Here's something new I'm trying. It's a scarf made of a bunch of connected triangles. I had a friend show me how to do it, then figured it out in a quiet moment at home (which moments are rare). You start with one stitch and increase one stitch at the beginning of one side only (so the beginning of every other row) until you have about 20 stitches, or whatever width you want. The increase side becomes the "long" side of your triangle. Then you start a new triangle at the point where the two shorter sides meet. You knit it the same way as the first triangle, but knit the last stitch coming away from the increase edge, together with an existing stitch from the original triangle. Play with it. You can figure it out. The pattern works best with variagated yarn, which stripes nicely in the triangles. I tried some sock yarn, but the stripes were too wide. This sport weight yarn works nicely.




Here's my latest pink ruffled purse. Everyone seems to like this purse. I'm making this one for a friend's daughter. The pattern is one I created and am sharing on my blog. You can find it by looking in the archives under the post "I've had so many requests for this pattern."














Here's Ben showing off the sweater I finished Monday. It's a little big on him. I don't know if the pattern is too big, or if my knitting is too loose. I'm going to put it away until he grows into it.
















I decided I wanted to create a purse with some nice texture to it. I found this pattern in an old book of stitch patterns. This one is called "Hazelnut." In this color, I think it looks exactly like raspberries! The picture is a bit blurry.

Meanwhile, I've started another of my tote bags. This one is in lime green and navy blue. I picked up some lime green wool at the thrift store the other day, and knitted up a swatch to try felting it. It felted beautifully, so I'm excited to try it in this bag. I'll post pictures when it's done.

I was contacted by a woman who wanted me to knit hat and mitten sets for her three little girls for Valentine's Day. She wanted me to use furry novelty yarn in all of them, and she wanted them to be coordinated. This is the set that I made for her two-year-old. The hat is very cute on, as the corners poke up like little "horns".



This hat and mitten set is for the five-year-old. I graphed out the heart motif and added embroidered flowers with a pearl in the middle. I think it turned out nicely.



This last set is for the eight-year-old. I adapted the hat pattern from one I found online, then somehow figured out how to include the stitch pattern in a pair of mittens. Don't ask me how I did it, it's too complicated to explain, but I'm very pleased that I was able to figure it out. This set is my favorite of the three.

I decided to try knitting a cabled purse. It was my first attempt at cabling. I was surprised how easy it was. I finished this purse very quickly. It ended up shorter than the one pictured on the pattern. I think I used too thick of yarn. I'm in the process of making another one with less chunky yarn. The pattern is from Knit Pick's website http://www.KnitPicks.com It's called Chunky Cable Handbag. I purchased the handle at WalMart. It was even on sale! The butterfly pin is also from WalMart, and also on sale.



I made a second gray striped felted bag. Here it is before I felted it in the washing machine.


This picture is of the bag after felting. I want to do some kind of needle-felted trim on this bag too.

I got some of the pictures the newspaper people took when they interviewed me right before Christmas. For the most part, they are great pictures, so I thought I'd share them here.





These are my hands knitting the sweater I finished for my husband for Christmas. This picture, and most of the others, didn't actually make it into the paper.





This is a close-up of one of the snowmen I made. This one is my favorite. He turned out so cute! I gave him away for Christmas, but I might just have to make one for myself like this!




Another hand shot. There's nothing wonderful about my hands, except what they can do.



Here's a picture of three little snowmen. I made a total of 5, and have requests for more. The pattern didn't have felting instructions, but I thought I'd like them better felted, so I made these out of 100% wool and felted them. I like the way they turned out. This picture did make it into the paper.




This is the first adult-sized sweater I made. I finished it about a year ago, and it has become a favorite of mine to wear. I have no idea why I didn't center the tag when I sewed it on. Never thought anyone would see it, much less a picture would end up being published in a paper, so I never bothered to take it out and center it!

These felted apples are very cute. I like how the picture was taken to focus on one and leave the other two blurry.

Okay, this is the last of the newspaper interview pictures for now. This purse was home with me because I thought it was rather ugly. The pink wool didn't felt as well as the blue wool, and I didn't really like how it turned out. Looks better in this picture than it does in real life. But, they wanted to see some of my work and that's what I had lying around.

I've had so many requests for the pattern for the pink knitted purse I made, I decided to post the instructions here. The yarn I used for the pink purse was from a cone of silk blend fingering weight machine knitting yarn. Since it was treated for use on a machine, it was stiffer and made a purse with "body." I am sure most kinds of yarn would work fine.

