Lola's NEW Xmas Sweater

So after Lola wore the first sweater for about an hour it S-T-R-E-T-C-H-E-D like crazy and would probably now fit a 50lb bulldog! I have made the same pattern before but this time something went wrong...oh well...anyone have a 50lb bulldog?

I went and bought some yarn and used a new pattern and came up with this snazy new sweater, much more stylish!

Lola was quite as into posing as she was last time, she must have been tired!

Lola's Xmas Sweater!

In preparation for our Christmas journey to the frozen land of Western New York, I dove in to the stash and whipped up a sweater for Lola...now, I just need something to keep me warm...

She is such a little model...look at her pose! I know, I'm a big dork...

Anybody have a pattern for knit holly leaves?

Another scarf done!

I would like to say that this is my last Christmas gift... but unfortunately, I'm thinking about casting one last gift on this afternoon...I know, I'm nuts

Anyway, I found this yarn and knew that it would be perfect for my Grandma, so I did a simple 1x1 rib and added some little cabbage roses...I think it turned out great!

Bobblicious...done!

I like this project, but not as much as I thought I would. But it was my first time with bobbles and what an even bigger deal, my first time with real seaming! I think I done good!

This project was hard to take pictures of, so sorry for the shoddy photography!

Still finsihing up xmas presents, but i have nothin but time this week! Yay!

so dumb, but quite the resemblance!

Selfish? ME?

I have been feeling sorry for myself this week...Hubby is out of town on business and I needed something to keep me busy...Thank goodness for the new Knitty! I have finished all current xmas WIPs (still have to cast-on a couple though!) so I decided to be selfish. I picked the the most instant gratification-ish pattern that I could find...BOBBLICIOUS! Got the yarn and cast-on last night.

I'm thinking that it will take me at least the rest of the week and as I'm knitting it up, I'm wondering if it might make a good grandma gift for xmas, hmmm....

Anyway, I reduced the bobbles to two rows instead of four partially for fuction, but mainly so my husband doesn't make fun of me! I can't wait to cuddle up with it! Also looking forward to wearing it on the plane ride home. I hate the airline blankets and I am always freezing on the plane!

Here are a couple pics....




I decided to go with the same claret color that the designer used...its really pretty and after looking at all of the possiblities, I think that was my favorite.

And its really jammed on the needles! wish I had longer 15s or even circs! And my bobbles seem misshapen...I've never made bobbles before, but misshapen bobbles sound like a bad thing!

Another gift checked off the list!

Just finished my Dad's scarf this morning and I am super happy with how it came out. I made up the pattern when I couldn't find one that was "Dad worthy". I was a little worried that it might look feminine, but it totally doesn't. I was also concerned because my dad is a big softy and hates wool cuz it's scratchy...I used a wool blend and it was feeling a little itchy to me(Dad and I share sensitive skin!). I used a tip that I read somewhere...use a few drops of hair conditioner in the final rinse while blocking to help with the scratchies...and it really worked! Feels soft and fluffy! And the blocking really helped subdue the patterns bumps and ridges.

And of course, the new Knitty is out...there are a few patterns that I am anxious to start...I was going to start Teva Durhams Lace Leaf Pullover after Christmas, but now I am going to do Tubey...seems like a nice way to ease myself into the world of sweaters...

Before that, I have to decide who else I am going to knit for for Xmas...I still need a gift for my grandmother and brother...I was thinking about doing Kate from the new Knitty for Gram and I don't think that my bro would really dig anything handknit. But I am planning on trying the Baby's First Tattoo sweater from SnB Nation for my nephew...that would fall under Xmas gifts also since thats when I will see him!

I am feeling a little selfish because I bought yarn to make another felted bag and its high on my priority list too...well...we'll see!

Didn't need a quiz to tell me this...

You Are 40% Weird

Normal enough to know that you're weird... But too damn weird to do anything about it!

How Weird Are You?

Viva Las Felted Bag Pattern

Here it is...by popular demand (yeah, right!)

Viva Las Felted Bag

Materials:

Cascasde Pastaza # 072 (3 skeins)
Berroco Lazer FX # 605 (1 skein)
#9 circular needle (I did it on a 12", but I'd go larger if you have it!)
tapestry needle
large toggle button
and of course, a washing machine to felt!


