Friday, September 29, 2006

Ballband Bag recipe


I have had many request for the directions for the bag in the last post. I had to sit down and take a look at the bag again to see what I did. I usually sit down and just start knitting and see what comes off the needles, but I have been getting a little better about making little notes as I go lately. It is a simple slip stitch pattern, and I am sure there are tons of them out there, so I am not in any way laying claim to the technique, but the pattern for the bag in mine, please don't try to sell it yada yada yada... you guys know the rules.

Materials
1 ball Cascade 220 ( I used black) (A)
1 ball Diakeito Rococo ( I used color 104) (B)
10 1/2 circ. needle 16"
Pre felted my bag was about 9" wide and 14" tall, post felting it is 8" square


CO 39 stitches with (A) and knit 13 rows in garter stitch, place a marker(pm) and pick
up 6 st along the short side, pm, pick 39 st on cast on edge, pm, pick up 6 st along side, place beginning of round marker.
Knit 4 rounds
begin pattern:
Rnds 1&2 Knit
Rounds 3-6 with (B) *K4, SL1, (K5, SL1) to 4 stitches before first marker, K4, SL marker SL1 , K4, SL1, sl marker* repeat from * to *
Rnds 7 & 8 Knit with (A)
Rnds 9 - 12 with (B) *K1, Sl1, (K5, Sl1) to 1 st before marker, K1, sl marker SL1, K4, SL1, sl marker* repeat from * to *
repeat these 12 rounds for desired length ( I did 6 pattern repeats)
Knit 6 rounds in (A)
end with an attatched I cord bind off, marking center on one long side for an i cord button loop and marking the 6 side st for a 6 st I cord strap to pick up after bind off is finished. ( I am applying purchased straps to mine.
The button loop is a 3 st I cord 4 " long , pick up 3 st along the center on the inside of the bag and knit 4" I cord and graft to the inside of the bag.
Felt , shape let it dry and enjoy your bag

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Ballband Bag anyone


I loved knitting the ballband dishcloth, in fact I made several of them and plan to make even more. I got to thinking that a bag based on the ballband dish cloth would be really neat. And I love all this new Diakeito the LYS has now, and they have some with great fall colors ... so I made myself a new bag. I still need to give it a little shave when it is completely dry and purchase a button and some straps when I go to the LYS next. I have to say, I love it! I started another bag this morning, but I haven't gotten very far, I kept falling asleep, that is what I get for staying up until 2:30 knitting and felting. When I get past the bottom, I will take a picture of it.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Making a little Progress



I have knit another cable rib hat, I wrote
down what I did as I went this time , so I will share that in the next day or two. Same yarn, Diakeito Rococo, different color. This one is very bright, I thought the daughter would maybe like this one better and perhaps let her brother have the first one, but I don't know if she will be agreeable. I couldn't get the true colors, the blue in the picture is actually more purple in real life. And a picture of the crown. Seems like the first one was a bit smoother looking so I may have to do a little frogging and see if I can improve the look of this one.

And all that Opal sock yarn I bought the other day, here it is . I started a sock for Benjamin in the Black. I believe it is a Crocodile, but I am not positive. He likes it and the first one is finished. Darn, if his feet aren't growing, and it takes longer to make a pair of socks for him. I hope he inherits his shoe size from his dad's side of the family and not mine. When I make socks for my brother it takes forever to knit that size 13 sock.


And I have been working on the entrelac scarf, I need to pick up another ball of the Rococo tonight while I am there for a mitten class. I think one more ball ought to finish it. I really love this yarn. Well blogger wants to load that one sideways too. I had a better picture of the hat but it kept loading upside down so I gave up on it. This is the only one I took of this scarf, so it will just have to be sideways.

Well, I should go finish something ... a pair of mittens or socks or a baby blanket... something. Hopefully I will have finished projects to show next time.

Sunday, September 24, 2006

Hot Socks Swap

I joined the Hot Socks Swap. We are to answer some questions, so here are my questions and answers:

1)What do you prefer - solid, variegated or self striping?
I like all sock yarns, but , variegated ones are my favorite
2)Favourite colours?
I love blues and greens and purples, and rich jewel tones
3)Are you a beginner, intermediate or experienced sock knitter?
I would say experienced
4)Tea, Coffee, or hot chocolate - what's your favourite? If coffee, what do you use to make it?
I like all three of them but I am addicted to Starbucks. I brew my coffee I have a coffee maker, no esspresso machine ... yet.
5)Do you have a fibre preference? (i.e. Are you a yarn snob like me?)
I like natural fibers, no acrylic for my feet, so yes, I am a yarn snob.

