tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27661906325848173522024-02-02T12:41:16.497-06:00Drip Drip DropUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger352125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-22756056361623248622014-09-24T10:58:00.002-05:002014-09-24T11:04:49.540-05:00Chrysalis to MonarchI forgot to take pictures of the lovely little <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/chrysalis-to-monarch">Chrysalis to Monarch</a> reversible toy from <a href="http://www.susanbanderson.blogspot.com/">Susan Anderson's</a> book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/reader/ASIN/1579654606">Topsy-Turvy Inside-Out Knit Toys</a>. Each month I host a new KAL in the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/itty-bitty-knits">Itty Bitty Knits forum</a>, and <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/itty-bitty-knits/3024825/1-25">this one is the butterfly</a>. :) My son's kindergarten class just finished a butterfly unit where they went through the life cycle of the butterfly, starting with the caterpillar so he was super excited about his toy. He decided it would be gifted to his teacher when it was finished.<br />
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This morning it was put in his backpack and hauled off to school before I thought to take any pictures! Instead, I have a video of my little miss transforming the toy while her brother was resting on the couch after school yesterday. :)<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyYQsrAE2EELuYMo-4T3mwhOJayF_LYm_1f0-ovfEuEAUqhrw345FbMD1ZW7GT9H31p5B5y9hADv6umH8Y' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
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We'll see if this works! If not, that's okay, at least I tried!</div>
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While I'm at it, I'll give you a few details. I used all yarn from my stash - just dark green, lighter green, orange and black. It could have been finished on a Saturday afternoon but since I only have time to knit during the week while the kids are occupied or in bed, it took me a few nights. But SUPER simple and <i>adorable</i>! If you're looking for something quick and fun, this is a must for your pattern collection. :) (And a fun learning tool for your kiddos to boot!)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-2666743944992719212013-11-01T08:35:00.004-05:002013-11-01T08:35:55.160-05:00Winners!I hope you all had an enjoyable week this last week. Thanks to everyone who visited and left a comment on the giveaway. It was fun to hear from everyone. <div>
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After a fun (but somewhat busy) night trick-or-treating with the kids, I appreciated being able to sit down in the quiet with my iPad and draw winners for the giveaway. The winners are...</div>
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<a href="http://yarnaddictconfessions.blogspot.com/">Renee Anne</a>!! Renee, you have won a set of sheep stitch markers, in the color of your choice! I hope you enjoy your little flock! :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglbUVcOVEz6IHFQXgLAFTNzgQ-nkN3FUMy_G8roa3ya5aDePipWO4vARIAWp78erVHz5ORZdIut-XlA2q543TzoOA01kUx09qTpItrO8xBbkv6VY2qVzssUDDYU3bljIFhHmUK6YlGKRUc/s1600/IMG_0466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglbUVcOVEz6IHFQXgLAFTNzgQ-nkN3FUMy_G8roa3ya5aDePipWO4vARIAWp78erVHz5ORZdIut-XlA2q543TzoOA01kUx09qTpItrO8xBbkv6VY2qVzssUDDYU3bljIFhHmUK6YlGKRUc/s320/IMG_0466.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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and <a href="http://yarnaddictconfessions.blogspot.com/">Kepanie</a>!! Stefanie, you have won the set of pink cherry blossom stitch markers seen below!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaqlCjTWoqcxiGeGL8UdStnsdnw47qrAxHy78vjlmqWJEtz7lxp3-2Nrr-YhCSz6CWfzI1E7LbJ-bSB3SqNk9aCCLOwprIGCBswIsmDk160qj3nO3C0lrz2bTtt4FUOCA7j7atelWXN7bG/s1600/DSC_0114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaqlCjTWoqcxiGeGL8UdStnsdnw47qrAxHy78vjlmqWJEtz7lxp3-2Nrr-YhCSz6CWfzI1E7LbJ-bSB3SqNk9aCCLOwprIGCBswIsmDk160qj3nO3C0lrz2bTtt4FUOCA7j7atelWXN7bG/s320/DSC_0114.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hooray for our winners!! I will be contacting you on Ravelry for your address and then I can send out your stitch markers! :) </div>
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Thanks again to everyone for checking out my <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/raelynne01">shop</a> and giving me their support. I so appreciate it! :) </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-40982241269362083832013-10-24T09:40:00.002-05:002013-10-24T09:59:34.457-05:00Hitting 100 Giveaway!Hi Friends!<br />
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It's me - Rae Lynne. I've been gone a long while again. I won't pretend that I'm going to get back into regularly blogging, but for occasions like this, I'm glad I have an outlet to share with you. <br />
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If you're here, reading this post, it's likely it's not because you regularly check to see for new posts (if that is why you're here - you're awesome and I appreciate you checking in!) - rather it's likely you're here for the giveaway. And I'll get to that in a minute. First a little background.<br />
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Some of you know that I have an <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/raelynne01">Etsy shop</a>. It started with me selling some needle cases. I loved making them, but just didn't have the time to keep making them - especially with two kids. I eventually switched to stitch markers. <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/166824660/sheep-stitch-markers-set-of-5-assorted?ref=shop_home_active">Sheepie ones</a> to be specific. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLACxvvRYrFL4ShMy4aBJ88vvYyxJXaClQhn4qJ6cG2z698EpQK6H6nsEdP1K6ZYQTOdqRQtIamFE-Kx1nOplbLhFbjndQ-h4PWl0t9Vat4Qkpq0IswyZObRz8AsfnfXYGaQccv6IcvUYQ/s1600/IMG_0543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLACxvvRYrFL4ShMy4aBJ88vvYyxJXaClQhn4qJ6cG2z698EpQK6H6nsEdP1K6ZYQTOdqRQtIamFE-Kx1nOplbLhFbjndQ-h4PWl0t9Vat4Qkpq0IswyZObRz8AsfnfXYGaQccv6IcvUYQ/s320/IMG_0543.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/166835265/sheep-stitch-markers-set-of-five-5-clear?ref=listing-shop-header-1">Sheep Stitch Markers - Set of 5 - Clear</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2NQIBl8xxCr78gwEzakKTs25w3V9KnQmPutsgQvTGngrtT1I4tpAJ7Sq4_w_4rN-7KF6jgq1lOqKNeqnWJrLDO87IVtzL6eFUrl6dbAOI68TQUxBrCG2THS-kEAeGV-05Tu6E1gj4OM3O/s1600/IMG_0465_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2NQIBl8xxCr78gwEzakKTs25w3V9KnQmPutsgQvTGngrtT1I4tpAJ7Sq4_w_4rN-7KF6jgq1lOqKNeqnWJrLDO87IVtzL6eFUrl6dbAOI68TQUxBrCG2THS-kEAeGV-05Tu6E1gj4OM3O/s320/IMG_0465_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/166824660/sheep-stitch-markers-set-of-5-assorted?ref=shop_home_active">Sheep Stitch Markers - Set of 5 - Assorted Colors</a></span></div>
These have gone over really well - knitters really seem to enjoy these fibery friends.<br />
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While preparing for a current swap on the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/itty-bitty-knits">Itty Bitty Knits forums</a>, I was inspired to try the "<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=sharpie%20mug">sharpied mug</a>" thing you see all over Pinterest. I did a mug and a notions dish (I'm purposely not sharing pictures since my swap partner hasn't received her package yet). I loved how these turned out.<br />
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The Hubby took a look at them and told me I should sell them in my shop. I love his enthusiasm and support but also know he's a bit bias. I asked a few friends, and they concurred (thanks ladies!!). <br />
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The question then became what a better method would be for decorating these mugs and dishes. As I've come to find out, permanent marker doesn't always stay permanent, especially glazed ceramic. I worried that I'd go to the trouble of decorating these things, sell them, and then have everything get washed away a short time later. (Not good for business!) I eventually settled on (non-toxic) enamel paint. This is much better.<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/166549939/white-sheep-coffee-mug-ceramic-black-cup?ref=shop_home_feat"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">White Sheep Coffee Mug/Ceramic Black Cup</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYf1jO-AGiLfaaiQpkgd1OSRCJIielhJguy2rGiI5_oCI2OTURmI7PhgSAcNs8veVUkG8b6SBCLWG9MDrOGOSYqL2TmYbw7I0TRII_CIENSlmTnRQO8MwNYWcloIj6dErhA-ot5pS_ymsA/s1600/DSC_0085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYf1jO-AGiLfaaiQpkgd1OSRCJIielhJguy2rGiI5_oCI2OTURmI7PhgSAcNs8veVUkG8b6SBCLWG9MDrOGOSYqL2TmYbw7I0TRII_CIENSlmTnRQO8MwNYWcloIj6dErhA-ot5pS_ymsA/s320/DSC_0085.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/166273535/pink-sheep-notionstrinkets-dish-ceramic?ref=shop_home_active">Pink Sheep Notions/Trinkets Dish</a></span></div>
All this to say - there are new items in my Etsy shop!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/166264414/black-swirls-design-2-snag-free-clay?ref=shop_home_active"> Black Swirls Design 2 Stitch Markers</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2jft1jl3u-ESZadzylGmuqJwSICV_LuUNL1tEl_3-G-1NXZ-lYgBNgmfjkoOzOuDrgFlcLIWlz51obXRi6RqkKgFCtjMSj_d5XAaOfulOB2_sFFsSwt_-4kaQL1w8To4DAJaxlkKz2AWI/s1600/DSC_0117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2jft1jl3u-ESZadzylGmuqJwSICV_LuUNL1tEl_3-G-1NXZ-lYgBNgmfjkoOzOuDrgFlcLIWlz51obXRi6RqkKgFCtjMSj_d5XAaOfulOB2_sFFsSwt_-4kaQL1w8To4DAJaxlkKz2AWI/s320/DSC_0117.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/166264308/turquoise-cherry-blossom-snag-free-clay?ref=shop_home_active">Turquoise Cherry Blossom Clay Stitch Markers</a></span></div>
I shared the news on Instagram and Ravelry and had a great response. :) Which is really why you all are here now! Because of how well these new items have done, and the increased traffic to my shop, I have hit and passed 100 sales!! Woohoo!! <br />
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So to celebrate, I'm hosting a giveaway. I'll be giving away 2 sets of stitch markers. One set will be a set of my sheep stitch markers. I will contact the winner to ask what colors they'd like their flock to be.<br />
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The second winner, will get a set of my new clay stitch markers (seen below). They're about the same size as the sheep stitch markers. Light, simple and fun, they're a great way to dress up your knitting.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Pink Cherry Blossom Stitch Markers</span></div>
So check out my <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/raelynne01">shop</a>, then come back and leave a comment - say hi, tell me what you like in the shop, or just tell me you'd love to win some stitch markers! :) Please be sure to leave your Ravelry name or email address so I can contact you if you win. I will keep the giveaway open until 10pm CST on Thursday, October 31, 2013. I will then post the winners on November 1, 2013. :)<br />
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Good luck!<br />
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p.s. If you're interested in ordering something, but you don't see it in the shop, convo me and we'll work something out!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-68485243901000638902013-04-11T11:32:00.003-05:002013-04-11T11:32:46.060-05:00Chevron Chapeau<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been ages (again) since I last posted anything here. If you're here, thanks for being so awesome and checking in now and again. :)<br />
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I'll admit that I haven't knit much lately. The mojo hasn't been there and if I picked up my needles more than twice in one week, that was a lot. But it seems to be slowly coming back.<br />
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I sort of kick-started it last week when I had the pleasure of test-knitting a hat for a friend. Suzanne (<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/knittingknirvana">knittingknirvana</a>) of the <a href="http://www.knittingknirvana.blogspot.com/">Knitting Knirvana Video Podcast</a> just released a new hat pattern, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/chevron-chapeau">Chevron Chapeau</a>. When she asked for volunteers, I jumped on the bandwagon. <br />
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I told Suzanne I'd be happy to knit any of the smaller sizes, knowing I'd be more likely to finish that size in a timely manner for her. I was selected to knit the "child" size, and I was able to start and finish it in just a few days.<br />
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My intention was to knit a hat for Lovebug. I hadn't knit her anything new in awhile and a child-size hat meant it was something she could grow in to. My kids have sorta big heads. They don't look overly big, but both my kids are at the top of the growth charts, which translates into needing bigger clothes and accessories than you might originally believe. <br />
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Since it's spring and we <i>should</i> be having sunnier weather, I wanted Lovebug's hat to reflect that. I normally go for darker, richer shades but this time I opted for white and yellow. I used Cascade 220 Superwash in Winter White (33.5g) and Spud and Chloe Sweater in Pollen (23.5g). In worsted weight, small hats knit up quick! You can easily knit this pattern with only a small amount of yarn, no matter the size hat you're knitting up! <br />
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I really wanted to take photos outside of Lovebug playing in the yard or at the park or on a walk or something with her new hat, but the weather just isn't cooperating. We've had dreary, rainy, cloudy days and while that's great for our state, it's not so great for getting that perfect shot outdoors! So we made do in the entryway with the door open. <br />
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<a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/baru8">Lovebug's hat</a> is big on her, but like I said, I figured it'd work because she has a big head. I think she looks pretty darn cute, the pattern and the colors really suit springtime.<br />
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But I had to put the hat on Squishy and snap some photos so that you could see how nicely it fit a 4-yr-old's head. The hat is comfortably snug and easily covers his ears. <br />
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I really like the way the top of the hat comes together and is one of my favorite parts. Squishy loved the hat so much he tried to tell me this was his hat. I had to confiscate it from him after the photoshoot. I promised to make him his own, after he picks out his colors. <br />
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Suzanne has designed a wonderfully versatile, fun and easy pattern that could easily become your next go-to pattern for hats. Definitely check out the pattern page <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/chevron-chapeau">HERE</a>. And I apologize up front that this is so late in coming but if you buy one soon, you can even take advantage of a coupon code. Normally the hat will sell for $4, but if you enter coupon code "<b>thankyou</b>" you'll get $1 off. I think that's pretty great! The coupon code is valid thru April 13, 2013. <br />
