christmasknit

Done! The Christmas knits fit, my needles are stashed, my next project will be for me! Merry Christmas to everyone, Happy Holidays

Debbie in the Mohair hoodie, Gabe in the leftover Mohair hat, Corinne in the Malabrigo hat

FREE pattern: Recyclable Shopping Bag, aka the meshy tote

Recyclable Shopping Bag
3 skeins Lily Peaches and Cream cotton yarn
16" circulars in the following US sizes: 6,8,10.5
1 stitch marker
darning needle for sewing in ends

Beginning with smallest sized needles (working back and forth to start) and one strand of MC, cast on 41 sts.
Rnd 1: Knit 1, Purl 1 across
Rnd 2: Knit across
repeat these two rows 20 more times, for a total of 42 rows.
Next row: work in pattern across 41 sts, Pick up and knit 30 sts along edge, Pick up and knit 40 sts. across cast on edge, pick up and knit 30 sts along edge, place marker and join for working in the round (141 sts total)
Work one round even in stockinette stitch
Bagbody pattern: Rnd 1- *Knit 2 sts. together (K2g), yo, repeat from * around
Rnd 2- Knit all sts
Repeat these two rounds 7 more times, switching to size 8 ndl on the 6th rnd and then size 10.5 on the 14th rnd.

Stockinette panel: Knit 10 rnds.
Repeat the Bagbody pattern rounds
2nd Stockinette panel: Knit 1 round,
dec round:*k8, k2tog; rep from * around to last 3sts, K3tog (126 stitches)
Knit 4 rounds
dec round: *k7, k2tog; rep from * around (112 stitches)
Knit 3 rnds
Repeat the Bagbody pattern rounds
Final stockinette panel: Change to size 8 needles, Purl 1 round
dec round: *k6,k2tog; rep from * around (98 stitches)
Purl 1 round
dec round: *k5,k2tog; rep from * around (84 stitches)
Purl 1 round
Handle round K18, Bind off 20 sts, K22, BO 20, K4
next round: *P to bound off stitches, CO 30 sts over opening, rep * around to beginning.
K one round
P one round
K one round
BO all stitches, weave in any loose ends, and enjoy!

This ones for Kristi.... and anyone else confused by the slant pocket pattern

Thanks for contacting me-This was my first published pattern, and everyone that test knit my project has been knitting with me for ages and understands what I mean as opposed to what I say/write! I am flattered that you chose this particular pattern.
The bag is should look like a large rectangle, a large triangular shape, and the strap. Fold the rectangle on the turning ridges, so you have something resembling a cereal box minus sides. Pin the strap to the bag using clips, and crochet (or whipstitch) from the bottom front up, over the two short flaps bringing them together at the center corners so that they meet in the middle, and then continue on down the other side. Repeat for other side. Fold the triangle on the turning ridges, lay it on top of the bag, and begin crocheting (or whipstitching) the pockets to the bag starting at one top corner going down, across the bottom, and then up the other side.
Does that sound better?

Those are the Bella tights, but the color is so far off you wouldn't believe me if I told you it was the same Cascade Heritage sock yarn that I posted a few months back-hows that for a cellphone camera?
And the yarn leftover from the Cloud armwarmers became the mini purse, made from Leigh Radfords' One Skein design, with some handle modifications because I was running out of time.

Happy December!!!

The countdowns on-24 days to knit, block, and seam my way into completion! The Bella tights are down, moms present is done, Debbie's is still on the needles and almost done, and then all the rest are impatiently waiting in the wings. too soon, too soon the holidays come...

some flickr photos of the recent knits

rearranging furniture.

today, after teaching my morning class and actually completing my morning workout without stopping to talk on the phone, I decided to rearrange the living room. Mind you, my living room is not big but my furniture is. I pushed everything to the center, pushed it away, rotated it 30 degrees, pushed it to the center, and so and and so forth for two hours. In that time, however, I found 14 stitch markers, 3 straight needles and 6 double pointed of various sizes. I also found a photocopy of a pattern I must have decided I like at some point, because it was cleverly stashed between two books on the bookshelf (yes, even that was rearranged!) As I had the pattern, I of course needed to see if I had the yarn required. Hmm, surprise, I did! So, as a break from the moving although my place was littered with misplaced belongings and no longer memorable mementos that fell out during the rearranging, I cast on. Knit 15 rows on a scarf, then cast on for a sweater. WHAT! you scream in disbelief? I remembered that the in a trunk that was now my tv stand, there was a cone of alpaca from my first trip to Peru, and it was patiently waiting its turn to shine-now I am searching for patterns that I can use to knit a top down raglan sleeve sweater, and not putting my living room back together. Heres to rearranging furniture...