Gauge:
to Pastaza label specs

DON'T FORGET TO SWATCH AND TO TEST FELT YOUR SWATCH!

here we go....

strap:

CO 175 with Pastaza
join to knit in the round...be careful not to twist!
K each stitch for 20 rows
Bind off

now you have the strap section finished...set aside

sides: (make 2)

CO 60 with Pastaza
pick up Lazer FX to carry along
Rows 1-20: knit in stockinette
(for less flash, you can drop the Lazer FX every other row)
drop Lazer FX
Row 21: K1, K2tog, k every stitch until last 3, K2tog, K1
Rows 22-30: knit in stockinette
Row 31: K1, K2tog, k every stitch until last 3, K2tog, K1
Rows 32-38: knit in stockinette
Row 39: K1, K2tog, k every stitch until last 3, K2tog, K1
Rows 40-44: knit in stockinette
Row 45: K1, K2tog, k every stitch until last 3, K2tog, K1
Rows 46-50: knit in stockinette
Row 51: K1, K2tog, k every stitch until last 3, K2tog, K1
Rows 52-54: knit in stockinette
Row 55: K1, K2tog, k every stitch until last 3, K2tog, K1
Rows 56-58: knit in stockinette
Row 59: *K1, K2tog, k every stitch until last 3, K2tog, K1
Row 60: p every stitch*
repeat from * three times (to Row 66)
Bind off

flap:

CO 20 stitches with Pastaza
K in stockinette for 40 rows
Bind off

assembly:

Thread the tapestry needle with Pastaza and stitch the side panels to either side of the bag strap. Stitch the flap onto the top edge of one side panel...

you are now ready to felt...put your bag in an old pillowcase and wash with hot water and a pair or two of jeans...check it often!!! (my swatch took two cycles, while my actual bag only took half of one cycle!)

When its reached the desired feltiness..block it into shape (I used a shoe in the bottom of the bag.)

After it has dried...sew on the button and then cut a TINY (I'm not kidding, it will stretch!) slit into the flap in the appropriate buttonhole place

Voila! Viva Las Felted Bag (I'm mixing my foreign languages here...)

Now...take into account that I have never written out a pattern before, so this may either be redundant or missing things or both...please let me know, and for heaven's sake...show me your bags when you are done!

In progress and finished bag pictures in previous postings!

ENJOY!

My felted bag!

YAY!!! My first felted project! I love love it, but DAMN it really felted up! My swatch was not even close. The swatch took two cycles through the wash and the bag only took half a cycle and felted like crazy. So because of that, its a little smaller than I had hoped, but its still pretty nice! Not too bad for coming up with the pattern on the fly!

Have you ever been obsessed with something?...

If I have ever been obsessed with anything, this felted bag project is it! I knit like a fiend yesterday and am hoping that I can finish this thing tonight! I am just anxious and excited about my first felted project! Here are some pics...

Here it is...about to go into the washer! Let the magic begin!

What Christmas Shopping?

Hubby and I ventured out to the mall this morning and battled the masses on this lovely Black Friday. We didn't buy one single gift...just stuff for us.

I looked and looked for a new bag for myself and found nothing that I loved. I decided that I would take the plunge and not only try to design my own purse, but a felted purse none the less! I have never felted...the swatch is in the wash as we speak. I am super stoked. I got some Cascade Pastaza and Berroco Laser FX. It should be interesting!

I love the colors and I think that the sequins will give it a little pizzazz and keep it from looking like someones grandma's bag...I also love the button! That bluish, greenish, turquoisey color is my color of the moment!

I must admit that I am procrastinating a little bit...I really need to start the dog sweater that I promised the bro and SIL...but I have until xmas for that! This is a project that I can start enjoying immediately!

Who has time for Christmas shopping when there is knitting to be done!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

As I pass the time before Thanksgiving Dinner watching the National Dog Show, I thought that I would check in.

Not too much on the knitting front...I finished 2x2 rib scarf...just needs blocking. My Dad's scarf is about 1/2 done and I am still contemplating who else is going to get a knit xmas gift. (I'm asking for an iPod for Christmas, along with the Boye Needlemaster set.)

Hubby and I will be having Thanksgiving dinner at a wonderful buffet! I miss the fam, but we are heading home for xmas, so we will see them soon enough!

Tis the season for SCARVES!

Tis the season for WIPs is more like i! Three scarves at three different levels of completion...first, my 2x2 rib!

I LOVE this yarn and I can't wait to have it finished! Only about another foot left to knit! I think that I will have enough yarn left over for a skinny scarf for my SIL...OR I could make myself a matching hat, but that not entirely practical seeing as how I have never worn a winter hat in the Las Vegas desert!