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A big thank you to Suzanne for letting me test her pattern and share with all of you!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-60199178642974325512013-02-05T13:37:00.005-06:002013-02-05T13:37:51.114-06:00FO ParadeAre you ready? This is going to be a long one. Mostly filled with pictures and little explanation. Today is the day for the FO Parade!<br />
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I mentioned earlier this month that I just couldn't stand to think about blogging for each project I've completed since the last time I'd written. I'd forever be behind. Instead I'm just giving you the highlights - a picture or two, the pattern name, yarn and needle size. I'll let you know where the knit now lives and perhaps a comment about the piece, but that's about it. So don't fret about needing to read a lot. And if you make it to the end, thanks!! :)<br />
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<a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/o0n38">Dungeness Shawl </a>by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/samantha-kirby">Samantha Kirby</a> - Test Knit<br />
US 4/3.5mm; Knit Picks Stroll Tonal, Pearlescent & Knit Picks Stroll Solids, Heathers and Twists, Merlot Heather<br />
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This is probably my most "neutral" shawl since it's brown and cream. I adore this shawl! :) (There's also a matching hat if your'e interested.) And if it's not obvious, it stayed with me!<br />
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<a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/fgjmc">Quaker Ridge Shawlette</a> by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/susan-b-anderson">Susan B. Anderson</a><br />
US 7/4.5mm; Knit Picks Stroll Sport, hand-dyed by me in a teal gradient; complete with ruffle and red & gold beaded edge<br />
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This shawl is super warm in sport weight yarn. I like wearing this shawl with a pin instead of just wrapped around like a scarf. This also remained at my house.<br />
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<a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/kvn1b">Christmas Bell</a> by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/debbie-mcgrath">Debbie McGrath</a><br />
US 4/3.5mm; Lion Brand Vanna's Glamour, Ruby Red & Diamond<br />
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This was for the December Ornament Swap on the Itty Bitty Forums and went to live with Patty (<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/pattytrish">pattytrish</a> on Rav). Super simple and extremely quick. <br />
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<a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/ujgm1">Stripey Stocking Cap</a> by <a href="http://www.susanbanderson.blogspot.com/">Susan B. Anderson</a><br />
US 9/5.5mm; Cascade 220 Superwash, Shire & Christmas Red Heather<br />
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Knit for Janie's (<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/Ratch">Ratch</a> on Rav) grandson as part of the Advent Swap on the Itty Bitty Forums.<br />
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<a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/dtnna">Simple Wristlets</a> by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/haley-waxberg">Haley Waxberg</a><br />
US 11/8.0mm; YoSpun Handspun (thick & thin) that my sister gifted me for my birthday<br />
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This was a wristlet pattern that I modified into mittens. The yarn at it's biggest is a bulky weight and I probably should have gone up a needle size as they are a little tight. But they are extremely warm and I love intentional mismatching that happens. :) (And they're special since it's yarn from my sister.) They're mine.<br />
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<a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/kh958">Waiting for Winter Mittens</a> by <a href="http://www.susanbanderson.blogspot.com/">Susan B. Anderson</a> - Test Knit<br />
US 8/5.0mm; Brooklyn Tweed Shelter, Thistle; size medium<br />
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Test knit for Susan, these are my go-to mittens for the season. Shelter is extremely light and floofy, but surprisingly warm. I like to layer them over fingerless mitts for extra warmth. Mine as well (do you see a pattern here?)<br />
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<a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/4xu55">Yarn Cloth</a> by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/theresa-l-jones">Theresa L. Jones</a><br />
US 5/3.75mm; Knit Picks Dishie Solids, Clementine<br />
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Knit for Janie (Ratch) for the 2012 Advent Swap.<br />
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<a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/c5by0">Barn Cat</a> by <a href="http://www.susanbanderson.blogspot.com/">Susan B. Anderson</a> from Spud & Chloe at the Farm<br />
US 3/3.25mm; Lion Brand Vanna's Glamour, Diamond, Platinum & Ruby Red<br />
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Knit for Janie (Ratch) for the 2012 Advent Swap.<br />
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<a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/4mt8r">Felted Wreath Ornament</a> by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/joan-ferguson">Joan Ferguson</a><br />
US 7/4.5mm; Cascade 220 Superwash<br />
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Knit for Janie (Ratch) for the 2012 Advent Swap. The pattern says to felt the wreath after knitting is complete, but you can also leave it as is, which is what I decided to do since I only had superwash yarn on hand. Extremely fast with cute results. I don't mind that it's not felted.<br />
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<a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/3ajnd">Homewood</a> by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/thayer-preece">Thayer Preece</a><br />
US 6/4.0mm; Knit Picks Stroll, Navy<br />
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I knit this for my friend Tonya who designed a logo for the Itty Bitty Rhinebeck meetup in New York this year (that's a whole story in itself!). She's great and let's me knit her things for the work she does for me occasionally! You can check out some of her work <a href="http://www.pinkdotdesigns.com/">HERE</a>. And below are the logos she designed for some buttons and other things. <br />
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(By the way, if you haven't noticed, you'll see that I've used a lot of Knit Picks Stroll...it's a great yarn and I highly recommend it!)<br />
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<a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/yn8bx">Modern Rib Hat </a>by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/susan-b-anderson">Susan B. Anderson</a><br />
US 7/4.5mm; Cascade 220 Superwash, Charcoal & Christmas Red Heather<br />
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A replacement hat for my brother. He requested a new one when his original hat was lost. I <i>cannot</i> turn down a custom request from him - it makes me really happy when my family truly appreciates and use my handknits.<br />
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<a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/pknax">Prickly</a> by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/melissa-j-goodale">Melissa J. Goodale</a><br />
US 2/2.75mm & US 2.5/3.0mm; Knit Picks Stroll - Handpainted, Punky & Tanis Fiber Arts Blue Label Fingering Weight, Seabreeze<br />
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Knit for Janie (Ratch) for the 2012 Advent Swap. Picture courtesy of Janie.<br />
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<a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/k3iyb">Lined Beanie</a> by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/heather-kinne">Heather Kinne</a><br />
US 5/3.75mm; Knit Picks Comfy Worsted, Fedora & Pomegranite; Men's size<br />
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Another hat for my brother, this one as a Christmas present. I'd already planned this hat when he asked for the other hat. So he got 2 this year! LOVE this pattern.<br />
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<a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/uqegi">Clockwork</a> by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/stephen-west">Stephen West</a><br />
US 5/3.75mm; Knit Picks Gloss Fingering, Kenai & Valley Yarns Charlemont, Indian Turquoise<br />
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Knit for Tara (<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/taralyn1104">taralyn1104</a> on Rav) as a Christmas gift. I didn't have enough of the Kenai to make it the main color so I reversed them. Definitely a different outcome but I still like it. <br />
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If you're here, you've made it to the end....I told you it was a long one!! I've got a list of WIPs that I'd like to share, but I'll save that for another day. The list is somewhat extensive, but enjoyable nonetheless. I've linked each FO to my project page, design and designer. You can find more details on my project pages, or leave a comment about what you'd like to know more about and I'll be sure to get back to you. If you leave your Rav name, I'd be happy to message you on Ravelry. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-28951022397018074322013-01-09T14:22:00.003-06:002013-01-09T14:22:40.712-06:00A New Year, A New StartI've been saying over and over and over again that I'll be better at blogging. I always mean it when I say it, but I'll also admit that other things just become more important. Life is busy with two littles in the house and when I do have a free moment, it's usually spent with some sort of craft in my hands, instead of the computer. (That is, when I don't fall asleep putting Lovebug down for her nap or for bed....)<br />
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While there are a ton of things that I've done since my last blog, I just don't think I'm going to catch up telling you about them all. So instead, my plan is to do a little showcase of all the finished knits from my last post. I'll tell you what it is and where it's going (or gone), and some of the little details, but I'll also make sure to link to my Ravelry project pages so if you're really curious, you can go and get the details there. You don't have to be a member of Ravelry to see my project pages as long as I share the link with you. :)<br />
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Then I can start fresh from here on out and not feel like I'm always behind trying to catch up. Instead then I can just fill you in as things happen.<br />
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And to those of you who come and check now and again to see if I've written, thanks for returning! :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-2420449218949728772012-11-08T10:41:00.002-06:002012-11-08T10:41:27.664-06:00Click for Babies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This post is going to be short and sweet as I don't have a lot of time to write at the moment. For any of you who watch Katie (jetgirl1313) from <a href="http://www.knittinonthefly.blogspot.com/">Knittin' On the Fly</a>, you know that she collects hats for the charity, <a href="http://clickforbabies.org/">Click for Babies</a>. The idea is to knit purple hats and donate them so they can be distributed in hospitals for all the new babies that arrive. The charity and hats are meant to bring awareness to <a href="http://www.purplecrying.info/">The Period of Purple Crying</a>. Essentially this all relates to infant crying and the risks <a href="http://dontshake.org/">Shaken Baby Syndrome</a>. Babies born in the month of November each receive a purple hat. Click for Babies is specific to certain states, but I know that when my daughter was born in November, in Iowa (even though we aren't a Click for Babies state), she received a purple crocheted hat, along with a bunch of information about the Period of Purple Crying. <br />
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So Katie hosted Click for Babies and received an amazing number of hats that she donated in Maine. Last year I didn't get the chance to knit a hat, but this year, I did!<br />
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I used the <a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/fss2s">Otis Baby Hat</a> pattern, which has 3 cables evenly distributed around the hat, which come together at the top in a really neat way. The hats had to be at least 50% purple, which wasn't a problem for me since I had a couple different options to choose from. I'd won a giveaway awhile back and received some Universal Yarn Bella DK in a light lavender purple, so that's what I used. The hat turned out very soft and sweet.<br />
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I booked it to the post office (I finished the hat just days before the deadline) and rushed it out to Maine, along with some sheepy stitch markers for the giveaway Katie was hosting in conjunction with the charity drive. <br />
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I'd really like to knit this hat again as the cables really add some visual interest. I'm really impressed with the way the cables were brought together at the top without interrupting the pattern. Very slick. <br />
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Okay - time to fly! Lots to do today!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-37888852025456510742012-11-07T15:11:00.001-06:002012-11-07T15:11:04.536-06:00Rhinbeck ClothI mentioned in the last post that I'd write more about my Rhinebeck trip another time. Honestly, I don't know if I can really recap it all and do it justice. There was a lot, and at the same time, not much at all. It was a lot of sitting around, talking, enjoying the company of like-minded individuals. We ate and knit and talked and ate and knit and talked some more. Most everyone bought some yarn on Saturday. We swapped mittens on Friday evening. I'm glad I had the opportunity to be a part of it all. <br />
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I also have to say how neat it was to be in the same place with so many knitters, knitting at the same time. I've never been in the presence of that many knitters all at one time (or ever really). And that was even more true on Saturday at the Sheep and Wool Festival. I enjoyed it immensely. <br />
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Something that was part of our trip included a bag of goodies, which we referred to as our swag bags. I'm not really going to go into all that unless someone asks about it. There was a lot of really neat stuff and people were so generous with their time and talents. <br />
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Which brings me to the purpose of this post. I had some ideas about what I wanted to include as my contribution to the swag bag. One of the items I added was a dishcloth/washcloth pattern.<br />