sleeves, and more tights

I FINALLY put a sleeve on that mohair hoodie, after knitting and unknitting numerous shaping rows, and ended the cuff with Cascade 220 in the same color. Now, the next sleeve will only needed to be completed in the next 45 days, or so....
Yesterday, I had an all day staff training from way-too-early in the morning to evening (I normally work swing shifts), so I occupied my fingers and the eyes of everyone in my 'workgroup' with the lovely set of top-down tights I started with Cascade Heritage sock yarn-this pair will be for little miss Bella, and the pattern will be correctly recorded so that I can start sharing it with others. My mom always told me to share, but I don't want to mislead in the process. I haven't been knitting as much as I could, but I started that Spanish teaching in the mornings.

ravelry related reasons

I don't have a camera. Right, you knew that. BUT, I do frequently pester visitors to my house and beg them to take pictures of my knitting projects, and then load them onto my flickr account. Do you know how time-consuming it is to move pictures from there to here? Despite the fact that my friends are doing the dirty work for me and I don't really have to spend that much time on my photos...I use flickr for obvious ravelry related reasons, but my dear friend Captain Obvious pointed out that not everyone is on Ravelry, or knows Ravelry, or even cares about Ravelry. So, to those that aren't in the know, I apologize. Most of my finished objects end up in that cool little flickr box the the right of this post....you can have a mini-look!

Dressed, hatted, and gloved

The dress was stunning, neck and neck with the brides own get-up for compliments, and a few pre-orders placed by fellow wedding attendees. If only I hadn't shown it to you first, I could have used it for a Knitty pattern submission! In any case, it is done, the Noro hat is done, and I am already well into the second glove of the pair I just started Friday (Christmas knitting has begun, officially). These particular arm warmers, knit in Di.Ve Butterfly, should be for one of the sisters. Three more sisters, four brothers, two dads, one mom, two nephews, seven nieces, and I will be done with the immediate family! Pray to the gods of knitting for me, please.

photos....

Kerouac Socks:

Pisac Pocketbook:

overdress(ed)


Picture Update!!! I told you I was knitting!

holey goodness

still knot knitting the lacy dress, it is a whole 15 inches of holey goodness. I can't follow my own advice and not start new projects, so now I am using some thicker than tree trunk hemp to knit sandals, slow going on slowly bending aluminum needles. also, since someone else was showing interest in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle socks, I had to finish them-not finish, finish them, but work on them for a bit. The second sock is now past the heel, just up to the cuff and its done. yah.

checking me-self

the mask is done as of yesterday, I nearly cast-on for that blue vest thing in the fall Interweave and then checked myself-I MUST FINISH THE DRESS....Carrie's wedding is in 24 days-this is my deadline. I am half heartedly working on another brimmed newsboy, this time out of the noro silk that hangs out on my coffee table-it is great mindless knitting when the feather and fan lace gets to be too much.
I was hoping for a camera for my birthday, but apparently no one can read minds. Hmm. Might have to go buy myself one.

kerouac socks, and lucha libre

while I do not have the pictures to prove it, I did whip out a pair of comfy socks this past Thursday/Friday, and I finally started on the Lucha Libre pattern from Son of Stitch n' Bitch to make the snazzy balaclava for one of my coworkers. I am also modifying a feather and fan tanktop pattern from the yarn lady to make a lacy slip-dress-cover-thingy to hopefully wear to Carrie's wedding next month-no promises on that one. I spent the last couple of days teaching one of the young residents at my job to knit, and as she couldn't hide her amazement that she was knitting ("can you f-ing look at me, ME, knitting? I mean holy sh*t, I am knitting like a little ole f-ing lady!), I was secretly beaming with pride inside that she found something else to focus all of her intense generally misguided energy on!