Next is my Harry Potter scarf! I just cast this on Friday night. I got swept up in the whole movie whirlwind. I even took a test to determine what house I would be placed in!(Ravenclaw...FYI!)I am really liking the colors and the trapped bar pattern!


Last is the Dad scarf. After spending so much effort on my mom's scarf, I started to feel bad that I wasn't going to knit anything for my dad. He's a business man who wears a suit to work everyday. I know that he wears scarves, but I've only seen him wear those finely woven scarves with trench coats and such. So I feel like I am going out on a limb a little with this. I couldn't find a pattern that was sufficantly "manly", so I came up with this...



Hopefully he likes it!

I love finishing projects!

I am so glad to be finished with this scarf! It was first time with "lace" and I got the hang of it pretty quick once I figured out the pattern...dumb yo.

If this was for anyone else but my mother, I would have tossed it in the UFO pile. BUT...I would suffer it again because it turned out so darned purdy!

The yarn is beautiful with all of the great color changes, but it wasn't my favorite to work with. But I'm an instant gratification kinda girl and I usually like to stick with at least worsted weight.

Next on the needles:

* finish my 2x2 scarf

* dog sweaters! I've promised two people that their dogs would be clothed by xmas!

Yay for Short Weeks!

Or should I say, Yay for long weekends! November is the month for short work weeks. Last week I had Monday off for "Staff Development" and the week before I had Friday off for Nevada Day...Then I have this Friday off for Veterans Day! Next week is a full week, but after that I have a three day week for Thanksgiving!

It messes up my work schedule, I can't ever get anything done, but hey...who can really complain about paid days off!

My "Misty Garden" scarf is coming along nicely, but the yarn is so thin and the needles are so small that it is taking a freaking year to get anywhere! I will post a pic soon...Its an xmas gift and I am overly paranoid with getting it finished, so I am sure that it will be done within the next week. I really want to get back to work on MY scarf!

The next pattern that I want to do is the Clapotis from Knitty...I'm just not sure if I will use it. I have been scouting yarn and there is no way that I am paying about $100 for yarn for something that I may not even put to use! So maybe I can score a deal on eBay or something...

Well hubby and I off to watch Tivo (Wednesday night TV sucks!)

What a week!

This week flew by! Probably because I was so busy fretting over misread patterns and nursing my poor puppy back to health! Yes thats right, we had Lola spayed on Tuesday. I felt so bad for the little gopher! She's back to her normal, destructive self at this point...stitches will be out next Saturday.

My other big issue of the week had to do with stupid yarn overs. I had been going with the incorrect assumption that a yo was a stitch when it is actually just bringing the yarn over the front of the needle. DUH! I spent three nights on that one. The pattern that was giving me the problem was Misty Garden from Scarf Style. Now that I figured out my yo issue, it is coming along quite nicely!



Another DUH revelation... my genius husband suggested that I go to the library to see if they had any knitting books JACKPOT! They have tons of current knitting books full of pattern for me to try! Who would have thought? Obviously not me!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I took pictures of Lola in her bad-ass skull sweater. Last week we went to a Hallo-weiner picnic. It was all dachshunds dressed up in costumes...hilarious!

It is starting to seem as if all I do is knit and talk about my dog. I promise that I'm not that lame. I will have to make sure that my next post is more diverse!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Knitting!

sooo yesterday I went and dropped $75 at my LYS. I should never go in there without an agenda. I now have a bunch of yarn and no good project ideas. I'm thinking that blue will be a new scarf for ME...and the fushia mohair stuff will be an xmas gift for my mom. Hmmm, I'd better start brainstorming.

I started knitting up a basic 2x2 rib on the blue, It really wanted to highlight the cool subtle color change. I will probably keep it simple on my mom's scarf too.


Check out my dog, Lola, in the pic. She loves yarn. But not in a good, constructive way. She loves to grab it as soon as I turn my back and completely trash it. She was just waiting for me to look away while I was taking the picture...she knows that she can out run me. I started the Bubby bear from Knitty.com. Lola got a hold of it and chewed a big hole in it. She must have sensed that my gauge was off. Oh well. It will just be more practice for when I start it again!



As I tried to take pictures of my mauled Bubby...the monster struck again!

Official Blogger!

What a dork. That is how I think of myself most of the time.

This could get interesting. Random thoughts from my crowded mind!

Welcome to my blog! I plan to fill this space with frequent updates on my life...knitting stuff and arbitrary thoughts mostly, but I'm sure that there will be lots of other dorky junk as well!

Bring it on!!!!