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I designed and knit a washcloth specific to this event (the Itty Bitty meetup, not the Sheep & Wool Festival). It reads "<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/itty-bitty-rhinebeck-2012-cloth">Itty Bitty Rhinebeck 2012</a>" and has hearts and stars/snowflakes in the corners. <br />
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Originally I was going to knit a dishcloth for everyone, but after a little closer examination, I realized that if I had done that 1) I'd be broke because I'd be spending all my money on cotton yarn and 2) I'd be bald by the time I reached Rhinebeck from all the hair-pulling knitting dishcloth after dishcloth. <br />
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I make the pattern seem terrible, but what I really mean is that it's a little tedious to knit the same thing over and over and over again. (A hearty applause to all of you that did that...you have more patience than I!) <br />
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So instead I made the pattern pretty and printed out a copy for everyone to enjoy. The pattern is free on Raverly and knits up rather quickly. Anyone with a Ravelry account has access to the pattern and can choose to knit the cloth, although I don't think it will hold much meaning for those who aren't part of our Itty Bitty group or who didn't attend the meetup. <br />
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I knit my sample in Knit Picks Dishie in the Begonia colorway. I think I used about half the skein, but honestly I didn't weigh the cloth or the skein when I was finished. (I should maybe go back and do that...) It's a large cloth, easily the size of a commercial dishcloth. It had to be in order to fit "Rhinebeck" all on one line. If any of you are like my mom and I, this is the size of dishcloth you really like, not those other tiny ones (while the tiny ones are fun to knit and have neat designs, they just are so little!!). <br />
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I really think the wording came out nicely (I wasn't so sure about how well you'd be able to read it, sometimes paper to practice doesn't translate well...). Dishcloths with designs can be so difficult to photograph and truly capture what the picture is. I find the best way is to attack it from an angle, minus the flash. Any shadowing I've gotten this way makes it easier to distinguish the pattern. I also try to take pictures outside in indirect sunlight whenever possible. :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-51787203243396642932012-11-05T12:03:00.001-06:002012-11-05T12:03:14.814-06:00A Little Quiet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted. That seems to be a theme - when I finally think I'm catching up, something else catches me by surprise.<br />
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So for those of you who are kind enough to keep stopping by to see what is new, I appreciate it! I would say I promise to be better, but I think we're past that point now, don't you? I just promise to post as often as possible and I'll <i>try</i> to be better. :)<br />
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So what's next to share with you? Since my last post, a lot has happened. I've knit a bit, I've traveled a bit, and I've celebrated Lovebug's first birthday. All these things keep me going, busy and happy. Shall we get in to the knitting?<br />
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In October Mr. Man and I took a wonderful trip out to New York to meet and spend time with some of my friends from Ravelry. With 21 knitters, 2 husbands and a daughter, we had a blast! (More on that trip another time...) Part of our meet-up included a Mitt Swap. Everyone made a pair of gloves/mittens/mitts to swap. We wrapped them up all pretty-like and placed them in a pile. Then, using the same idea as a White Elephant Christmas, we each picked a pair of mitts. Some people did some trading and re-picking, and in the end, I believe everyone was very happy with what they went home with. <br />
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Here are the mitts I completed. I opted for fingerless mitts (big surprise, right?). The pattern is <a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/cxxqq">October Leaves Fingerless Mitts</a> by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/abbie-tilden">Abbie Tilden</a>. <br />
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The really neat thing about this mitts isn't visible right away. There's a simple cable that runs up each side of the mitt (which I did without a cable needle, <b>love</b> this method) and on the inside of the mitt, when it hits the thumb gusset, turns in to a very pretty lacey leaf pattern. The cables and lace are simple but stunning. <br />
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If I remember correctly, I didn't make any modifications to the pattern because they were for the swap. If I were to knit them again for myself, I'd add 2-3 stitches on the thumb as I have big thumbs and large palms. When I knit mitts, I end up feeling as though the thumbs are always too tight and constrict my thumbs a bit too much. <br />
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I used Knit Picks Gloss Fingering in Kenai, which is the same yarn I used for the <a href="http://www.rlchase.blogspot.com/2012/06/fairy-tales.html">Be.Leaf shawl</a>. It's very soft and pleasant after blocking, although a bit splitty when knitting with it. <br />
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I really enjoyed these mitts and I'm glad that Denise loves them as much as I enjoyed knitting them! Hopefully they'll keep her toasty warm! :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-73836719988337965282012-10-01T11:29:00.005-05:002012-10-01T11:29:35.215-05:00Ivy, the Christmas Hooligan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week I told you about the Single Ornament Swap on the Itty Bitty forums. While what I shared wasn't a fail, it certainly did not conform to my standards for the swap. <br />
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So I chose a different pattern. Still a toy pattern, perhaps a little larger than the usual Christmas ornaments, but perfect for what I was looking for.<br />
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I chose to knit <a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/teu8e">Ivy, the Christmas Hooligan</a>. Now, Ivy is not an only child. She actually has a sister, Holly, and a brother, Steve. They're mischievous monsters according to Rebecca (<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/rebecca-danger">Rebecca Danger</a>, that is...more about her in a minute.). I've been wanting to knit one of these happy hooligans for quite some time and this gave me the perfect excuse. <br />
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I chose Ivy because I liked her hat. Between the hat and the scarf, I didn't feel the need to add a mouth. I intentionally didn't make a mouth because I felt that it gave her an air of secrecy and magic. With her hat pulled low and her scarf slung high, she's looking out for dear Old Santa Clause - she doesn't want to get caught being naughty! :)<br />
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Ivy was a treat to knit. She is small and straight-forward. I had her knit up in no time (which was good because it was getting down to the wire - I had already attempted one ornament, picking another took me awhile!). She's knit with Cascade Fixation in green and red. Fixation is a combination of 98% cotton and 2% other. I believe the "other" is an elastic of some kind. The yarn has a bit of sproing to it. It's not my favorite to knit with because of it. The strand is a bit too coiled for my taste. But, for toys, I really appreciate the density of the fabric. When knit on small needles, it pulls in nicely, leaving no chance for holes. <br />
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This was my first time trying "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=safety+eyes">safety eyes</a>." I've seen them used before in toys but never purchased any myself. I've always just embroidered the eyes. But I felt the need to stay true to the pattern this time. I found these in a JoAnn's in the doll section. I'm sure Hobby Lobby or Michaels sells them as well. I've also heard mention of purchasing them on <a href="http://www.etsy.com/search?q=safety%20eyes&view_type=gallery&ship_to=ZZ&min=0&max=0">Etsy</a> or look them up on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=safety+eyes">Amazon</a> - the internet can be a wonderful resource for these types of things. I know that at one time Rebecca Danger had them in <a href="http://www.dangercrafts.com/index.htm">her store</a>, I'm not sure if she still does. They're a useful notion, although I can see times where I wouldn't want to use them. Using safety eyes requires placing the eyes before you're finished creating your toy. Because you need to push the backing onto the eye, behind/inside the knitted fabric, this cannot be done once the toy is sewn up. Personally, I like to see the toy finished and faceless before I decide on a personality for him or her. And if I have to place the eyes ahead of time, if I mess up on placing arms or legs, my poor toy may be a little cockeyed. But it's always good to add a new tool to your belt, so I tried them and will use them in the future, just not exclusively. (I think Ivy looks pretty smashing with her little belly-button and little black eyes.)<br />
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And finally, I just have to mention how much I love Danger Craft patterns. Rebecca puts out such beautiful patterns and all her monsters have such unique personalities. I've favorited nearly all her patterns and even purchased her book - the <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Big-Book-Knitted-Monsters-The/dp/1604680091/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349108241&sr=8-1&keywords=big+book+of+knitted+monsters">Big Book of Knitted Monsters</a>,</i> and yet this was my first pattern to knit. She's got a wide range of toys - animals and dinosaurs, monsters and friends - they're all so cute! She has a new book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Knit-Monster-Nursery-Practical-Patterns/dp/1604681497/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349108266&sr=8-1&keywords=knit+a+monster+nursery">Knit a Monster Nursery</a></i> that I really would like to own. Her patterns are quite popular. After knitting Ivy, I'm sure to knit more. <br />
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And once I got Ivy outside and strung from the tree, I realized how perfect she would be on a Christmas tree. She looked quite at home in my backyard, although perhaps a little lonely without her friends. Inside, where it's cozy and warm is certainly the best place for her to be!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-22649096389008226782012-09-28T11:11:00.004-05:002012-09-28T11:11:49.078-05:00Tiny Snowy OwlOn the Itty Bitty forums, a new swap idea has taken hold. The group is growing, faster than I can keep up with. I'm trying to remember the new members but I have so little time on Ravelry any more to peruse the forums, I'm having trouble with that. A lot of people are coming out of the woodwork because of this new swap trend. <br />
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The big swaps that Mel organizes each month are awesome. People put a lot of thought and care into their swap package and really try to personalize it to the person who is receiving. But for some, especially newer members of the group, these swaps are a bit intimidating (they are a very friendly, welcoming place, but I can see their point of view). <br />
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One member of the group has taken it upon herself to organize mini-swaps. These are called the "Single Ornament Swaps." The idea is that you get your partner's name (it's kept a secret), and you're allowed to create one ornament for your partner and ship it off to him or her. You're allowed some leniency if you choose to add an additional small item, but it's not supposed to be a really big package. It's meant for the swaps to be approachable, especially to those who are new or don't have the time or money to dedicate to the larger swaps. <br />
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That's where this knit came about. I was trying to find a pattern that I could knit as an ornament. At the time, I wasn't feeling any of the holiday ornaments that were on Ravelry. There are some great patterns but you know when you get in that mood or funk that unless it's exactly what you're looking for, you really just can't knit something else? <br />
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Enter the <a href="http://www.purlbee.com/big-snowy-owl/">Big Snowy Owl</a>. This is a free pattern from <a href="http://www.purlbee.com/">The Purl Bee</a>. The original patterns calls for bulky weight yarn and is intended to be something like a pillow-sized owl. I've loved the owl on their site for a long, long time and thought it would be perfect as an ornament. And I was especially drawn to the colors they chose for their owl. I looked through other project pages and nothing called to me quite like the soft gray owl with giant blue eyes. :)<br />
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I searched my stash (no need to buy new when it takes so little yarn!) and came up with sport weight yarn in the appropriate colors. Knit on US 2s, I had hoped this would be a sweet little owl that would hang happily on a tree. Well...the thought was good, but my execution was a little off. <br />
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<a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/lz9zk">My version</a> is much smaller than the original. This sweet fowl is about as tall as my hand is long, and perfect for little hands. But, in my opinion, much too large for a tree. So we kept him at home, Lovebug is quite attached. (I think it's the eyes...) I am <i>in love</i> with how he turned out, just bummed he wasn't small enough. I am planning to attempt this again, but with either fingering or lace weight yarn. And tinier needles. Eventually I'll get it right.<br />
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So what else is good about this pattern might you ask? It's incredibly fast. Even if you knit the larger size, you're using bulky yarn and big needles. This was two days tops and only because I had to tend to the kids. :) The stitch pattern adds visual interest, but plain stockinette would be just as cute. If you made the larger version you'd need a lot of fiberfill. Even this little guy took a lot because I wanted him to be firm - too squishy and he wouldn't hold up to being played with or squooshed. <br />
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There are actually three patterns in this series. A <a href="http://www.purlbee.com/big-pink-pig/">pig</a>, a <a href="http://www.purlbee.com/big-cuddly-bunny/">bunny</a> and this owl. I want to knit all 3. I'd like to knit them in bulky weight, but I may just see what's in my stash and find the appropriate needles. I think that Lovebug and Squishy need the full set. :)<br />
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As an aside, the eyes are crochet. It's very simple crochet, but I know a lot of knitters are intimidated by the crochet hook. So if you like the pattern but don't want the crocheted eyes, you should be able to find a pattern that tells you how to knit circles. Honestly, it's the eyes that really make this pattern. (The beak construction is pretty neat too.)<br />