Shame on ME

I don't have any new pictures to add, and I am hanging my head in shame at my inexcusable lack of posting. I received a polite reminder phonecall from a fan the other day, and she not-so-kindly informed me that it had been over a month and a half since I had written anything. FOR SHAME, I am wagging my finger at myself in that childish antagonistic way.
I was in Peru {again} last month, and didn't knit much but was inspired often~a friend took me to a museum in Ancon, where I ogled some impeccably well preserved knit and woven clothing, ceremonial wraps, and straps. I envy his weaving abilities, he admired my sock knitting prowess, and now I feel I must get this page up to snuff before he takes a look.

wow, sorry, where have I been?

yeah, there is no excuse for procrastination like this! holy hell, over a month? what was I thinking? Just so you know, I didn't die in the last 40 days, I was just finishing up that bachelors degree that has been hanging over my head for the last ten years (graduated on Friday the 13th, eek?) and still knitting like a mad fool. I am currently occupied by completing this circular shrug, so far I am moving along at about an inch or two a day, not good if I want to finish it before fall arrives...
The akira pants were a hit, if you have ravelry you can see them on my page, otherwise I have been procrastaknitting while studying, not much more progress on any of my current projects. Enough with the excuses, I must work, knit, and take pictures so you don't lose faith...
{by the way, you can always check my project pictures on flickr.com, I am procrastaknitter there also}

here you go!

I don't have a computer at home, and everytime I get with in twenty feet of one I feel this unimaginable urge to check my email, my school webpage, and my ravelry notebook-somehow this little blog squeezed into the backlogs of my mind with bill paying, dusting, and car maintenance. I have mostly been focusing on knitting some pants for little Akira Rayne(next niece to be) using more Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo,inching out the window curtain, and I knit and gifted a couple more coffee cup cozies. Little projects to occupy my little bits of free time as they come......
And today I couldn't help but sneak into Diva Yarn while visiting the family here in Port Townsend-and Theresa definately did NOT twist my arm into buying these few skeins....Noro Cash Iroha (x4)& Cascade Heritage

Still knitting

my goodness, how time flies when you are forgetting to blog! okay, so I am still knitting but mostly just keeping up with the ravelry project book-that addiction of mine, thankfully a socially acceptable addiction-and I am not the only one. Some of my projects are still on the needles because I can't seem to focus for long enough, but others are slowly but surely getting done. Here, let me show you....

lately....

Currently knitting a shrug using Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo-the pattern called for aran weight yarn, which this is NOT, so I have done tons of swatching to make a fabric I like that will look nice on baby. The curtain is on the needles still, but thats because its the boring stockinette stitch part that doesn't hold my interest long enough to feel like anything is getting done. Also, just had a brilliant idea for a watchband-we'll see how soon that happens!! Can't do anything with my pictures at the moment, since my cable is 100 miles away, but as soon as I can you will see where I am.

the kitchen window...

I have a lovely new house, with a lovely little window to look out as I wash the dishes (by hand, couldn't afford the dishwasher), but this morning I was distraught by the power pole that is right at the edge of the yard, where it meets the treeline. I don't won't to block out the greenery, but I wanted to obscure the powerpole as much as possible. Well, now I am knitting the Pom Pom Awning by Kat Coyle, from Greetings from Knit Cafe book-but entirely in mohair and on larger needles, to give the halo appearance but still not block out the out-of-doors. Right now it would be hiding the suprise snow that is happening, by the way!

new house and soap socks

I finally found a house! No more sleeping on couches or floors, no more feeling out of sorts as bathe in someone elses' shower, or put my soymilk in their refrigerator. With that being said, I haven't made too much progress on any of my knitting projects. Wait, scratch that. I joined the two toe sections on my second toe sock, and completed about an inch of knitting-and knit a couple of these funny little soap socks. It is not an entirely original idea, but the yarn and needles were available while I was at work teaching residents how to knit garter stitch-if you'd like the pattern, here it is:



Mission Falls 1824 Cotton
size 4 or 5 dpns, set of 4 (I used both, one stretches out a bit more when wet)
4 stitch markers
darning needle to sew in the ends


