStaJBE7CxiOIR5JaY-kgfL4LE8BX71gJPo7ms6Lygg/s1600-h/wineStuff.jpg"></a><br />Over the holidays I knit two wine bottle sleeves and sixteen coasters. They were great travel knitting because both bottle sleeves and coasters are relatively mindless knitting. I used circular needles for everything so I wouldn't have to worry about dropping a needle on the airplanes. I did need to get home to felt them, which was fine as I've been in and out (and in and out) of town for the past month.<br /><br />I knit one bottle sleeve larger and gave that one away before I could take a picture. Below are some in progress photos.<br /><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429468726846460722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieSZFuVLqzmb3k95fWi4ZwCcV-1VEpkLeS_55lIh_H2qGupb2F9CLQpSKXvt5B_MLNnTrJA33Q_2gdgZOx5YTFddklJtrxZpbUJEmlP5i-zQgfb5H_nXOXHtcgBttsJhH48o9iJ6-hdy8/s400/wineStuff.jpg" /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrhBGQm8jzhaPrIeyj1DqnTrBK65t9wy_povnQ4HAHIMIoEJUm8nqaFI3zKCfbzJe40DbmvlGx56-4uB_gPOxA9fEf2AV_MxgnBOhFpYOsZig7rplf-xeLjr2uJ6HrBzjLUS8AKSw9Bgg/s1600-h/coasters-prefelting.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 382px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429468017446886546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrhBGQm8jzhaPrIeyj1DqnTrBK65t9wy_povnQ4HAHIMIoEJUm8nqaFI3zKCfbzJe40DbmvlGx56-4uB_gPOxA9fEf2AV_MxgnBOhFpYOsZig7rplf-xeLjr2uJ6HrBzjLUS8AKSw9Bgg/s400/coasters-prefelting.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFnkJ4lZ0pM-ghhard4I5YdC6jjNKPNjVfO7IN1idl9fAsKBnOp3bTr9Tg9dZvuC4FI5Pnz3uOc-MpJGXFXYZTcinC3-6Napu6yJac1Zx7TZ8tUURRslDld-sJk3kd5-RGtzNscsB6XHs/s1600-h/coasters-felted.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429468401577479506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFnkJ4lZ0pM-ghhard4I5YdC6jjNKPNjVfO7IN1idl9fAsKBnOp3bTr9Tg9dZvuC4FI5Pnz3uOc-MpJGXFXYZTcinC3-6Napu6yJac1Zx7TZ8tUURRslDld-sJk3kd5-RGtzNscsB6XHs/s400/coasters-felted.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><p></p><p>And here is a link for a <a href="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/Sleeve-Coasters.pdf">free pdf of the patterns</a>.</p>Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-36156296584340853762009-12-08T01:12:00.000-08:002010-03-26T01:14:08.844-07:00Fantasies, Math and Willie NelsonI have a very nice digital kitchen scale that gives me valuable information; it tells me how much yarn. I don't have one of those devices that measures the actual length of a skein of yarn, but set my scale to grams and do a little math and I have a pretty good idea.<br /><br />I used 15 grams of a skein of Cascade 220 on Kate's leg warmers. It's called 220 because there are 220 yards in the 100 gram skein. 15 x 2.2 = 33, therefor I used 33 yards of the skein, leaving 167 yards for future projects.<br /><br />That's a good little bit of yarn, so I fearlessly set out to knit a watch cap for another friend with it. The watch cap weighed 72 grams, times 2.2, makes 158.4 yards.<br /><br />Now to weigh the remaining yarn. 13 grams, times 2.2, makes 28.6 yards.<br /><br />Let's check for accuracy. 33 + 158.4 + 28.6 = 220 exactly.<br /><br />Woo-hoo! Math works!<br /><br />A side question to this is: In my Ravelry stash, should I declare this skein of yarn to be "All used up," or should I let it stay listed with 28.6 yards remaining? It certainly isn't enough for another project, but I don't want to forget I have it -- one never knows when what might come in useful.<br /><br />This is Willie Nelson.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/alpaca-willieNelson.jpg" width="600" height="404" /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ_c3TWwHXbLrVjvLWb8sn_x09MKeE67feoplyVt2Xh4mu_fRtUjxO7EWRi85NU37iLzgIOOAj-L9ESQrD9VOwaCzOMdoqHoiX3DPX9dQ_EfkHzeyLGcU0lGJsIYQ54qv9EYxMx3TVqo4/s1600-h/willie-nelson.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 185px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 232px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412791280304840194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ_c3TWwHXbLrVjvLWb8sn_x09MKeE67feoplyVt2Xh4mu_fRtUjxO7EWRi85NU37iLzgIOOAj-L9ESQrD9VOwaCzOMdoqHoiX3DPX9dQ_EfkHzeyLGcU0lGJsIYQ54qv9EYxMx3TVqo4/s400/willie-nelson.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />No, obviously not the country singer with the gray braids.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Willie Nelson is an alpaca. Here's his baby picture.<br />He's a Utah boy, born and bred, from <a href="http://www.bluemoonranch.net/" target="_blank">Blue Moon Ranch</a>.<br /><img src="http://www.bluemoonranch.net/willien%20(Small).jpg" width="420" height="480" /><br />The lovely skeins of yarn are hand spun from his first sheering. Three skeins, natural Willie color with no dye, and no idea how much yardage.