Friday, September 22, 2006

Sock Yarn on Sale this Week Only


My LYS is celebrating its first anniversary, and all the sock yarn is on sale... whoo hoo. I did contain myself to just enough for 2 pair of socks though. It was a hard choice, but I narrowed it down to these two. Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in the Black Watch and Gold Hill, aren't they lovely. She has a hard time keeping this stuff in stock, and the shelf was almost empty. I am so lucky to have gotten this, being the week is almost over.

I am knitting a modular baby blanket for an upcoming class. The pattern is from Knitting at KNoon, and the yarn is Lorna's Shepherd Worsted and Cascade 220 Super Wash. It is a really quick knit and hopefully I will have it done by the weekend. I just pray that ADD won't rear its ugly head, and I won't lose interest in it before it is finished. My son wasn't too happy when I started this. I started a hooded pullover for him, and it has been put on hold. I will post a picture of that when I have a little more done on it. He wanted to know how long it takes to make each square and then he calculated the time until I would be able to resume knitting on his sweater. Poor thing, I have not met his estimated finishing time. He must really want a new sweater.


And, for myself, I have started these. But I don't dare be caught knitting on these when Benjamin is home. Ribbed Lace socks from the Sensational Knitted Socks book. I am knitting them in Lorna's in the Somerset colorway. I do love the Lorna's Laces. And just this afternoon, I went back to the yarn shop and got 3 balls of Opal and another ball of Diakeito Rococo. I am going to make another cable hat and I will write down the pattern this time. I think it was Rose that was asking for it, so when it is done I will pass it along to you.

More later, it is almost time to go pick the eldest up from the football game. They have an early morning tomorrow and a very long day. They are going to Louisville in the morning and will have a long day of competition. They are in the BOA ( Bands of America) and have competition almost every weekend. They are leaving at 6:30 AM and won't return until 1:30 AM, ridiculously long hours if you ask me, but they sound really good, all their hard work really shows. She will be a bear to get up Sunday morning for church.

Monday, September 11, 2006

Help Wanted

Can anyone help me? I want my side bar back where it belongs. I have NO idea how to do it. In the preview mode, it is where it is supposed to be, but after I republish it is at the bottom of the page. What am I doing wrong and how can I fix it?
Thanks in advance for any help.

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Warning... Picture Heavy Post

I have some knitting to show. I have been knitting like crazy. I have been having some serious computer issues, and have not had much access to a computer lately. That just means more knitting time… I spend a lot of time on the computer, surfing and IM’ing, but not in the last week or so. I think I am almost over the withdrawals. Hopefully, everything will be back in working order soon.



The LYS got the Diakeito yarns in. I love this yarn. I made a cabled hat for the eldest. My own pattern. The new Rococo yarn is self striping with no color repeats in the ball and is unbelievably soft. So with what I had left over, which was only about a third of the ball, I started a scarf. Of course, I needed to visit the LYS for more I can’t just have a 6” scarf. Simple entrelac, no pattern.




I am doing a cabled scarf class at the LYS, so I designed this scarf pattern for the class. I knit it in Lorna’s Worsted in the Sage color. There sure was a huge difference between the color of the two balls, I wish I had knit from both balls at the same time, but I am not frogging it. I do love this yarn. I need to get the pattern typed up..


And I am working on some mittens. This first pair is from the Knit Mittens book. I am knitting these in Diakeito Diaepoca. Have I mentioned I love the Diakeito yarns. size 5 dpn’s in yellow and sage…because that is what I had in my stash. I love color work, and this is a fun pattern.


The other pair is also knit in Diaepoca, in a purple / pink color. This my own design. I will have warm hands this winter.


And I have been working on some sweaters for CIC. I am using left over wool, so some of them may not end up being the most beautiful colors, but they will be warm. The pattern is from Knitting Pure and Simple. The brown sweater is knit in Cascade 220 and Paintbox and the other in Araucania Nature Wool. Hopefully I will get a few more of these knit in the next week or two. I didn’t knit many socks for them this summer so I need to get busy with the sweaters. I feel so sorry for those poor little children in those cold orphanages.

Well, I am exhausted after this. It takes forever to load pictures with dial up, but, it is better than nothing at all. I think I will go relax and knit for a bit.