Pink Ruffled Purse Pattern


The pattern is very easy. With bulky yarn (or two strands of worsted weight held together, or three strands of fingering weight held together--which is the best option), and size 8 needles, cast on 36 stitches. Knit in garter stitch (knit every row), until purse measures 12 inches from CO edge. Bind off 4 stitches at the beginning of the next two rows. Knit in garter stitch for approximately 4 more inches. Bind off all stitches. Your purse should look like this:



If you are going to line your purse, now is the time to cut out your lining fabric. Lay your purse over the desired fabric and cut around the outside, giving an extra 1/2 inch or so seam allowance to your lining on all sides. Cut out lining. Sew the lining the same way you do the purse.

Fold the purse so that the bottom edge is even with the row where you cast of 4 sts on each side. Weave the side seams. I tucked a little extra fabric in at the bottom "corners," to make it more rounded.

Time to make the ruffle. Using fingering weight yarn and size 4 or 5 24-inch long circular needles, Cast On 116 sts.
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: *K1, yarn over. Repeat from * to end. (230 sts)
Row 3: Purl
Row 4: K1, *Increase one by knitting into the front and back of the stitch. Repeat from * to end. (459 sts)
Row 5: *K1, P1 (or K2, P2). Repeat from * to end.

Continue to work in ribbing stitch until the ruffle measures 2 inches wide. Bind off all sitches in pattern. The ruffle should look something like this:



Thread a tapestry needle with one strand of fingering weight yarn and thread it through the holes made by the yarn overs. Gather to fit around the flap of the purse. Sew the ruffle on top of the purse flap, overlapping the back a little to your taste.

With a crochet hook, make a chain, using fingering weight yarn. Tie into a bow and attach to the middle of the front flap.

Turn under 1/2 inch on top and flap edges of lining. Insert lining into purse, wrong sides together and blind stitch edges to purse.

The handle I used is an unused skinny belt from a thrift store. I cut it to size, leaving the buckle as part of the handle, so that it is adjustable. Stuff the purse with some plastic bags to find out where to attach the handles to get the best balance. I used D-rings to attach it to the purse as shown here:


And you're done! Enjoy your lovely little purse. Make one for a friend.




I decided to needle felt some trim to my gray bag. It is my first attempt at needle felting. I really like the way it turned out, and it was SO easy!

I've been knitting up a storm. I made five of the little snowmen I pictured in my blog last month, and gave them to friends as Christmas gifts. They were very well received. I also have made many hats and scarves, which I sold through a local dry cleaners. It really helped to have a little extra Christmas money. I made the hats on needles, not looms. I have noticed that loomed hats have a distinctive look to them, and I was going for a more traditional look. Four hats were for little girls, and were red and white candy striped. I also made a toddler stocking hat with matching mittens for another customer. They turned out very cute, and I had to make up my own pattern for the stocking hat.

I was also interviewed by my local newspaper, as part of an article about our knitting guild. You can read the story in the links section (if it works). They mis-spelled my name, but I thought the article was otherwise well done. Bear in mind, this is small town journalism!





It's finished! I finished my husband's blue cardigan just two days before christmas. The amazing thing is, not only does it fit him, but he actually likes it! It is so nice to have this project finished. It feels like a big accomplishment.





The proprietor of the store where I sell my knitted purses called me just a few days before Christmas to tell me that four of my purses had sold. I was so busy getting sweaters, etc. knitted for Christmas, that I told her I'd have to put more purses in the store after the start of the new year. This is one I will be putting in the store.





Here is my son wearing his new sweater vest. I finished it several weeks before Christmas. It even fits him! He likes to wear it, so we're both happy.




This purse is my version of one that was sold at Neiman Marcus for over $900. I think it turned out quite well, and it was very easy to do. I won't be selling it for $900, but it will be one that I sell on consignment, along with the grey one.

My computer crashed! I'm still reeling from it, but I managed to get most things up and running again. The old hard drive stored all my passwords, userids, etc., so it has been interesting trying to piece together my online life again!


But, back to knitting. I have been busy! My son's sweater vest is almost done. Just a couple of inches and then the ribbing to knit.




And my husband sweater is coming along well too. I've finished the back and have started one of the front sections. It will be a miracle if I finish by Christmas, but that is the goal!





I think this little snowman is very cute. I got a little burned out from working on big projects, so took a break and knitted him up in a day and a half. I think I need to make many of these for Christmas gifts. To me he looks rather penguin-like. I added the carrot nose myself, and it looks more like a beak! Maybe I'll make some black wings... The pattern is available through about.com's 501 Knitting Secrets email class series.