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This is an idea I encourage all knitters to explore. Is there a toy pattern you really like but it's too big or too small? Consider adjusting your yarn and needle sizes accordingly and you have a whole new outlook on a project. I'd really like to try this idea on some of <a href="http://www.susananderson.blogspot.com/">Susan Anderson's</a> patterns - specifically the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/giraffe-10">Giraffe</a>. I'd love to make it in lace weight and see what size he comes out. I may even have something perfect in my stash....Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-14467733770026547532012-09-14T10:29:00.003-05:002012-09-14T10:29:21.324-05:00Colorwork
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One of the goals I set myself awhile back was to learn how
to do colorwork knitting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve
dabbled in a few projects including the<a href="http://rlchase.blogspot.com/2011/09/mail-call.html"> Plaid Hatter</a> and the <a href="http://rlchase.blogspot.com/2012/07/practice.html">Mini Motif Baby Mittens</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These both seemed small
and really just a drop in the bucket compared to what’s out there for
colorwork.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I challenged myself for Ravellenics to complete a pair of
colorwork mitts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I scoured the
patterns, trying to find a pattern that both appealed to my sense of style, and
something I thought was attainable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I eventually ruled out mittens as I really wanted a pair of fingerless
mitts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was down to the
<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/transition-gloves">Transition Gloves</a> and the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/endpaper-mitts">Endpaper Mitts</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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The <a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/gy3lg">Endpaper Mitts won out</a> because there were no really long
floats, which tend to be harder to do well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A successful long repeat cannot be too tight or too loose,
it must be just right (or fairly close at least).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’re too loose, the fabric won’t be right and the
stitches will be sloppy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the
floats are too tight, your motif won’t show up and your knitting will pucker in
bad ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, as much as I liked
the Transition Gloves, I figured they were best saved for another time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve admired this pattern for a long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are endless color combinations to
make the pattern really pop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or
can be subtle and use colors that are very similar to one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could make 10 pairs of these and
they’d all have a different appeal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjrXjYvSHTdHd6IMUuLRQ5800Tog40T-aTlm5nVLGfqlnJ_H1DkQ4qunvCy-GVc_bgwKajujRTYgitCqO9vkVLHB4pm06y7hGVv6GXRs5drzlEsbkQ6C7ajZRTeKpWj0yXqX1xKcieUHU/s1600/DSC_0638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjrXjYvSHTdHd6IMUuLRQ5800Tog40T-aTlm5nVLGfqlnJ_H1DkQ4qunvCy-GVc_bgwKajujRTYgitCqO9vkVLHB4pm06y7hGVv6GXRs5drzlEsbkQ6C7ajZRTeKpWj0yXqX1xKcieUHU/s320/DSC_0638.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyzRi606JDuXz1QROapLG7UhQw3AA4DK_siJj9pEDOUlc5AwOEngacz8Ye8KuBxTMDXSL2pOEsIWWn22Jtrh0EM_MicJm_A7Ek6i_aaXta-8o6bb34wauRaa9hSFLe_HAGVwLQZFsWZSQ6/s1600/DSC_0641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyzRi606JDuXz1QROapLG7UhQw3AA4DK_siJj9pEDOUlc5AwOEngacz8Ye8KuBxTMDXSL2pOEsIWWn22Jtrh0EM_MicJm_A7Ek6i_aaXta-8o6bb34wauRaa9hSFLe_HAGVwLQZFsWZSQ6/s320/DSC_0641.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I chose a dark turquoise (Midnight Heather) and a deep
fuchsia (Fuchsia) in Knit Picks Palette, knit on US 0/2.0mm and US 3/3.25mm
needles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knit Picks Palette has a
nice selection of colors which can be used for colorwork projects, but I don’t
find the yarn as next-to-skin-soft as I do some of their other fingering weight
yarn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I chose Knit Picks because
it’s less expensive and I’m usually pretty happy with their yarn lines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For my hands, it’s not bad and the
density of the fabric will keep my hands warm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I probably wouldn’t use this yarn for a cowl or scarf,
though. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zyNnpQn_vfpE4mjkdQrnapLsgnAFe0F87aa3BY2pGh_YY9PY68tspzCgcS3UAGzUYDai8XJXt1KfV_MjKuNh4Mf_a7tBYHh3gCNORQoK6d0icdpTdPMXr0Y3g1mKF6ywx4FGVTXYXnh_/s1600/DSC_0646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zyNnpQn_vfpE4mjkdQrnapLsgnAFe0F87aa3BY2pGh_YY9PY68tspzCgcS3UAGzUYDai8XJXt1KfV_MjKuNh4Mf_a7tBYHh3gCNORQoK6d0icdpTdPMXr0Y3g1mKF6ywx4FGVTXYXnh_/s320/DSC_0646.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I would call this knit a success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to practice short floats, practice reading
colorwork charts, and watch the magic that happens when you properly soak and
block your knits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My floats were
pretty decent, nothing too tight or really loose, but they were a little
puckered when the knitting was finished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After a good blocking, that all went away and I have a nice, smooth
pattern that emerged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuFBf9OEn7_vRFIJj2gG6oKBW028c8tSQH5EFYZFH5qSNA85GGNq4AOGVY0DRsIK2KXSXJk-oaQkPQFBGQxDupP6PGQsICnx-I5G7OgMz3dzGON0gdNHBydN0uqQk7exb5kw9g9FaO7Mv/s1600/DSC_0648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuFBf9OEn7_vRFIJj2gG6oKBW028c8tSQH5EFYZFH5qSNA85GGNq4AOGVY0DRsIK2KXSXJk-oaQkPQFBGQxDupP6PGQsICnx-I5G7OgMz3dzGON0gdNHBydN0uqQk7exb5kw9g9FaO7Mv/s320/DSC_0648.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now, I don’t know if I can explain the next part right…the
two colors I chose seem to have the same “value” when looking at them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although one is more pink/bright and
one is blue-green/dark, at first glance, it’s not easy to see the pattern.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But once your eyes adjust, you easily
see the diamond pattern and that’s when I truly marvel at colorwork.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m very happy with these mitts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizCcl5PWzoU_6ZUmJJzos4vpQaSlO92gXGchk-BMWfUPmvTDoa3xks0mRxudhm3-V_jckZ_2hpJjkNrOmVmjdvDfVrWdQvTw-o00UuXe_wHwUSVsAEYQkV5btfTpqE4l8qB5lKHIMbVkcP/s1600/DSC_0647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizCcl5PWzoU_6ZUmJJzos4vpQaSlO92gXGchk-BMWfUPmvTDoa3xks0mRxudhm3-V_jckZ_2hpJjkNrOmVmjdvDfVrWdQvTw-o00UuXe_wHwUSVsAEYQkV5btfTpqE4l8qB5lKHIMbVkcP/s320/DSC_0647.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
(And in case you wondered, these are for me, all me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But now I have the confidence to make
colorwork items for others!) </div>
<!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-68670762778927940032012-09-13T10:42:00.002-05:002012-09-13T10:42:46.025-05:00Lost Banner Hat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4nH8kT5d2wAqXCkSkot4e1i6QPT6bCRGxor11hGjE0voYxFmmrTCaoyyAbjHE5Nd4GaopUg9isASm2avIOml20BfczXDZ4cdAcnKm175I69LWPQs2VrxCxNpL0hGE-UUJPMcvP3zkt1m/s1600/DSC_0515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4nH8kT5d2wAqXCkSkot4e1i6QPT6bCRGxor11hGjE0voYxFmmrTCaoyyAbjHE5Nd4GaopUg9isASm2avIOml20BfczXDZ4cdAcnKm175I69LWPQs2VrxCxNpL0hGE-UUJPMcvP3zkt1m/s320/DSC_0515.JPG" width="277" /></a></div>
Continuing on with my Ravellenics projects, today I'm sharing the <a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/16ncp">Lost Banner Hat</a>. This is a Susan B. Anderson pattern and qualified for our team prize drawing during the Ravellenics. <br />
<br />
Susan knit this hat for herself from her own gradient handspun (a Loop batt maybe?) and eventually included a picture wearing said hat in her blog banner. Her daughter wore it to school one day and it was lost, hence the name. This was a pattern Susan never intended to publish, but instead something she whipped up for fun. She had an overwhelming response to the hat, finally relented and released the pattern. I'm glad she did because I really enjoyed the knit!<br />
<br />
With a long, ribbed brim, this hat is really cute because you can flip all that ribbing up over the stockinette portion. I knit this with my own handdyed, worsted yarn in Snowcone and Lollipop Guild. I then mailed it to Carol to be donated with the other charity items collected. It should make for a fun kid's hat with all the bright, vibrant colors. I'd really like to knit another hat for myself out of some gradient yarn. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEg_aZXKa_OcqvrnZBRnFYYCMw8ZKw6C1l7YqdahRDNkmjmgpjmWVkvVKBjDhnSaPnp57vHgy2jyp-W2Fa8OVY3BHCDLMla_J96ojaTISR8kW5fAUReR5Uq-sGg63TTod1e_JIlrd9r_0/s1600/DSC_0514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEg_aZXKa_OcqvrnZBRnFYYCMw8ZKw6C1l7YqdahRDNkmjmgpjmWVkvVKBjDhnSaPnp57vHgy2jyp-W2Fa8OVY3BHCDLMla_J96ojaTISR8kW5fAUReR5Uq-sGg63TTod1e_JIlrd9r_0/s320/DSC_0514.jpg" width="176" /></a></div>
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I put the hat on Lovebug and tried to snap a few shots, but she would have none of it. (She's very anti "things-on-my-head" right now.) Squishy modeled it for me briefly, but he too wouldn't leave it on his head. He is still very attached to his green apple hat from Debby (knittinggrandma) that we received in a swap a while ago and doesn't think he needs another at the moment.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-41555843973321303012012-09-12T08:32:00.000-05:002012-09-12T08:32:04.909-05:00Ravellenics 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0rSzsGr7RzfKUi3otpKGOKpZgl_DW1XZemM2e1p-U1I4PXkrhSAj2LxyWi96CAVAvVOfpcfuTDNePmLrxqq2ROVbiTOYiz43H8LXYfCh84_uFpXP40SPj8knctNZ01ACdfxyKztxyi69/s1600/ravellenic2012_medium_1__medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0rSzsGr7RzfKUi3otpKGOKpZgl_DW1XZemM2e1p-U1I4PXkrhSAj2LxyWi96CAVAvVOfpcfuTDNePmLrxqq2ROVbiTOYiz43H8LXYfCh84_uFpXP40SPj8knctNZ01ACdfxyKztxyi69/s320/ravellenic2012_medium_1__medium.png" width="320" /></a></div>
I suppose it's about time I launched into the Ravellenics knitting that happened this summer. Ravellenics (previously known as Ravelympics) coincides with the Olympics, so every two years knitters and crocheters and fiber artists gather their fiber and tools and get to work. There are events and badges, goals and accomplishments, and it is really neat to see what we as a community can do in a short amount of time.<br />
<br />
I participated in a few events which included the Frogging Trampoline and the Hand-Dyed High Dive. I also entered items into the charity knitting event, one skein wonders, the mitten event and the hat event. That sounds like a lot, but it's not really.<br />
<br />
For the frogging event (Frogging Trampoline), the requirements were that the item to be frogged (unraveled) must be at least 25% complete, and that you take a before and after shot. I frogged two items.<br />
<br />
First up, the <a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/g84fx">Bathrobe</a>. I've talked about this knit a lot but never really got anywhere with it. It'd been languishing on the needles, untouched, for too long. Every time I went back to the pattern I spent half the time trying to figure out where I left off, and then getting frustrated because the pattern instructions were unclear to me. Aside from that, the Bathrobe was meant to be for Squishy, who is now closer to 4 than 3 years old and the pattern size I was knitting was 24 months. Too small!! And too big at the moment for Lovebug. <br />
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Before</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWvQRkXvVIoJT2LkQFo8ma2FPpV3VGXSCqID-79dZ2bAcMmmOielpkuPQ2JZVQFTLeIPbxhV1J63OayvBc1DVlYzMt_TpQXarzKA8O4mESmbA0Daor-hRuPznNCdeyDTZf0MQd1OnSEsZn/s1600/document_upload23932-0_medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWvQRkXvVIoJT2LkQFo8ma2FPpV3VGXSCqID-79dZ2bAcMmmOielpkuPQ2JZVQFTLeIPbxhV1J63OayvBc1DVlYzMt_TpQXarzKA8O4mESmbA0Daor-hRuPznNCdeyDTZf0MQd1OnSEsZn/s320/document_upload23932-0_medium.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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After</div>
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(I apologize for the quality of some of these photos. </div>
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They were taken on my phone in bad lighting!)</div>
The second item I frogged was <a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/39968">Evie's Sweater</a>. I almost had her sweater reknit after frogging it once already, but I just couldn't come to terms with the density of the fabric. I was trying to use yarn that was too heavy, even going up a couple needle sizes the sweater was thick and hard to maneuver. It never would have been comfortable for her to wear. I really want to knit her this pattern because it would cover the majority of her body and neck and give her tiny body warmth in the winter. Perhaps I can get myself in gear and get this knit for the coming winter...with the proper yarn!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Before</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_J4KAfD3WVA1DcNcpLykVEVxrEhzSKut8sBYKg5edHxSrxrca2ptMwL6iHUwMFE2HqFvXssbCY6lWgQ-Eo3ebWw492vvho9612ObuaGpPQ5fxmm1YkPYal2rZ4kctJ8DceyB-K5R8FTY/s1600/document_upload8984-0_medium2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_J4KAfD3WVA1DcNcpLykVEVxrEhzSKut8sBYKg5edHxSrxrca2ptMwL6iHUwMFE2HqFvXssbCY6lWgQ-Eo3ebWw492vvho9612ObuaGpPQ5fxmm1YkPYal2rZ4kctJ8DceyB-K5R8FTY/s320/document_upload8984-0_medium2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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After</div>
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I also competed in the Hand Dyed High Dive. This was for yarn and/or fiber that was dyed during the Ravellenics. I dyed two skeins of fingering weight wool. <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/raelynne01/stash/chaseart-yarns-9">One for a prize drawing</a> for Team Itty Bitty Knitters and <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/raelynne01/stash/chaseart-yarns-10">one as a yarn swap</a> with a friend. <br />
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I also knit 2 items, a pair of color work fingerless mitts and a hat during that time, but I'll save those for another day.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-56790707201650733142012-09-10T10:52:00.001-05:002012-09-10T10:52:11.320-05:00Sorta Scrappy Socks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Do you remember the <a href="http://www.rlchase.blogspot.com/2012/07/how-i-make-my-socks.html">socks I knit for Sis</a>? My first pair of adult socks. After they were done, I quickly cast on a pair for myself using the same pattern from <a href="http://www.susanbanderson.blogspot.com/">Susan B. Anderson</a>, <a href="http://susanbanderson.blogspot.com/2012/02/how-i-make-socks.html">How I Make My Socks</a>. They were meant to be for the Scrappy Socks KAL but I didn't finish in time. The KAL, however, was my driving force.<br />