CO 26 stitches using long tail method (for sewing up opening later) Join
*K4, pm, K9,pm; repeat once from *. You shouldn't need to place last marker-this is where the tail hangs down.
K three rounds, slipping markers as you come to them
next round: K to marker, make one stitch, slip marker, repeat at every marker.
next round: K to newly made stitch, slip this stitch, repeat at every marker.
next round: K all stitches
next round: *P4,slip corner stitch before marker,P9,slip corner stitch; repeat from *
Repeat last two rows 22 more times, 12 garter ridges total.
this creates the slipped edge stitch that gives the sock rigid corners, and alternating purl and knit rows creates the garter stitch when knitting in the round
go back to knitting every round, mainting the slipped stitches every other round for 6 more rounds.
next round:{K1,K2tog,YO} to last two stitches, K2
K 2 rounds even, then BO. Sew up opening at bottom using CO tail, and sew in any ends left from color changes and BO
make an i-cord 8 inches long and run through eyelet row, or purchase cord/ribbon.

Hannah Hats, for Debbie and I

I took a break from the Koolhaas hat, and whipped out two ponytail hats for Debbie and I~found the free pattern on Ravelry, and half the fun is picking out the buttons, knowing that they are the only stimulating addition to the straightforward design (seriously simple knitting) Debbie is the black, I am the blue/green


I also managed about four rows on the Malabrigo scarf while trail cruising yesterday, and another pattern repeat on Koolhaas while sitting at a road-construction-stop on Highway 101 today. Nothing jaw-dropping, procrastaknitting as usual...........


BUT I did just get home today and found a lovely little package with a lovely little cone of natural color Mission Falls 1824 Cotton yarn (a whopping $5.14 on eBay), and tomorrow I plan to take it down to Diva Yarn and wind it into skeins that I can dye, hopefully tomorrow. Lots of plans for yarn tomorrow, probably won't be a lot of knitting

one more picture!!

it had to be shared-pink boots -AND- bunny ears!!!

technicolor tights

wouldn't you know! they fit like a glove, look fabulous with the pink cowgirl boots, and apparently inspire spontaneous {jiggy-butt} dances-Rhapsody is by far my happiest customer!

no mas...

the tights are no longer in my posession, relinquished to the little one just last night. hopefully I will see her wearing them, and soon.

ode to odessa

three days from start to finish
not one dropped stitch
or ripped back row


lovely colors
swirling and stairstepping
around, and up and down


happiness
of a fibery sort

Pic of Odessa, 6 months

Here it tis, as promised~ the Odessa hat, before decreasing for the top round. I checked out some other ravelers comments on this hat, and most seem to agree that it is more of a beanie than a winter hat because if you decrease as indicated you end up with a tiny hat. The pattern says knit to 5 1/2 inches, then begin decreases-I think I will go to 7 inches before decreasing, in order to cover my inarguably ginormous dome piece.
And by the way, today marks six months without smoking (cigarettes, not that there was anything else ;))

Odessa and the tights

so the tights are pretty much done, the top for the second time. The short row shaping eluded me until the end, so I had to rip out the top and start over. They did NOT make it into the gift bag on the birthday girls' day, but she'll have plenty of time to wear them since I don't think the winter is going to be over anytime soon. Yesterday I really started knitting the Odessa hat, using the Fancy Image yarn that I bought last week-and it is a lovely piece indeed. I brought my camera to Olympia, but not the USB cables, so I can't take a picture of the work in progress... maybe tomorrow

oh yeah

and here is what the tights look like right now, with the leggies joined together...


(thats lots of ribbing from the upper thigh on into the panty part, to make them stretchy enough for diapers, but not too baggy for panties)

and here's the new yarn that I picked up from Myra at Fancy Image


and promptly cast on to become the Odessa hat from Grumperina, as provided by MagKnits.

Plus my latest endeavor: I picked up this fleece turtleneck from OldNavy a couple of weeks ago, 3.97, and wore it exactly once-before I realized that I am not much of a turtleneck sort of girl. So I am going to use this lovely Noro, my scissors, a crochet hook and some knitting needles, and about 2000 brain cells to somehow create a funky-yet-fabulous jacket. Wish me luck!!

updates

long long time ago, when i was young-scratch that-awhile back I was knitting a green messenger bag, and ran into some technical difficulties with the felting process-whatever should I do? well, the procrastaknitter that I am won out on that one, and up until last week that partially felted monstrosity was tied up in a plastic bag, smelling to high heaven and awaiting the journey north of the equator, to a place where washing machines were connected to hot water..................
and ta-da! a star is born! I love this bag, it is the perfect size for my many weekend trips down to Olympia-although right now it is back on the finishing board-because it needs a zipper to inhibit the insides from falling by the way side-but perfect none the less, and lots of compliments to appease its/my ego.