I am really excited about this Christmas Stocking project. I got the pattern off of ebay, from a company selling vintage Grace Ennis patterns. I love this one. I've never made anything like this and it's turning out great!




Last but not least, I've been knitting up skinny, fuzzy scarves in my spare time. I made them to sell, but since nobody bought them, I get to wear them!

Here is my son's sweater vest. Coming right along. It's knit in a simple stockinet stitch, with garter stitch arms, neck and shoulders. Since I have so many projects going at once, I work a little on each and so there are lots of things being knitted at once, and then I'll finish a bunch of things around the same time.


This is a little baby sweater set I'm knitting as a sample for my local yarn shop. The skeins next to the sweater pieces will be made into a hat, booties and some stretch pants. I think it will be cute! I am being paid by how many yards of yarn I knit up. I hadn't thought of that method of figuring out compensation, but it is really the most fair way of being paid for the work.


I finished the Fair Isle doggie sweater! Here it is being modeled by my daughter's stuffed tiger. It's a nice fit. I tried to make it look a little Christmasy, but not so much that the dog couldn't wear it during other seasons. I like how it turned out, but didn't like having to hide so many ends with the fair isle knitting. I guess that just goes with the territory.


Here's a little cupcake hat I made. The pattern is available on the internet. I think they're so cute. I've made them in brown, pink and blue. I'll be putting some embroidered "sprinkles" on the top of it, and top it with a cherry pom pom.

Here's another sweater I've started. This one is for my husband (the formerly un-named recipient--I'm hoping he doesn't check out my blog). I bought the yarn (Wool-ease) to go with a pattern I found that was a pull-over sweater. I started on it and then learned that he preferred a cardigan sweater. I purchased a great book on sweater design and came up with this one. You can't see it very well, but the pattern is English rib, which I am liking very much. All the right side rows are knit and the wrong side rows alternate between K1, P1 and K3 P1. It makes a nice textured fabric. I'm trying to keep it a secret. I have so many projects that I'm working on, that he doesn't even ask anymore what I'm making, so maybe I'm safe!

Mixed news on the honey business. We lost a hive to American Foul Brood, a nasty disease that devistates a hive and can spread to other hives. The spores of the disease are so resistant to being destroyed, you have to burn the entire hives and super-heat your hive tool. We did this on Saturday. It was sad to watch a 4-box hive go up in flames. Very very hot fire.

The good news is that last week we made a second harvest of honey, which was even bigger than the first. I wasn't expecting to find much honey as we prepared the bees for winter, so this was a wonderful surprise. We have enough to sell some locally now.

It seems Sundays is my best day for updating my blog! It's been a busy knitting week. The two little purses pictured below are finished and I turned them in with 8 other purses to be sold at "Homebodies" here in town. Here's hoping they sell well.

In the meantime, I have been commissioned to knit a sample baby sweater set for my LYS (local yarn store). I'm excited to do it. It's going to be cute. It's fun to use new yarns and patterns that I haven't done before.

I'm also starting the family Christmas sweater project. I've started a second sweater for a family member who shall go nameless for now. I purchased a wonderful sweater design book called The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns by Ann Budd. Excellent resource! I will likely never lack for sweater patterns!

I can't believe September is over already and we're into October. Where does the time go? I haven't updated my blog in a few days, but that is not to say I haven't been knitting! Actually, I've been a busy little knitter. I am making very good progress on my son's navy blue WWII sweater vest. I've gone up to the shoulders and beyond (sounds like Buzz Lightyear--to the shoulders and beyond!). I'm part way down the other side. It has proven to be a very easy pattern. There are no decreases for the armholes or the neck and the back is identical to the front. There are no picking up stitches. Mindless knitting stuff. That said, it does look very nice and my son is excited about it. I told him he has to wait for Christmas.


This little dog sweater is my first attempt at Fair Isle knitting. I think I'm doing pretty well! I hope all the loose ends are normal. If not, I'm doing it wrong! Fair Isle isn't as hard as I'd thought it would be. I've learned how to hold two yarns in one hand and pick up the one I need when I need it, carrying the other along the back side. This sweater is going to be sold at a local dog grooming shop.


My best knitting buddy makes these cute narrow scarves. I asked her the other day how she achieves the long stitches between the regular rows. She explained that she does yarn overs between the stitches on the row she wants to enlogate. She said you can do a double yarn over for an even longer stitch. Then she drops the yarn overs on the next row, which results in the long stitches. I tried it and this is the result. Pretty cool, huh? Now I need to get an outfit to match!