<br /><br />I have a serious case of yarn lust for these skeins. I pat them, I rub them on my cheeks. I want them! I've been knitting for 22 months now and have yet to knit anything for myself. I deserve this yarn!<br /><br />The weather is also adding fuel to my yearning. It was 9° out this morning. Never got up to 20° all day. I want a warm cozy for my neck and head. I'd like a tapered scarf, kindof a half scarf, half shawl, that I could flip up over my head like a kerchief or fold down around my neck like a collar.<br /><br />Do I have enough yarn?<br /><br />Weigh the three skeins: 59, 61 and 62 grams. Measure 10 yards from one skein, weigh it: 7 grams. Do the math 59 + 61 + 62 = 182 ÷ 7 = 260 total yards. Do it by the skein and I get 84 yards + 87 + 89 = 260 yards - <em>if</em> I spit splice to maximize my yardage.<br /><br />That's not a lot of yarn. Guess I'd better look for a high mileage lace pattern and plan on frogging my swatch to use in the project.<br /><br />Wish me luck!Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-53109384249940868862009-12-02T22:42:00.000-08:002009-12-02T22:58:17.776-08:00The Oh So Stylin' Puppy Ear HatYou can wear it with the dangles hanging.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/PEHflapsdown.jpg" width="337" height="693" /><br />Or you can knot them snug under your chin when the cold wind blows.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/PEHflapstied.jpg" width="400" height="624" /><br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/PEHside.jpg" width="400" height="585" /><br />If it's a bit warmer out, you can tie the dangles up top for the classic Dutch girl look.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/PEHflapsup.jpg" width="400" height="676" /><br />But wait, there's more!<br /><br />Don't you think the tassels look like puppy ears and tail from the back?<br /><center><br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/PEHrear.jpg" width="400" height="663" /></center><center><strong>Woof!</strong></center>Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-40222592141368974482009-12-02T00:09:00.000-08:002009-12-02T00:46:32.858-08:00Back From Hiatus and Off On a ProjectTook off for a month of <a href="http://thewitlesswanderer.blogspot.com/2009/12/december-1-rising-from-dead.html">trying to write a novel</a>. Didn't finish it, but got it well under way. I did do some knitting during the silence in BlogLand.<br /><br />PixelChick asked me to knit her a hat because her ears get cold when she chases wild horses in the winter time. She's a would-be professional photographer, that's why she's chasing wild horses. She surely doesn't want to catch them, just have them smile pretty for the camera.<br /><br />"What color?" I asked.<br /><br />"My coat's black, so I guess black," she answered.<br /><br />Okay, black... I never quite understood my Mom's reaction for so many years when I told her I wanted black mittens -- Mom knits the best mittens in the world. I lose mittens like it's my avocation, so Mom's knit me a bizillion over the years. Now that I knit, I understand her "Are you sure you wouldn't like some other color?" It ain't easy to see all those little stitches on black, plus it just doesn't have a whole lot of pizzazz.<br /><br />So I munged it around in my head trying to think of a way to make black more interesting.<br /><br />Hmmm... PixelChick has a cocker spaniel. More accurately, she is owned by a cocker spaniel. She is a devoted slave to a cocker spaniel. She has cocker spaniel themed everything.<br /><br />The dog is black and white. Cold ears. Stranded color work -- if you can call B&W color.<br /><br />Now we're getting some place.<br /><br />So I scribbled around until I came up with the concept drawing. An ear flap hat with a parade of cockers around the circumference.<br /><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 329px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410549384205244290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx87I4qHib5Ewg0a5RzLhJeIRzgSrWrotELi7WBnI43Me8RmvDZNbToTKPpylOSK9ks9HBODtLPeEQLL7kHp-vPLH7f8xipiv3aUh9b9skzl56_FWIqS6_08SV93f6ISylxIzQ18-8xQU/s400/puppEarsHatSketch.jpg" />How many stitches do I have to work with? Measure the head, make the swatch, get gauge, do the math. How to do the cocker spaniels so that they're recognizable? First draw some simple cocker outlines then translate them to graph paper.<br /><br />But regular graph paper has square holes and knitting stitches are wider than they are tall. I've done my swatch, I know my gauge -- go to that Japanese web site and print out some knitting graph paper. (Pay attention gentle readers, this is an excellent resource, <a href="http://www.tata-tatao.to/knit/e-index.html" target="_blank">http://www.tata-tatao.to/knit/e-index.html</a>.) Draw cockers on graph paper.