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Mary Rose (<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/smozerose">smozerose</a> on Ravelry) can truly be credited for the inspiration behind these socks. They began as an idea I blatantly copied from her. She posted photos of a sock she'd knit using scraps, but instead of a random selection of colors, she outline each scrappy section with a consistent light, dark, light pattern. See the sock on the left? That's what I'm talking about. I fell in love with that sock. And then launched my own plans. <br />
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My socks are knit with Tanis Fiber Arts, the leftovers from my <a href="http://www.rlchase.blogspot.com/2012/08/whippoorwill-blues.html">Whippoorwill</a> shawl. The colors are Tidal, Peacock, Deep Sea and Midnight. Of course, I'm not very good at random, spontaneous selection (and I don't have a lot of yarn scraps) and so my socks had to have some rhyme or reason to them. I decided on a striping sequence and got to work. (Hence, Sorta Scrappy Socks.)<br />
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I did run out of the darkest color, Midnight. I love that color. It's dark, but so rich - there are slight variations in the color that make for beautiful knit items. I love TFA yarn - I wish I could afford to use it all the time! Once I ran out, I switched to using Deep Sea to outline the stripes. Most people won't notice the difference in the socks. Probably knitters, or those who see a lot of my feet. That's not a large number of people... :) And if knitters notice, they'll understand!<br />
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This is my one and only pair of handknit socks. It's not really been sock weather as it's been so warm and dry here. I live in sandals all summer long and have the tan lines to prove it! But at night, when it gets chilly or the AC has been running, this is the perfect pair of socks to slip on my feet.<br />
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They are warm and cozy, soft and squishy. The colors are soothing to your eyes. Nothing else in my drawer compares to these. And perhaps that's all in my mind because I made them myself. <br />
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It doesn't really matter the reason, what matters is that I love them and they make me happy, and that's really what knitting is about for me. If I can't enjoy it, then why do it?<br />
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Of course, now my knitting queue has at least doubled because I've added so many sock patterns! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-77903864147424468482012-09-05T08:13:00.004-05:002012-09-05T08:13:48.676-05:00Cabled Strap Covers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With about 6 WIPs this month, and 7 FOs I haven't yet shared with you, it's easy to see that I've been knitting. Am I committed?...Just a titch, but never fear...sometimes that's when my best work appears! :) (It's mostly all self-imposed anyway.)<br />
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My WIPs includ 3 shawls, 1 cowl, a hat and 1 pair of mitts. Also on that list are a few swap items. My knitting itinerary through October is chok full. :)<br />
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Today I'm sharing something that was quick and gratifying and just what I needed at the time.<br />
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I knit Lovebug a set of<a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/zoliv"> Cabled Strap Covers</a>, by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/melissa-schaschwary">Melissa Schaschwary</a>, for her carseat. The poor dear had red marks from her straps all the time. She's already constantly miserable in her seat and I though this would grant her a bit more comfort.<br />
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The patterns calls for bulky weight, which I don't really keep much of in the stash. So instead I doubled up on Caron Simply Soft Brites in the Watermelon colorway. Knit on US 10.5/6.5mm needles, these took just a matter of hours.<br />
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The cables are sweet and are surprisingly crisp in this hot pink yarn. Don't stare for too long, you may burn your eyes! My camera had a really hard time capturing this color.<br />
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The pattern uses bobbles and buttonholes to attach the covers to the straps but I've found this ineffective. There is a certain amount of wiggling and fussing we go through before Little Miss is secured. And it's inevitable that each time she's strapped in, I'm reattaching the covers. This gets old, fast. So I will be searching for some larger, flat buttons that can withstand the push and pull and friction the straps get, while still laying flat against Lovebug's shoulders.<br />
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This problem isn't really surprising and I almost didn't knit the bobbles, thinking I"d just have to replace them later. Save yourself some time if you plan on making these...you'll want the buttons! (or snaps or velcro, or whatever!) Aside from that, the pattern was wonderfully written. Clear and concise, and a really smart solution to a problem that obviously is not unique to our household.<br />
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I've even been scheming on how I could make other covers with different patterns. I just need to get out my stitch dictionaries and do a little math. :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-76512298515333747562012-08-28T14:35:00.001-05:002012-08-28T14:35:31.016-05:00Whippoorwill Blues<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Ohhhh…where do I start?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Honestly, this shawl was so long in the making I feel as
though I’ve forgotten a bit about the process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Forgive me if I leave something out, I’ll do my best to
remember what I can.</div>
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This is my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">favorite</i>
shawl to date.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
puuuuurrrrdy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been
wanting to knit <a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/wbf41">Whippoorwill</a> for a good, long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there just hadn’t been much time for shawls and such
until I scaled back on some self-imposed knitting requirements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cast on for the shawl as a birthday
present to myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to
make something for me, that I knew I’d love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I deliberated over colors for a very, very long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You should have seen how many times I
went to my computer, visited shop after shop, filled and emptied my cart and so
on. I had settled on using some Handmaiden Sea Silk, but right before I cast
on, I made the decision I wanted something like a gradient. </div>
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I couldn’t find the right yarn that offered what I
wanted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead I chose to
purchase multiple skeins of yarn and make my own transition in the
pattern.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My final choice was Tanis
Fiber Arts, and I used Tidal, Peacock, Deep Sea and Midnight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> (As an aside, I <i>love</i> TFA and would knit with it again in a heartbeat!) </span>While not a true gradient, I tried
alternating colors at specific intervals to combine the colors in a different
way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I will admit that the set-up rows had me confused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I ripped out three times at
least before I got it right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
there were some futsy notes I read on other knitters’ pages before I really
thought I could take this project with me on the go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But once I got going, it went quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Then I put it down, unintentionally, for a couple
months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a spreadsheet of
sorts telling me the when, where and how of my color changes so when I picked
it up to finish it, it took me about a week to really get into a groove. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I probably made it way more complicated
than necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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(The purl side of this shawl looks so neat!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZrMYsirEmtw3iNUehyphenhyphenTEll-06K8juGTfIQCTR1JN0AVrTmUqgxTtdboRnWXUo72-Hv-rPH9oeawELRvtpnYyAgBRvY2IeRtI-P7-FIbe4rgjNbrMuj-mndAvxHb-JSmsTqY5a7NbKpN5/s1600/DSC_0385.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZrMYsirEmtw3iNUehyphenhyphenTEll-06K8juGTfIQCTR1JN0AVrTmUqgxTtdboRnWXUo72-Hv-rPH9oeawELRvtpnYyAgBRvY2IeRtI-P7-FIbe4rgjNbrMuj-mndAvxHb-JSmsTqY5a7NbKpN5/s320/DSC_0385.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>
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Alternating skeins was a hassle, but like many things, I
like the finished object so I would do it again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I blocked this sucker out as big as I could in the space
that I had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And even though it’s
waaay too warm to wear it this summer, I’ve attempted to do just that at least a handful of times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was mostly unsuccessful
because it was just too darn hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But Fall will be here soon and then I will get a lot of use out of
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t feel as though it retained the size I blocked it out to, so I may try reblocking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a big shawl as it is and I’m still trying to decide the
best way to wear it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Because it’s four different colors, though, I fully expect
it to match much of my very blue wardrobe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> ;)</span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-49999181920593209442012-08-21T08:56:00.000-05:002012-08-21T08:56:23.193-05:00The End of SummerAs it turns out, I'm pretty terrible at blogging lately. I'd be surprised if anyone ever stops by anymore to check and see if I've updated. Things get pretty busy at home with a baby and a 3-yr-old and things like blog posts go to the wayside. <br />
<br />
We've had a pleasant summer and I've gotten a good amount of knitting done. I also enjoyed some other crafts with Squishy - he's a helper and loves to be involved. <br />
<br />
Lovebug has started crawling (although she's been rolling all over the floor and pulling herself up and walking along the furniture for much longer than she's known how to crawl) and it's kind of nice. I know I'll end up eating my words later when she's getting into everything and won't sit still. But now it means she can get herself from Point A to Point B by herself (unless she's not feeling it and cries to be picked up).<br />
<br />
This also means that I have more hands-free time for knitting. <br />
<br />
There are a few projects I'll be sharing in the near future. I've added a few things to my list of accomplishments, including stranded knitting (knitting with 2 colors at one time, one color in each hand). You've seen the socks - which although a bit daunting at first, aren't actually that difficult. :)<br />
<br />
So, while I won't make any promises to post every day, I'll try to be more active and share a bit more when I can. <br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-76473456028414263692012-07-19T09:24:00.004-05:002012-07-19T09:24:24.686-05:00WIP Wednesday (sorta): 7/19/12<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8SumueHrwhazVx2sQ91NJ0oUy5eTEaikVA_Eg8JMIENMzfpBBEGbhXSTZ77VrviEWJz9BYPR2Uvpya0GZVYahx9mqizMYBIbhLw3aM_iHBJmvp1W9hATXSvYyN7e5Xw1_OXAk8XOnNi3/s1600/Friday+Favorites_Page_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8SumueHrwhazVx2sQ91NJ0oUy5eTEaikVA_Eg8JMIENMzfpBBEGbhXSTZ77VrviEWJz9BYPR2Uvpya0GZVYahx9mqizMYBIbhLw3aM_iHBJmvp1W9hATXSvYyN7e5Xw1_OXAk8XOnNi3/s1600/Friday+Favorites_Page_11.jpg" /></a></div>
I know it's not Wednesday, but it’s been awhile since I’ve just shown you what I’m
currently working on. So here we
go!<br />
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<a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/39968">Evie’s Sweater</a> – are you tired of hearing about this
one? Because I am. Every time I think I get moving on it,
something else catches my eye and I’m bored with it. I really like the look, I think it’d be great on Evie for
the winter, but I’m just not feelin’ it.
So…I’ve decided to frog it.
(And after starting it twice!) I think it’s got something to do with the yarn and the
pattern. I’m using a heavier yarn
than called for, and although I tried going up a needle size, I’m just not
happy with what I’m seeing. I’m
sure I can find a better project for the yarn and I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">know</i> I’ve got better yarn for this project. This will be done during the Ravellenic Games for the Frogging event. I’d like to match a yarn
to the pattern as well and start over, we’ll see how far I get with that. I want it to be green – green is Evie’s
color. </div>
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<a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/av45b">Ruche Beret</a> – This is a pattern from my favorite designer,
<a href="http://www.susanbanderson.blogspot.com/">Susan B. Anderson</a>. It’s published in the book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Weekend-Hats-Knitted-Berets-Cloches/dp/1596684380/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342707200&sr=8-1&keywords=weekend+hats">Weekend Hats</a></i>. I cast
this on while I should have been doing other knitting but was instead
procrastinating. I’ve had the yarn
for awhile now (I got it during the A is for Apples swap), and I’ve had the
yarn caked for quite some time – waiting for the right pattern. </div>
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My problem and delay in knitting with it is the quantity and
composition of the yarn. This is
170 yards of 100% alpaca. It’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">soooo</i> soft and squishy and beautiful
(it’s actually teal, by the way – not dark blue). I only have one skein, which isn’t enough for any Alana
Dakos beret pattern (I don’t think, anyway), and because it’s 100% alpaca,
there will be a halo with the finished object. I don’t mind a halo, but it also means that stitch
definition can get a little lost. </div>
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I also have really sensitive skin, especially around my neck
and face. I easily break out in a
rash, and I can get hot really quickly.
