A Short Visit

I finished my rambling rows jacket this week. Pattern from Cottage Creations, cream yarn was recycled from a sweater I made my husband 25 years ago when he was my boyfriend. It was in the donation box and I had always loved the feel of the yarn...so I disassembled, washed and finally chose this pattern to remake it. I ran short of yarn when I got near the end of the sleeves so finishing digressed from the original pattern which calls for cuffs and a button band. My version has kimono type sleeves with I-cord edging around cuffs, collar and front. Chose Plymouth Encore Colorspun in colorway 7512 with the help of Mary.

While taking my photos to share I had a short visit from a friendly butterfly. I think he saw the camera and decided to get in on the action since he posed for several shots before continuing on with his daily flight.

I'm still here...

I'm still here...just been busy weeding and raking and knitting and doing the Mom thing. A quick catch up on the last 8 weeks.

Garden is in. Lovely Michigan weather means we have had to cover plants for frost warnings 3 times now. The last one took out about a dozen tomato and pepper plants so we just picked up some more. Gotta have enough plants for the salsa and spaghetti sauce.

Finished daughter number 1's Holy Moly just in time to wear it for Short Ones First Communion. Here we are in our fancy clothes.

Daughter number 2 has now requested a Holy Moly of her own since the little sweater we found at Sears is a little big. I have the back done up to the armholes compliments of hang out time on Mother's day.

Items I've managed to finish -
Sweater for Alpaca with a Twist (sorry forgot to take a picture before shipping it off).
Last February's sock, pattern is Hellen's Socks, yarn is from Live On.


Track meets have been good for knitting time. Got a dishcloth done for the kitchen supply cabinet and finished sock one 'Little Sky Sock' in Cat Bordhi's New Pathways for Sock Knitters. Need to make the pair to this guy to figure out a couple of things I did wrong on the first sock.

Knitting goals for the summer are to work my way through the remaining socks in Cat's book, try a mobieus scarf, finish a few UFOs and hopefully add a couple of designs to the Etsy store. I better go get busy.

Holy Moly

I finished my Holy Moly Bolero. Now working on the same pattern in a smaller size for daughter number 1. Used yarn that has been in the stash for at least 20 years. Pattern came from December 07 issue of Knit N Style. Made my sleeves 3/4 length instead of long. Daughter is talking about short sleeves for hers.


In case any of my knitting buddies visit...I did not attend the knitting circle tonight because I am fighting a cold. Thought we would all appreciate me sharing my knitting via my blog and keeping my germs to myself. Hope to see you all next week.

Yarn Swift

Yarn swift is done. This was one adventure I don't think he wants to repeat. He just finished a mini niddy noddy that turned out really nice. I want to put a finish on it and add a cool pin to hold the one end before I share pictures.

Niddy Noddy

My husband was busy in the wood shop again last weekend. This time I have a niddy noddy to show for his creativity. It is always amazing to me how I can hand him a picture of an item and he will come back a few hours later with a 3D version of my request. He is also working on a yarn swift following a pattern I purchased. He got it about 1/2 done before he left for his last snowmobile trip of the season.

My snow widow weekend was spent reorganizing one of the few closets in my farmhouse. I moved some items not needed to the basement to make room for a clothes bar. Tonight I skipped knit night in order to play with power tools. My clothes bar is hung and now I have wiggle room in my regular closet since the rarely worn dresses and coats now have a new home.

A Nostipinne

The 45 degree weather and rain took the view of the barn from a winter wonderland to this...



The cats spend the day close to the house and watching what we humans are up to.



And my husband spent some time in his woodshop working a nostipinne on his lathe.


Still on his list to create...a wpi gauge and a niddy noddy.

Fuzzy Slippers for American Girl dolls

I finally modified my doll slipper pattern to include a knit sole for all those non crocheters out there. Enjoy the pattern in which ever form you decide to create it. If you have any questions please post them as a comment to this entry so that others can benefit from the answers. Feel free to print this pattern off for your personal use but do not republish or post this elsewhere.

Thanks
...Pamala

Gauge: 9 rows and 11 stitches = 2 inches / 5 cm

Needle size: US 7 / 4.5 mm double point or size to obtain gauge

Crochet hook size H (if following crochet foot pad option)

Materials: a small amount ( 8 yard / 7.3 meter) of a plush yarn such as Plymouth Heaven, Schachenmayr Hip Hop or Red Heart Baby Cloud

a small amount ( 15 yard / 13.7 meter) of a worsted weight yarn

Abbreviations: sc – single crochet

Pattern

Knit Slipper foot pad

With 2 of the size 7 needles and worsted yarn cast on 5 stitches.

Row 1: Knit across increasing 1 stitch in 2^nd and 4^th stitch. (7 stitches)
Row 2: Knit across.
Row 3: Knit across increasing 1 stitch in 2^nd and 6^th stitch. (9 stitches)
Row 4 – 20: Knit across
Row 21: Knit across decreasing 1 stitch at each end. (7 stitches)
Row 22: Knit across.
Row 23: Knit across decreasing 1 stitch at each end. (5 stitches)
Cast off.

Continue with slipper body instructions.

OR

Crocheted Slipper foot pad

With crochet hook and worsted yarn chain 8 stitches.

Round 1:
2 sc in second chain from hook, 1 sc in each of the next 5 chains, 4 sc in last stitch, following around bottom side of original chain, work 1 sc in next 5 chains, 2 sc in last hook (this should be the same chain in which round started). Do not join with beginning of round. (18 sc)

Round 2 and 3:
In back loop only and without joining, sc around foot pad increasing 4 stitches on each round by doing 2 sc in each of the corners of the round. (26 sc)

Join final sc to beginning of 3^rd round with a chain stitch. Tie off end.

Continue with slipper body instructions.

Slipper body

Row 1:
Using double points and plush yarn pick up and knit 26 stitches around foot pad starting at join or cast off point and arranging stitches so that 9 stitches from first side and 2 from footpad back are on 1^st needle, remaining 2 stitches from back and 9 stitches from second side are on next needle and 4 stitches for front toe are on 3^rd needle.

Row 2 (increase row):
Knit across increasing 1 stitch at each corner, 30 stitches. (Increases should occur in stitches 1, 9, 14 and 22.)

Row 3 (increase row):
Knit across increasing 1 stitch at beginning of needle 1 and at end of needle 2, 32 stitches. Stitches should be arranged 14 on needle 1, 14 on needle 2 and 4 stitches for front toe on needle 3 which are the last stitches worked on row 3.

Toe short rows:

Working in stockinette stitch starting with purl row and only the stitches on needle 3 (toe stitches) bring in 1 stitch from the side needle and work it together with the 1^st stitch of the toe row as follows:

Row 1: slide 1 stitch from needle 1 to needle 3, on needle 3, purl 2 together, purl remaining 3 stitches. Turn work.

Row 2: slide 1 stitch from needle 2 to needle 3, on needle 3, knit 2 together, knit remaining 3 stitches. Turn work.

Continue in this manner for 10 toe rows. 22 stitches remain.

Row 4:
Knit across 22 stitches even.

Slipper cuff
Change to worsted weight yarn, work in knit 1, purl 1 rib for 4 rows. Cast off cuff.

Finishing
Weave all loose ends into cuff, foot pad or body as appropriate to hide.