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/cockersGraph.jpg" width="600" height="200" /><br />Knit them puppies. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr2elrGppp_gWI2DwA_jgqhhoOqszDhfQH3qxK0JtBXO4PV2flYPs7ncXCM8WfmOjtTowq6GbnGmDPHtqJ8zbA81YsSP1aOAp2KL4vyNa4oyq6n1gPle6TbJ6JfeL7eqOG84ackBbg948/s1600-h/testKnit.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 299px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410549079840803586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr2elrGppp_gWI2DwA_jgqhhoOqszDhfQH3qxK0JtBXO4PV2flYPs7ncXCM8WfmOjtTowq6GbnGmDPHtqJ8zbA81YsSP1aOAp2KL4vyNa4oyq6n1gPle6TbJ6JfeL7eqOG84ackBbg948/s400/testKnit.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Note what works and what doesn't. </p><p>One of the things that doesn't work is my eyes. </p><p>Draw the dang thing bigger. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 287px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410550765617643378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4dXgrPaosSn9uiiN54b9wCkA-WYnazNPpvW1ZTmVpHhWF2QWIhR8fNt-VErxD3W7RMErb97kuj7OnXoKEqeDMg5Fa9P12DzlWvyJbt27FDSWj3zs9OP4V-nRK7t4J6QvoLj8NrrYGghA/s400/bigCockerGraph.jpg" />Figure out how to do the ear flaps without seams. I'm not real fond of seams.<br /><br />Now... Start Knitting. </p>Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-52412483077234590492009-10-21T22:20:00.001-07:002009-11-04T20:43:45.291-08:00On the Road Again (not to plagiarise Willie or anything.)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhJ3-AosVd5jz4dJQFHXs-mbB8KkzAxlPdcgGEa-5pHsXS-Er-97uKfv3hXkzaZRr6whrDsN126_tuqVasUCyHSo65J5aenskxCYy6UIgyjRqUwn1_SvpvDw9YkdAShWu7XC8ZSvo7qg/s1600-h/GGscarfBlocking.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 98px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395292581763427586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhJ3-AosVd5jz4dJQFHXs-mbB8KkzAxlPdcgGEa-5pHsXS-Er-97uKfv3hXkzaZRr6whrDsN126_tuqVasUCyHSo65J5aenskxCYy6UIgyjRqUwn1_SvpvDw9YkdAShWu7XC8ZSvo7qg/s400/GGscarfBlocking.jpg" /></a>My flight leaves at 5:50 in the morning, pity me for the hour, but not for the trip back to North Carolina to see relatives and friends. I have GoatGuy's scarf all knit and blocking, it's folded double in the picture, to give to him when I see him. Even knit his initial, "H", into the last square. (Come on now, you didn't think his name was <em>really</em> GoatGuy, did you?) I have my knitting bag packed with three small projects: #1 finish off Brother-in-law the Wiser's Expando Sox; #2 GuiGirl's red fingerless mitts with shiny red beads to go on the cuff ruffles. #3 (and a big maybe) The sock blank I died to make another pair of fingerless mitts for a friend with a late November birthday.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfrM9PVjurNfgcx8jFxXBcgDuXrZEO6uf6UWnn0-n0kIs6gFBsw3epleNkugq7HQxooRN-C1pCJE8mHa1uIO9Xwudz-Sqrd3vpHzZV-C2tR9QbJ8T6LyWUAWNsILztLCjLp3bY2xR6KY/s1600-h/travelKnitting.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 357px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395292447859674962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfrM9PVjurNfgcx8jFxXBcgDuXrZEO6uf6UWnn0-n0kIs6gFBsw3epleNkugq7HQxooRN-C1pCJE8mHa1uIO9Xwudz-Sqrd3vpHzZV-C2tR9QbJ8T6LyWUAWNsILztLCjLp3bY2xR6KY/s400/travelKnitting.jpg" /></a>And I'll probably have SEX while I'm gone too! I'm planning to hit the <a href="http://www.saffsite.org/dnn/Default.aspx" target="_blank">Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair</a> Sunday morning while the Parents are at church. (Each of us should worship in his or her own way.)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />S.E.X. = <strong>S</strong>tash <strong>E</strong>nhancing e<strong>X</strong>pedition, such a titillating acronym.Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8314958583380021600.post-6006315852408399052009-10-20T14:03:00.001-07:002009-10-20T14:11:16.848-07:00How's This For an Excuse<div align="left">The reason I've been such a bad blogger (besides my inate badness) is that I've been knitting birthday presents.<br /><br />Last night they went to the birthday girls. They are leg warmers for the charter members of the Friday Afternoon Hiking Club. I shall blog about the creative process within the next day or so.<br /><img src="http://www.computerlizards.com/miscellany/legwarmersSunglasses.jpg" width="600" /><br /><center><em>Sunglasses added, as usual, to protect the innocent.</em></center> </div>Wunx~http://www.blogger.com/profile/09226125660850228005noreply@blogger.com4