So this meant the yarn could not be around my neck. When Susan’s pattern was released, this
was the first yarn that popped into my head. Now, her pattern calls for DK weight and I’m using Sport,
but I’m hoping it all works out alright. </div>
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I am having a hard time knitting on this right now, though,
because we’ve had nearly 100 degree heat for the last couple weeks, in addition
to the high humidity…I don’t want to knit with anything too fuzzy. When I’m sticky, knitting with alpaca
isn’t on the top of my to-do list. </div>
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<a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/e8f87">Westknits Mystery KAL 2012</a> - I debated joining in, but this is good travel knitting. We've only received clue 1 so far, and I've completed 14 repeats. I'd share a picture, but I don't know who's reading the blog and I don't want to throw any spoilers out there. <i style="font-weight: bold;">If</i> you want to see a picture of my progress, check out the pictures on my project page. It's reminiscent of a couple other patterns Mr. West has out there. I'm enjoying it because the repeats are quick and easily memorized. There are some gorgeous projects going on!!</div>
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Finally, <a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/2xouj">Sharktooth</a>.
This is a Stephen West pattern, and it was part of a pattern/yarn club. I had to wait for the pattern to be
released before I could dive in, which was probably good anyway because I had a
lot I wanted to complete when I first found this. I’m using Dream In Color
Everlast in Jeans. You can see the
variation in the yarn. Not
something I normally gravitate towards, but it seems to work in this
pattern. In fact, I went in search
of a yarn that wasn’t just semi-solid so I could replicate what Mr. West did. There are three fan-like sections
to this shawl. I’m about half-way
through the second fan. I’m making
the smaller size because I only have 1 skein of yarn, but it should make for a nice scarf/shawlette. I've pretty much got the pattern memorized...it's all just a matter of proper placement of increases and YOs (yarnovers).<br />
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<br />
What's in your project bag at the moment? Anything you shouldn't have cast on, but you just couldn't resist? Is summer time heavier or lighter on the knitting for you?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-6171127591422190432012-07-10T14:16:00.007-05:002012-07-10T14:16:50.634-05:00Practice!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbpyiWj8y8fdj5hz7VAHemdX0cC_e8Te8q96BHdkULnLS0mOxfB-Uv3JdPEY3nBsV0z8_g7a14yGDj6gQvlWe1uJ6bag4__znfzG43NSo7HsNdU2fyhR6D087T5lgGKIdUou2eC1Y4p2Q/s1600/ravellenic2012_medium_1__medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbpyiWj8y8fdj5hz7VAHemdX0cC_e8Te8q96BHdkULnLS0mOxfB-Uv3JdPEY3nBsV0z8_g7a14yGDj6gQvlWe1uJ6bag4__znfzG43NSo7HsNdU2fyhR6D087T5lgGKIdUou2eC1Y4p2Q/s320/ravellenic2012_medium_1__medium.png" width="320" /></a></div>
At the end of July, the 2012 Summer Olympic Games will
commence. Ravelers all over
the world mark the occasion by participating in fiber-related events on
Ravelry. A long while back I
blogged about this vest I made for Squishy (<a href="http://www.rlchase.blogspot.com/2010/02/ravelympics-2010-i-think-i-can-i-think.html">HERE</a> and <a href="http://www.rlchase.blogspot.com/2010/03/finish-line.html">HERE</a> and <a href="http://www.rlchase.blogspot.com/2010/03/several-pictures-of-completed-vest.html">HERE</a>). I am, again, choosing to participate in what is now called
the Ravellenic Games.<br />
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I don’t know how much time I’ll actually have to committing
to projects, but I feel like it’d be good to try and accomplish something. Overall, knitters and crocheters are
encouraged to work on things that challenge them in some way. Perhaps by tidying up that large WIPs
(Works In Progress) pile, or to knit something new and different, try a new
technique…it can really be anything you want. You aren’t allowed to cast on (or touch a WIP once games are
announced) until Opening Ceremonies.
You must finish your project by Closing Ceremonies (sorta). A badge is awarded to those who finish
and so on and so forth. </div>
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There’s really more to it than that, but it involves more
explanation that I really have the brain power to write down at the
moment. </div>
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Last time, I was a new knitter. I challenged myself to finishing a baby vest in that
two-week time period and I almost didn’t make it. This year, my challenge to myself is to knit something
stranded, fingerless mitts of some kind, actually. I’ve not done much colorwork other than stripes because it’s
intimidating and I always worry that my floats will be horrible (I’ll explain
in a minute). So what a great
challenge to knit myself something stranded and get over that fear?</div>
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When knitting with two or more colors of yarn in the same
row/round, you are carrying yarn across the back of your work. The unused yarn creates a “float.” Look at the “wrong side” of a sweater you
own that has several colors. It
should look something like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZO9sLLKzGjUBVzPfGUvwDastYgQTQrUVUYBA8gjltQyZg9U3Gvxaz2Spb5E00PMw051u8tgPeQja6Zlvf7bFmvcLM3Y9rOBn7yKuHWQ1kpj3oN3Rxwkv0MPtThKG4NIhjIw58_gOATr33/s1600/Even-floats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZO9sLLKzGjUBVzPfGUvwDastYgQTQrUVUYBA8gjltQyZg9U3Gvxaz2Spb5E00PMw051u8tgPeQja6Zlvf7bFmvcLM3Y9rOBn7yKuHWQ1kpj3oN3Rxwkv0MPtThKG4NIhjIw58_gOATr33/s320/Even-floats.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(photo by littleyellowcat.com)</span></div>
</div>
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Those lengths of yarn are the floats. And if they’re too tight, your work
puckers. If they’re too loose, you
can see through the knitted fabric.
There’s a learning curve to doing this successfully and getting a nicely
finished object. </div>
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I didn’t want to dive into a pair of mitts that might take
me a bit of work, only to have it come out looking bad. So I chose to “practice.” </div>
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<br /></div>
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Enter <a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/k29s8">Mini Motif Baby Mittens</a>, stage left. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9jbpn4FKR1PSJeCKDuCnSXUkl49CtFsKgkZubISm2kASG8PLwr_ONZbZzr98gghEUpyHwYTxDhpAxpRJvImrCvVaA2UySWSe3DBco67ddO0UXF39YuWOwZ6NIjfVhX8IrJgrG2LwqTQP/s1600/DSC_0394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9jbpn4FKR1PSJeCKDuCnSXUkl49CtFsKgkZubISm2kASG8PLwr_ONZbZzr98gghEUpyHwYTxDhpAxpRJvImrCvVaA2UySWSe3DBco67ddO0UXF39YuWOwZ6NIjfVhX8IrJgrG2LwqTQP/s320/DSC_0394.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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These are a small project that could easily have been
frogged and restarted if they weren’t turning out right. Can you see the picture here? They are penguins. :) </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw33EEOUM006tN-fv5no8jFQg3ogsDXtmKVTJXxlnNmxYzmD7I4P4GtMgCzo76b-imFXR5hg07AvynwPmtoeHdsgrpjotcsokWapd64YT93vNt6rfoXLlzvEnrWt1hioJ8IdaKV6mUhSZb/s1600/DSC_0392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw33EEOUM006tN-fv5no8jFQg3ogsDXtmKVTJXxlnNmxYzmD7I4P4GtMgCzo76b-imFXR5hg07AvynwPmtoeHdsgrpjotcsokWapd64YT93vNt6rfoXLlzvEnrWt1hioJ8IdaKV6mUhSZb/s320/DSC_0392.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7An8hygtb59erUuyL27v4SMK8cwrXrsKdi7tybcJTyrbJLeIvkxq4Oqde1DWx_pPpK_eQrZandZgqiIzlaFytLEGXERRTmYP58B0CCWKa8fXtk6CF45Y3WEUKUe6_lC08Qbx0-phJUSFT/s1600/DSC_0395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7An8hygtb59erUuyL27v4SMK8cwrXrsKdi7tybcJTyrbJLeIvkxq4Oqde1DWx_pPpK_eQrZandZgqiIzlaFytLEGXERRTmYP58B0CCWKa8fXtk6CF45Y3WEUKUe6_lC08Qbx0-phJUSFT/s320/DSC_0395.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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These are for Lovebug this coming winter. Little thumbless mitts to warm her
hands. Great practice for floats
and twisting my yarn to prevent wee fingers from getting snagged. They’re not perfect, but I feel better
having knit these instead of jumping right in to my mitts. </div>
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A little bit of soak, then blocking and these really shaped
up nicely. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZS5zEqfxAgnvMpCIdH5R_P4ycrV3-_n-4you9wW4kJF0-4XXknAKCKvMvU-wGUYsPUmiItnPunjWWQxAFMNVgljYaN07A8bu0SSPV2CiKmEZz_acW6Syap5J9GOhWZ0J1-U0fMrhgfSNk/s1600/DSC_0397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZS5zEqfxAgnvMpCIdH5R_P4ycrV3-_n-4you9wW4kJF0-4XXknAKCKvMvU-wGUYsPUmiItnPunjWWQxAFMNVgljYaN07A8bu0SSPV2CiKmEZz_acW6Syap5J9GOhWZ0J1-U0fMrhgfSNk/s320/DSC_0397.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The yarn was NaturallyCaron.com Country in Black and some of my own hand-dyed yarn in the color I call Snowcone. <br />
<br />
And hopefully, with a bit more practice, I can figure out a more even tension when working on stranded projects, for an even better result. It's one of those things that just takes practice. There's a learning curve and if you dont' just keep trying, you'll never get there! <br />
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So bring on the Ravellenic Games! :) </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-16022105383896783202012-07-09T09:38:00.004-05:002012-07-09T09:38:38.703-05:00Sheldon, aka "Tommy"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS2nq7sTmv9WAxH_lq85oFXnCMjj8kcbXzmQib_449CG1QgniURY6cHO4u_-itdtpfSPZk3Zd34t_ouIUu04tQPod8cPDtzpBR8lc-7xvnmz273z-4khQ4FOqm_qoOkQbjCSAj4LkBU-B3/s1600/DSC_0363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS2nq7sTmv9WAxH_lq85oFXnCMjj8kcbXzmQib_449CG1QgniURY6cHO4u_-itdtpfSPZk3Zd34t_ouIUu04tQPod8cPDtzpBR8lc-7xvnmz273z-4khQ4FOqm_qoOkQbjCSAj4LkBU-B3/s320/DSC_0363.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Recently, while I was knitting a toy, Squishy asked me if I
was knitting the toy for him. I
had to tell him, no, not for him, but for someone else (this was during the
hippo/hedgehog swap). He was
bummed. So I asked if he wanted me
to knit him a toy, to which he promptly answered YES! </div>
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When asked what he wanted knit, he said he wanted a
turtle. I said OK and it was left
at that – he ran off to play. I
looked on Ravelry at all the turtle patterns out there. So many cute ones, how would I
choose? In the end, I marked
those that I would want to knit and showed Squishy the choices. He picked out <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sheldon">Sheldon</a>. </div>
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This is a <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sheldon/people">pretty popular pattern</a> on Rav. Sheldon has a removable shell, which is
awesome. This also means that it
wasn’t long before Sheldon got more “outfits.” But that’s another story for another time. I only knit the shell that came with
the original pattern. </div>
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You all who have been around for the majority of my knitting
know that I rarely stick to recommended, or even the norm when it comes to
color choices. It’s no secret that
I favor blues and teals and such.
So I wanted to do something a little different, with some contrasting, but
complimentary colors. Squishy
would have none of it. When I
asked him if it was okay to use this or that color, he would say, “No, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">green</i></b>,
Mommy.” I guess he knows what he
wants and he wasn’t going to settle.