These little gems are a couple of purses that I knitted up to sell in a local retail shop. I'm not finished embellishing them, but this is how they look so far. I've knitted them from 100% wool yarn and then felted them. It's so fun to come up with new variations. They knit up quickly and are very easy to make. They're a great size for teenagers or young girls (abt. 9 x 12). I usually include some eyelash type yarn along the top and the bottom. I created the pattern myself, and I'm selling the pattern for $4 on http://www.theknittingvault.com or, if you'd rather email me, I can send you a PDF file after I receive payment.

Blue Vest for Oldest Son 

Last week my oldest son mentioned that he has outgrown his favorite sweater vest. Sure enough, his recent growth spurt has made the old vest too short in the waist. He asked if I could knit something like it for him. Well, of course I could! I found a cool vintage pattern at http://www.hjsstudio.com/rc2vest.html which is a World War two pattern. It looked very easy, so I started right in, using a yarn I bought from Ebay that is a wool blend with flecks of colors throughout it. I like how it is knitting up, and the pattern is very basic. I won't have it finished for his birthday tomorrow, but definitely by Christmas!

Baby Doll Blanket 

And here is the finished baby doll blanket. Now baby doll doesn't have to be cold anymore. I'm sure it is only a matter of time before my little son remembers he's asked me to knit clothes for the little doll too....

I have to share this funny experience. My little 3-year-old son decided yesterday that his baby doll (yes, he is a boy with a baby doll. Never hurt any of my other boys. They outgrew it and so will he. In the meantime, it's good daddy practice) needed some clothes. Granted, the little doll spends most of his time in the buff, but for some reason it has never bothered my son. Maybe it's because fall is in the air and it's a bit chilly. I don't know. All I know is that he suddenly is demanding that I make his baby a blanket. Then he wanted me to knit his baby doll clothes. I told him I would, but that it would take some time. He totally doesn't understand that concept.

So, this morning, while we were walking 3 of my kids to school, my little son said, "Mom! Where is your knitting!?" He sounded almost frantic. I told him that it was at home. He said, "You need to make my baby a blanket and some clothes!" I guess he thought that walking to school was a good time to be knitting!.

For the record, I have started a blanket for his baby....

Here are the slippers I've been working on for my son. He loves them! It's nice to have them done. I finished them in 2 days. I could have done them in one day, but my hand started hurting from the stiff doubled yarn.





And here is a cute little pumpkin hat I started yesterday and finished today. I'm going to make a leaf to go with it too. I found the pattern for the hat at about.com's free knitting pattern library. They have tons of great free patterns there. If you haven't checked it out, it's well worth a visit to http://knitting.about.com/library/

Here is the finished cape, being modeled by my daughter, Michelle. Doesn't it look great with her dress?

Today I started a pair of slippers for my 9 year old son. He wore a hole in his last pair. He chose green and blue yarn for the slippers. I've got one done and one about 1/3 done.

I finished the capelet! I finished it yesterday and lightly steamed it today with the iron. Michelle's not wearing it in this picture, but she is holding it. Hopefully I can get a picture of her wearing it later. Silly me, I forgot to have her put it on for the picture.

I bought a new knitting book today called Pursenalities. Looks very cool. It was highly recommended by some bag knitters on a Yahoo group I belong to. I think I'm going to love this book! Now I have to decide which one to try first.

The white cape is coming along nicely. It's about 18 inches long now. I'm hoping to get it done tonight and block it tomorrow. It will look very nice with my daughter's red prom dress.

There is a knitting guild meeting tonight. Should be fun. They might be choosing a new president. My husband says "just say no!" He knows how busy things can get. I don't think they'll even ask me to be president.

Our bees didn't produce much honey this year. It was very disappointing. We extracted last week and got about 1/3 of what we had hoped for. We lost half of our hives over the winter last year, so most of the hives this year are new ones. There are a couple of really big older hives that are perishing right now. I think it is a mite problem. Hopefully the scientists and the FDA will have some good solutions for us next spring.

My pet parakeet, Sunny, is helping me type. He has to be right in the middle of whatever is going on!

This is a picture of a bag that I created the pattern for. It is made of 100% wool and felted. I am still working on the embellishments of this particular bag. It measures 9 1/2 inches by 11 1/2 inches. Email me (krndpx@yahoo.com) if you are interested in the pattern ($4).