progress on ongoing projects, new things, tools, pattern

ok get ready for the novel, it's been SO long so i've updated the site.

Jaunt around town: Mom came to the mainland on Wednesday and we went to drop off things I had made at senior center for their craft sale in December. We found out that they did not want them, nor do they want us to make anything more for them, nor can we take yarn due to not making items for them any longer. What a major disappointment, now what do I do with afghans, shawls, covered hanger and kitchen things.

TOOLS
I keep a lot of my knitting tools in this loose leaf binder.

First the needle guides, they tell me exactly which US/English needles I'm using.

There are many envelope clear plastic sections, one for each size needle that i've marked with black marker in bottom right hand corner.

The Land line method

shown here with white yarn threaded through each stitch, but continue knitting along incase you have to revert back you won't lose any stitches. This is the black knitting tote bag someone ordered recently.

This picture shows 6 crochet angel dishcloths from a recent order.

Knitted tote bag, front, back sections.

Idiot cord used for the tote bag shoulder length straps. I'm using my size 14 needles, these needles should be screwed into a cable needle but i just wanted to make the cord so i need the real short needles only. To make the cord, co 3 sts, * k 3 sts, push sts to other end of the needle and k3, rep from *, you are getting yarn from behind the sts on the needle and it will be pulled together to form a braided appearance.

tote bag completed.

gregs irish fisherman sweater with one landline, back section here, almost up to the armhole decreases.

the IF afghan in background it's an order i recently got. 3 skeins of yarn from hospital for booties. Also Joanne dropped off bags of yarn for Navy relief afghans also yesterday. That and an order for 2 afghans will keep me busy while completing Gregs sweater. No way can I have it done for our anniversary but I did manage to make his favorite oatmeal raisin cookies.

progress on projects, TIPS

Got vinny's raglan knit pullover sweater all done. had started it very late afternoon on sunday.

plan to work on gregs sweater now in between laundry.

also a few tips i've learned: used to watch knitty gritty where jackie howell showed how to wind up a ball of yarn so it'd not roll all over the floor but the yarn would come from the center of the ball of yarn. picture should show that you hold back to the side the start of the center of the yarn and continue to wind the yarn into a ball, holding back on that starting end as that is what you'll be using when you start your project. I really like this method as many times i'm making mittens at the same time -from two different balls of yarn and want the same exact length for each. same when making two sleeves at the same time. and again when im making Barbie doll slacks or sleeves. this method is excellent when traveling on a plane or in a car, put the yarn balls in the magazine holder in front of you and you won't have to worry about the ball of yarn rolling down the plane aisle to the back of the plane.

to start, wrap yarn around a few of your fingers, keeping the beginning end off the side at all time.

continue wrapping the yarn into a ball by rotating 1/4 turn after 10 wraps. you can see the beginning end off to the top left.

end result is a ball of yarn that you can pull from the center and not have it roll all over the place. This method is also excellent for use with a self striping yarn when you are attempting to make 2 sections start at the same point in the dye process.

another tip is a landline, it's when you're working with a complicated pattern, like lace and if you drop one stitch you have to start from the very beginning. what i do in these cases is string a piece of contrasting color yarn through the stitches and leave the string there for 2-3". then make another landline. When i made the lace curved shawl i had about 5 landlines every inch or so and it was a time saver as i had to rip back to that point several times.