(I’ve come to decide that green is his favorite color at the moment…)</div>
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Allllllright…I guess I can knit a normal, green turtle. (And I’ll admit it wasn’t that bad…lol)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhao53ctOVTS5QDyWzrZrs3TBYNasIZyIElW1eM1RUZKWCthUO_fkal4SggdI2YxgFRjNbEs_QkIovNR0cjZs1u7KaZZw1dtPskxRrfXWKRrNwaAw1uzDnR03hYmy9EtE5igoKZXo6KGMup/s1600/DSC_0361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhao53ctOVTS5QDyWzrZrs3TBYNasIZyIElW1eM1RUZKWCthUO_fkal4SggdI2YxgFRjNbEs_QkIovNR0cjZs1u7KaZZw1dtPskxRrfXWKRrNwaAw1uzDnR03hYmy9EtE5igoKZXo6KGMup/s320/DSC_0361.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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This little guy came out pretty cute. While I was knitting, I kept thinking I
wasn’t doing it right because it felt like the pieces weren’t shaped right, but
all worked out in the end. </div>
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This was knit from Tahki Cotton Classic Light in Moss Green
and Bright Green. I would have
preferred wool, but I didn’t have the right colors and I’m <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i> trying not to buy any additional yarn. Don’t get me wrong, I love Tahki yarns,
but I believe that wool, or a blend would have looked better. To me (and this is just my
unprofessional opinion), it seems that wool would “bloom” or something to fill
in empty space, while the cotton didn’t – I didn’t block this at all, but the
cotton just seemed to stay where I put it… </div>
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The removable shell is extremely cute and I love the ability
to add additional outfits later on, but the shell was a little fiddly. I don’t mind fiddly. If I did, I wouldn’t knit toys. But I found myself only knitting a
portion of the shell pieces and putting it back down again because I just
didn’t want to knit it. </div>
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I also think my i-cord edging on the shell was too tight,
but that’s not really a big deal. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvcDiMnSTKAFmaRJ_liD-R9ZhZZx5ged-89mls67oG0iU_CXN3mpPHk9oBHElbvoILxc5XUbqChwV546lQaNN9PdqucjuNyhZdPQSiJwvlhx5Z4V6zSpRBFEPH8uXsSzNFXYP6YmDwUsI1/s1600/DSC_0373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvcDiMnSTKAFmaRJ_liD-R9ZhZZx5ged-89mls67oG0iU_CXN3mpPHk9oBHElbvoILxc5XUbqChwV546lQaNN9PdqucjuNyhZdPQSiJwvlhx5Z4V6zSpRBFEPH8uXsSzNFXYP6YmDwUsI1/s320/DSC_0373.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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My one suggestion would be – be sure not to stuff the shell
too tight. If stuffed too tightly,
the shell doesn’t seem to sit right on the turtle body. It gets a bit poofy. The body is difficult at first to get
in and out of the shell, but I think that might loosen up a bit over time. My little man doesn’t really want him
out of his shell anyway…</div>
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If Squishy asks for extra outfits in the future, I’d be
happy to knit them, with my new understanding of how the pattern works. </div>
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<br /></div>
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And if anyone asks, his name is “<a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/22jfr">Tommy</a>.” <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VXaQ0AUglbt-xAno7fDWhXiCNpExD1rd5pkhD3Qdb0vjV8xeJPbNIZ4PaAJzfWutM9W-_nh16v-is9tjRpsHhibXAKNvKtP8shXBwCZ2D3wbB36UUImDgxXpxhUUtEPrA7r-htfCeZJD/s1600/DSC_0377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VXaQ0AUglbt-xAno7fDWhXiCNpExD1rd5pkhD3Qdb0vjV8xeJPbNIZ4PaAJzfWutM9W-_nh16v-is9tjRpsHhibXAKNvKtP8shXBwCZ2D3wbB36UUImDgxXpxhUUtEPrA7r-htfCeZJD/s320/DSC_0377.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-82943272883175024022012-07-05T13:09:00.001-05:002012-07-05T13:09:14.318-05:00"How I Make My Socks"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitjnFyoaSv_kN8Db1wGajNu5XYirXwB8s_uUPTYmwDgRJC-9dFMFPF_pp9YeXroAw_Lo6GSYhe8LTj_E9xkvLy2HCakSQbSN6OcUqU7RzfjoDnYNImG2tRxyt9L7q38powOYavstS78j0E/s1600/DSC_0287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitjnFyoaSv_kN8Db1wGajNu5XYirXwB8s_uUPTYmwDgRJC-9dFMFPF_pp9YeXroAw_Lo6GSYhe8LTj_E9xkvLy2HCakSQbSN6OcUqU7RzfjoDnYNImG2tRxyt9L7q38powOYavstS78j0E/s320/DSC_0287.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Those of you who read <a href="http://www.susanbanderson.blogspot.com/">Susan Anderson’s blog</a> know how popular
she is. She writes about something
and everyone wants to know pattern and purchase information. (Or at least that’s how I see it.) Did you know she won the<a href="http://knitting.about.com/b/2012/03/30/readers-choice-winners-announced.htm"> 2012 Reader’s Choice Award on About.com</a>? She
knocked her competition out of the park!<br />
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What does that have to do with socks you ask? Susan had written <a href="http://susanbanderson.blogspot.com/2012/02/super-sock-update.html">some blog posts</a> about
the socks she was working on. She
showed us an array of colorful, beautiful socks, some completed pairs, but also
many single pairs that she wanted to finish. She had a huge response to all her socks (as well she
should), included the question of “what pattern did you use?” </div>
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Those knitters who would consider themselves “sock knitters”
have a go-to vanilla sock pattern.
It’s just a plain sock pattern that they use every time when they want
something simple and good for on the go.
This would be the type of pattern a knitter would use to really showcase
a self-striping yarn. </div>
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So Susan responded with a post entitled <a href="http://susanbanderson.blogspot.com/2012/02/how-i-make-socks.html">“How I Make My Socks.”</a> She wrote up her vanilla
sock pattern for everyone to use.
While it’s not an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">official</i>
pattern, it works for me, and I trust her judgment as her patterns are always
so well-written and I knew that if I stumbled, she’d be glad to lend me
support. </div>
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I’ve admired different sock patterns for awhile, but never
took the plunge because they sort of scared me. All those heel constructions and wrap and turns I heard
people talking about just seemed complicated. I felt the discussion was always over my head. So while I only just recently completed
my first pair of socks, I’ve been wanting to try for some time. </div>
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Meet <a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/o2jq8">my sister’s socks</a>. They’re fun and colorful and the yarn, now that it’s knit
and finished, seems to call her name more than mine. The yarn: Lorna’s Laces Solemate, River. A lovely background of light blue, with
spirals of darker blues and purples and sort of a lavender/gray. I debated for a long while over the
best yarn to use for her. I wanted
to try this yarn for myself, but it just seemed to fit her. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNEU93efeQJqkwoRRSBV236FPe1vvKuGMR4CT4K7yk-JJzIfbRqR9H6gabJg0WpwDkd3yo4egGFZWWK4lImPj0230OmS__Q67YXzUw7RfBtfLPA7bG89ChQUncScwNhplrIp7UVYfmiqx/s1600/DSC_0298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNEU93efeQJqkwoRRSBV236FPe1vvKuGMR4CT4K7yk-JJzIfbRqR9H6gabJg0WpwDkd3yo4egGFZWWK4lImPj0230OmS__Q67YXzUw7RfBtfLPA7bG89ChQUncScwNhplrIp7UVYfmiqx/s320/DSC_0298.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSEgORGrqEI3Mqkon4bk4TOrECvVwVFIsXWryc9qfZ2DZW1Ui2fLMQh7lvDfhkUjTnJT69RqH-l_j-legdKbvnbaitmnu-tPxWVym5hXpibWYxzodT1B8bSjchIZWn-Phloi8EpDeCiBd/s1600/DSC_0280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSEgORGrqEI3Mqkon4bk4TOrECvVwVFIsXWryc9qfZ2DZW1Ui2fLMQh7lvDfhkUjTnJT69RqH-l_j-legdKbvnbaitmnu-tPxWVym5hXpibWYxzodT1B8bSjchIZWn-Phloi8EpDeCiBd/s320/DSC_0280.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Did I mention these were part of her birthday present? I know most people probably wouldn’t
think socks are a very big deal.
You can buy a pair of fun socks at Target for much cheaper than you can a
skein of sock yarn. But what’s the
fun in that? And since Sis is
knitter-worthy, I figured it was worth the time and effort to knit them. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh69nE96bA0-2-nuzOVoA6lNSr0WhZhMbxePnN0hJ2i6wUSODPXmn8B8sF4gstvnLd0mRxLqx_cV14EkNM9h9yOltucdTEMz3g3jQZHl1b4vroYTCnlsNnD2DbRmqPsxCLMpOGRtLLb30fX/s1600/DSC_0294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh69nE96bA0-2-nuzOVoA6lNSr0WhZhMbxePnN0hJ2i6wUSODPXmn8B8sF4gstvnLd0mRxLqx_cV14EkNM9h9yOltucdTEMz3g3jQZHl1b4vroYTCnlsNnD2DbRmqPsxCLMpOGRtLLb30fX/s320/DSC_0294.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggZO2p0EuAua9g8lQTLoah5zQ5ejeYaroy9GzLF7CegAPoJSuZkYbLyc-CedWwm0U8dkrmTgRZECcWhzDeXV1sNqXZNe3zlq_vfc_9xqBFdwug_pXeDLNv3Y-WCyUKfro2u4lcK_lL8ySd/s1600/DSC_0284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggZO2p0EuAua9g8lQTLoah5zQ5ejeYaroy9GzLF7CegAPoJSuZkYbLyc-CedWwm0U8dkrmTgRZECcWhzDeXV1sNqXZNe3zlq_vfc_9xqBFdwug_pXeDLNv3Y-WCyUKfro2u4lcK_lL8ySd/s320/DSC_0284.JPG" width="282" /></a></div>
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(She also got an iPod from us, and to be honest, I think she
was surprised and thankful for the socks, but more excited about the iPod. If I were her, I probably would be too.
I don’t mind.) </div>
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So what do I think of sock knitting? You use tiny needles. On lightweight
yarn. You would think they would
take forever, but they don’t. They
fit several requirements I like in my knitting. Portable? Check.
Quick? Check. Simple? So far. There are more complicated patterns but I’m not ready for
that yet. Pretty? Definitely. I’m
already knitting <a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/xxnlq">a second pair</a> – which I’ll tell you about another time. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilfhu_fAySfraUK1_05TeQjMNCFm9kbUFFNthbTf8hVqbupWFH5gf215QDIRbotLNlVTx6TNlwLb0BwjjhgLNU5EKLLE6F1EwhVAhs4d9pYPajLqfY86CmXMVSgSFj4A0iJIQm48spYyhC/s1600/DSC_0289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilfhu_fAySfraUK1_05TeQjMNCFm9kbUFFNthbTf8hVqbupWFH5gf215QDIRbotLNlVTx6TNlwLb0BwjjhgLNU5EKLLE6F1EwhVAhs4d9pYPajLqfY86CmXMVSgSFj4A0iJIQm48spYyhC/s320/DSC_0289.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdCj6izh3WbjA5xjJXZAD6oUiMfUFOHKMFE2gsJWLpxf_woS46t4SEGLhDvpWg9nmFUqEtYg5ylFwWhmDi7huCZ0Ln6Q_imd1rv7x8Mz0wJibbWDFbLg8y8lCn6Pf1ooz5cWvkCKGWMbP/s1600/DSC_0293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdCj6izh3WbjA5xjJXZAD6oUiMfUFOHKMFE2gsJWLpxf_woS46t4SEGLhDvpWg9nmFUqEtYg5ylFwWhmDi7huCZ0Ln6Q_imd1rv7x8Mz0wJibbWDFbLg8y8lCn6Pf1ooz5cWvkCKGWMbP/s320/DSC_0293.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Have you ever tried something that intimidated you and found
out it really wasn’t so bad? How
do you feel about knitted socks?
If you don’t knit socks, what do you do with all your sock yarn??</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-13960529664861821592012-07-02T09:38:00.004-05:002012-07-02T09:38:36.348-05:00Yarn Sock<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghtj9zl8dDvRsoGpXw_44EzFw9BpmNl_V9OVzSLZBPUZXZfLpHgII-2cditVS6Fep2zBNSBe-ljT0u65EjBTtFJRQtqyk7v_s1Mz-ONqUonI14cralWtikmaHA8kMCz_woUlMFVdf-vRLC/s1600/IMG_0150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghtj9zl8dDvRsoGpXw_44EzFw9BpmNl_V9OVzSLZBPUZXZfLpHgII-2cditVS6Fep2zBNSBe-ljT0u65EjBTtFJRQtqyk7v_s1Mz-ONqUonI14cralWtikmaHA8kMCz_woUlMFVdf-vRLC/s320/IMG_0150.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
This will be a fairly quick one today, folks.<br />
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Have you ever started working with a ball of yarn that’s so
nicely wound up and pretty? And
before you know it, that wound yarn starts looking like yarn barf? </div>
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I don’t know why it happens to me so often. Perhaps it’s because of the way I stuff
my project bags into other bags, throw them around in the car, or leave them
sitting out on the couch for the dogs, kids and other people to accidentally
(or maybe not) sit on them.