And another felting project, the second of the lovely Leigh Radford's felted laptop cases (Jenni has my original)-but I finally added some felted straps to this one because although I no longer own a laptop, I have a case for the next one.



So nothing too mind-blowing, but I am so happy to have these two projects felted and done that I am almost willing to go clean out my parents wool logged washing machine waterlines. but I did say almost

Tights have TWO legs!!!

Tights in Spanish is media-panties (media=socks, panties=panties, entonces, mediapanties), which quite frankly makes a far sight more sense than tights-they are socks connected to underwear, after all...
Not to digress, but that was just pointed out to me this morning, as I was joining the two legs together. Yes, I wrote joining-I might actually have these done by Rhapsody's birthday on Wednesday! Once I finish with the awkard rounds just after the join, I will take a picture or two for you.
I also ran by Fancy Image on Friday night, as I was making a quick run to work in Olympia. Myra was cloistered in the corner downstairs, labelling and tagging new colorways, and I snagged a discounted skein of my favorite colorway (one little part of the skein was slightly un-plied, no me importa) That will eventually become the Koolhass Hat (if I gauge it correctly), and I also scouted out some potential future baby clothes for little miss Akira Rayne (yes, another sibling is having another baby, this one belonging to my brother Jared and his wifey)
So, pictures forthcoming, as always.

Rhapsody's tights, among other things....

So, I have been obsessed with getting thesse tights perfect PERFECT PERFECT, so they don't do that characteristic tight thing-you know, how on all babies and toddlers the crotch seems to fall somewhere between the knees and the diaper? In any case, I measured and remeasured the length and circumference of five points on Rhapsody's leg, but somehow, after the first leg was off the needle and I was well onto the second leg, I realized that the first leg wasn't quite long enough. Is that from the fabric not stretching up because it was stretched around, or is that because one of her legs is significantly different than the other? Of course its the first reason, but I hate to admit my mistakes.....but heres the pictures so you can see what I'm talking about. And just for the record-the feet do fit, even though in that picture it looks like the toe is flopped over-she was curling her toes and it created the flap effect. I have exactly eight days to get things straightened out, before I can go back to working on other things, like spending my earned store credit at Diva Yarn, maybe to get the yarn to make the Koolhaas Hat by Jared Flood?
And by the way, I am still wholly addicted to Ravelry-my god, everyone is on there!!!

un-ravelry-ing

I have been knitting, but somehow getting that ravelry log-in figured out has stolen my time-do you know how many knitters are on that site?!? I am sucked in to the number of knitters working on the same projects as me, and curious about what yarns they used, what they thought about things, etc. etc. I feel incomplete as I covet others stashes, and look at their well-rounded project lists, or peruse their libraries-is it still breaking one of the ten commandments if I want my INTERNET neighbors belongings?
Well, downloading pictures is also on my to-do list, so once I find my USB stick I will get right on it-being a roaming gnome with a broke-down laptop means I have to save everything to the USB, or leave my pics and things on some family members PC.

sorry, lo siento, disculpame.....

wow.
I just came back to the states, and was perusing favorite blogs when I remembered that I had one of my own. I cannot believe it has been since mid-December! So much has happened, so many things have been knit and gifted out already, without photos or anything. ahhh. Well, first things first. I am Mrs. Procrastaknitter now, ran off and married a Peruvian while I was supposed to be studying-and now I just need to figure out how to get him into the country. I celebrated Christmas with my family this past Sunday, the day I got back-and almost every single person had a handknit present, thank you very much! I think that I may need to commit myself to the two knits a month, considering how rapidly my family is expanding. I may have a few pictures of things I have knit that I can attach here, so I'll stop before I run out of excuses for my lack of postings.
once again, sorry about the delay.