Whatever the cause, by the time my project is finished, I’m ready to
rewind my yarn so that I feel a little bit less out of control (hubby would
call this my controlling side…lol). </div>
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I have been watching <a href="http://www.knittinonthefly.blogspot.com/">Knittin’ On the Fly</a> with Katie
(<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/jetgirl1313">jetgirl1313</a>) for a while now. One
podcast awhile back she mentioned she was knitting a yarn sock. (That’s not really what she called it,
but that’s what I’m calling it.) She had been gifted something called a “yarn
bra?” And then found some patterns on Ravelry that were similar. I decided to try them out. </div>
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<br /></div>
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So with my Cascade Fixation, a blend of cotton and elastic
(interesting, no?) in a very bright red, I cast on for <a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/2ru1j">my very own sock</a>. You can find the pattern by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/jennifer-sugarman">Jennifer Sugarman</a> <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ball-sack">HERE</a>. I thought perhaps
the elastic in this yarn would make a nice fit for this type of project. </div>
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Here’s my completed project. I’m not sure how well it works yet as I’ve only just started
using it. I tested it out over a
larger center-pull ball of yarn (it will only work with center-pull balls of
yarn…) and it seemed a little small, so if I were to knit one again, I might be
inclined to make it just a tad taller – I think that would solve that issue
nicely. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-zG_v6IX-9NlHgBFtBejROY157miVYKYCpYHyl_M7gEE4CxUpLKqjVQbZ_4fgg_V-gVvXlU1dPHp0qTCce8QiWZNPyGAw07Faz6ZnU9YCF8Ttf3F-FRCjZMSgM4RdVV0Goml7YMhdNTG/s1600/IMG_0152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-zG_v6IX-9NlHgBFtBejROY157miVYKYCpYHyl_M7gEE4CxUpLKqjVQbZ_4fgg_V-gVvXlU1dPHp0qTCce8QiWZNPyGAw07Faz6ZnU9YCF8Ttf3F-FRCjZMSgM4RdVV0Goml7YMhdNTG/s320/IMG_0152.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I’ll keep you informed of what I think, but I’m thinking
this will be a nice solution to my problem! <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Wingdings;">:)</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-2374973657791053412012-06-29T15:46:00.003-05:002012-06-29T15:46:32.283-05:00Cold Feet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmbC_CNuQMauTnmwPQciJm4HOHPqjpm16rmbaDcXsdeuSI41a8l5KlQoqgBk9C7g7FCJBsCX3IFsA-ImVbHAbEbazH2I0FoBq_7JHTVq4zSxnMrypkZNvZ-oMMIt6FEsfPM0EswsBUfyCC/s1600/DSC_0310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmbC_CNuQMauTnmwPQciJm4HOHPqjpm16rmbaDcXsdeuSI41a8l5KlQoqgBk9C7g7FCJBsCX3IFsA-ImVbHAbEbazH2I0FoBq_7JHTVq4zSxnMrypkZNvZ-oMMIt6FEsfPM0EswsBUfyCC/s320/DSC_0310.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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A friend of mine on Ravelry asked our group if we would help
her. This is what she wrote:</div>
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“I
belong to a Blue Star Mothers group (military mom’s support group) and we have
the honor of co-sponsoring an Operation Shower baby shower in early July. The goal is to show support for
military moms-to-be or new mothers by showering them with gifts. Especially since many of these moms are
going through their pregnancy without the support of their husbands due to
deployment or job assignment. The
event is rather a big deal with many big name sponsors involved, such as the
PGA. We are all excited and
consider ourselves lucky that we can be involved and show our support to these
new moms. After all, our group is
mom centered."</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
Pat asked for baby booties and socks in red, white
and blue or any combination thereof to be gifted to 35-40 mothers. As always, our group responded with a
resounding YES! </div>
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Here is a photo of all the completed booties lined up
with one another. They are
all so stinkin’ cute!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQTExsN9cN7ITdrcsrvhFU37QdGh3SRxdTNA91FZaYf8hUaXlAkuU1OMtWlBBCczHpnLbP4sHtk6zxgy4h8VQfcH69GDqZ8STzw1ASzCe09REJgALQ8PEXW5gDjcSn14rQgEE_G0x8KIb/s1600/group_medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQTExsN9cN7ITdrcsrvhFU37QdGh3SRxdTNA91FZaYf8hUaXlAkuU1OMtWlBBCczHpnLbP4sHtk6zxgy4h8VQfcH69GDqZ8STzw1ASzCe09REJgALQ8PEXW5gDjcSn14rQgEE_G0x8KIb/s320/group_medium.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Photo by Pat (aka Plynn))</span></div>
I made two pairs of baby socks using a favorite
pattern of mine, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-mitten-socks">Baby Mitten Socks</a>.
Before Lovebug was born, I had knit her a pair of these with some
leftover fingering weight yarn, with the hopes of her wearing them as a
newborn. They were one of the only
pairs of socks I could keep on her tiny feet! </div>
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I knit <a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/qwm2t">one pair of socks</a> with Tanis Fiber Arts in
Peacock as per the pattern. They’re tiny, but should fit newborns or smaller
babies. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnrDNG6klgGvfsM23QPm_ZawfdldVDd_ZdCS7r__2jM9InlK0SC4Rphd_pwMjeuD7lPH5X7Dfj9QQ1OgiLEK72m6CI06lDaM2frNXmsCtr7S1HufXvxautEsA3wi5ViZi3mR1FTHJKIUX5/s1600/DSC_0274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnrDNG6klgGvfsM23QPm_ZawfdldVDd_ZdCS7r__2jM9InlK0SC4Rphd_pwMjeuD7lPH5X7Dfj9QQ1OgiLEK72m6CI06lDaM2frNXmsCtr7S1HufXvxautEsA3wi5ViZi3mR1FTHJKIUX5/s320/DSC_0274.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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But, after knitting this pair, I realized the Peacock
color was more teal than blue, so I knew I needed another pair. Pat still kindly accepted the first
pair, and reassured me they were “blue enough.” <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Wingdings;">:)</span><br />
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The <a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/ajjkw">second pair</a> I made using Knit Picks Simply Cotton
Sport in Wave Heather and Prussian Heather. The heals and toes are contrasting to the rest of the
sock. Because this was sport
weight yarn, the socks are larger, perhaps 6-12 month size? It’s better to be too big than too
small, right? Again, I followed
the pattern as directed, just with a heavier weight yarn.<br />
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I’m still new to knitting socks, even baby socks and don’t
completely understand the construction.
I know there is a cuff and leg, a heel, the foot and the toe, but there
are so many different ways to work the heel, you can do toe-up, top-down,
two-at-a-time, etc. etc. It’s a
bit overwhelming and I get nervous with the idea of changing the cast on number
because I don’t yet know how to accurately divide for the heel (which is the
most complicated part of the sock). </div>
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These socks were a snap to knit up and only took me a
few hours. And I was happy to be
able to contribute something to Operation Shower. <span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2766190632584817352.post-53464673164553793402012-06-28T11:13:00.002-05:002012-06-28T11:13:07.510-05:00Fairy Tales<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga8_g2SfsQsMtVpolEkaaXsZ8s8uGYg-Z73uIRcvpl0R6Kx3pSLjRpHClgOCyBWdp7oFdR_J52cM2nFqqrh21XF19smJbk38YVan005dHPYUTzR4QQWTcDhl9AcKPxp3BcqmJzP_udbsdK/s1600/DSC_0153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga8_g2SfsQsMtVpolEkaaXsZ8s8uGYg-Z73uIRcvpl0R6Kx3pSLjRpHClgOCyBWdp7oFdR_J52cM2nFqqrh21XF19smJbk38YVan005dHPYUTzR4QQWTcDhl9AcKPxp3BcqmJzP_udbsdK/s320/DSC_0153.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Tying up loose ends, I feel a bit out of it having not yet posted about the Fairy Tale swap I participated in.<br />
<br />
I branched out a little bit at the suggestion of my friend, Lyndsey, to try swapping in another group titled "<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/the-odd-duck-swaps-of-ravelry">Odd Ducks Swaps of Ravelry</a>." This group is dedicated to hosting swaps of all kinds, that don't really fit into any other category. There are strict rules about participation and guidelines for your swap package, but it's all intended to be good fun.<br />
<br />
Since I really enjoy fairy tales, especially those of the modern variety, I chose to take part in this swap (there were a <i style="font-weight: bold;">ton</i> of other options, but seeing as how I could only do one, this is what I chose). To put it simply, everything we put in this package had to related to fairy tales in some way, based on the interests, likes and dislikes of your swap partner. It didn't have to be Disney princesses or, strictly based on any one fairy tale, but you had to be smart and try and make it fun. There was a $ minimum you were expected to spend, which guarantees everyone gets a nice package, but doesn't require you to spend a lot of money if you don't have it. Participation without breaking the bank. :)<br />
<br />
My swap partner had mentioned that she, like me, enjoyed the fairy tale of Red Riding Hood. She had mentioned a couple others, but this is what I chose to focus on. Since I enjoy these stories as well, I felt I could put the best package together if it were something that I would like receiving. <br />
<br />
I knit two items, both of which were enjoyable, but one of which I wish I could have kept for myself! I really wanted to knit a shawl. Although Red Riding Hood is known for her red cape, I didn't think that very practical. Little girls are cute in capes, and capelets can be pretty, but I have a hard time seeing the functionality of one if you're a busy mom, on the go and not just stopping for photo shoot. <br />
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I chose the <a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/xfz04">Be.Leaf</a> pattern by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/kitman-figueroa">Kitman Figueroa</a>. My hopes were to knit a shawl reminiscent of the forest through which Red would travel to get to Grandma's house. A really neat color for this would have been green, with splashes of red and brown here and there, as though catching a glimpse of the forest floor and Red's cape, but I wasn't sure if she would like that. I also thought of a gradient yarn that would start with brown at the top and transition into one or two shades of green (i.e., tree trunk up to the leaves). But, again, I wasn't sure if that was her cup of tea so I stuck with simple.<br />
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I knit the shawl with Knit Picks Gloss Fingering in the colorway Kenai, which is a lovely dark teal color. While the yarn was a bit rough on my fingers while knitting, it was lovely and soft after blocking and had a fantastic drape when finished. <br />
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I blocked the majority of the shawl with pins, but left the ruffle without wires or pins so the integrity of the ruffle wouldn't be disturbed. It meant that because the pattern ends in stockinette and is bound off in pattern it would curl a bit, but I thought that the curling would fit within the ruffle just fine. In the future, if I knit this again, I might choose a different edging/bind off to create the edge from rolling. <br />
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I <i>really</i> wanted to keep this for myself....<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(The color is most accurate in this picture.)</span></div>
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The second knit was <a href="http://ravel.me/raelynne01/hhxuc">Mary Margaret's Lace Tam</a> by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/mary-craver">Mary Craver</a>. Now, this isn't Red Riding Hood, but instead is a pattern someone designed to recreate the tam Mary Margaret wears in the tv show <i><a href="http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/once-upon-a-time/">Once Upon A Time</a></i>. You can't see it here on my styrofoam head, but it's a very pretty lace pattern, and when on your head, opens up a bit. My dummy-head just wasn't big enough... (my swappee was the one to point out the hat in our discussion thread so I thought she'd enjoy this).<br />
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The directions for blocking this called for pulling the tam over an inflated balloon. I'd never blocked that way before. In the future, though, I may try a dinner plate instead. This was knit with Tanis Fiber Arts Blue Label in Tidal. It's beautiful! :)<br />
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I also included Red Riding Hood stitch markers shaped like books,<br />
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sheepy soap (to wash up with after the long trek through the woods),<br />
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a Red Riding Hood bag to hold her goodies for Grandma,<br />
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Kit Kat bars to stave off hunger on her journey, or to distract the big bad wolf,<br />
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and a skein of Shelter in Long Johns because I just had to include something Red for Red's cape. :)<br />
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Overall, my experience was pleasant. I got a lovely package from my swapper included the movie Red Riding Hood (the most recent version starring Amanda Seyfried), a huge chocolate bar, a handmade necklace (like that worn by Danielle in Ever After: A Cinderella Story (she wears it on her head...)), and a white shawl reminiscent of fairy wings (again, to be like the wings Danielle wears to the costume ball in Ever After). My partner also crocheted a little pouch/bag that is lined with tulle and can be either a bag, or a decorative head piece.<br />
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Although it was a bit uncomfortable swapping in a new group (I'm so used to the Itty Bitties), I would swap with them again, and feel better after having the first swap under my belt.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2