Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Purse Junky that Quilts...



Weird title for a post isn't it? I've been bad because once again I have been surfing eBay and putting my Visa card to the test. I'm surprised that poor little plastic card doesn't self destruct. I love purses! I am a self admitted purse junky. There's not much in life that thrills me as much as a new leather purse. And being a lover of leather...the purses I covet tend to be expensive. I recently discovered the Hayden-Harnett handbag company. Awesome purses, and WAY expensive. I could never justify spending over $500.00 on a purse. Sooooo, enter eBay! Just on a whim I did an eBay search of Hayden-Harnett. And what should I find!? But the purse I love. Could I get so lucky as to find a $425.00 purse for $135.00? YES! And did I buy it? YES! Do I feel guilty? Hell no! I look at it this way...I just saved myself $290.00!


My mom is getting a quilt for Mother's Day...2006! I told her that was her Mother's Day present LAST year. I have yet to deliver. So I have set my mind to the task of quilting for the next couple weeks. I machine quilt, hand quilting is too time consuming for me. I figure I'd rather spend my extra time knitting, which is also time consuming. My mom's quilt will be done in vintage prints to look like it's from the 30's. I have the pattern and fabric...in fact, the fabric is all cut and ready to sew. Now I just need to get my ass in gear and start assembling! The quilt pictured is for a child, I am using that pattern but have added another row to lengthen it so my mom can use it for a throw. She always seems to be cold and likes something over her legs while she watches t.v. I promise to post a picture of the finished throw...someday!

Yesterday I had my annual review at work. Yikes, I hate that! My boss is younger than me and I have worked with him for 15 years. He is a great guy that I truly like and respect. I treat him like my son and he treats me very kindly. I still get nervous when I get called to his office! Especially when he shuts the door! Not to worry...he gave me an excellent review and was very happy with my work the last year. I do like my job, most days.

I am off to the fabric store for the quilt batting and I think I will stop in at Lens Crafters and look for new glasses. I have a pair I love that are a funky blue color but they are my old Rx. Maybe I will look for some frames in purple...my favorite color! Later...

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

I See A MacBook in My Future!


I need to post a picture and since I don't have anything of knitting interest I thought you'd enjoy seeing my granddaughter Mia. She is a cutie!

My little desktop iMac is struggling along. He is still working but is basically only good for surfing the net, and word processing. Since the CD rom drive is dead I can't update or load any software. I have been coveting, yes coveting, a pretty new MacBook. I've always wanted a computer that is portable, you know, like to your bedroom so you can surf the net in bed! I will stay with the Apple company since I still feel they make the best and most friendly computers. I use a PC at work and it is fine...I don't want to offend all you PC users out there. But for me, there is no better computer than a Mac.

Tomorrow night is my monthly knitting group. If there is anyone in the Minneapolis area that would like to join us, please do! We'd love to have you. My friend Janet and I started this group almost 5 years ago and it is still going strong. We meet the third Thursday of the month at the Chanhassen Fire Dept at 7:00pm. It is a very friendly group with all different ages and skill levels. We have a fun time knitting and talking. Sometimes more talking than knitting! Please join us if you can. E-mail me for directions or if you have any questions.

Since today is Wednesday and my day off, I guess I really should try and accomplish some things around the house. Like mop the floors, do laundry, and clean the bathrooms. ugh. Tonight is my favorite show...Lost. I look forward to it every week and this season has not disappointed me yet. I also love to watch The Sopranos...although I hate to admit it. Since when did my live start to revolve around T.V.? I guess since I got older (I'll be 55 in June!) and my children all grew up. Life is good!

Friday, April 13, 2007

Today I Baked Bread...


Today I baked a wonderful loaf of artisan style bread. It smells great, tastes divine, and it's everything a loaf of homemade bread should be. What's the catch? It took almost 24 hours to make!! That's right folks...almost a whole day to make a measly loaf of bread. Was it worth it? Yes. I am probably the last person on earth to make the famous and popular "No-Knead Bread" from the NY Times. It is so very different than the regular bread I would normally make. This bread is almost a batter that turns into a dough that bakes into a crusty delicious bread. You have to try it to see what I mean, just plan way ahead so it is ready when you want to eat it. I made the dough at 10:00pm before I went to bed and finished the process this afternoon so the bread was ready for dinner. It takes a bit of timing to get it all sorted out but it is well worth the effort. I also baked mine in a 3 qt covered earthenware casserole and it was plenty large enough. Let me know how the recipe works out for you. BTW-instant yeast is the same as quick rise yeast, the recipe calls for instant and people were going nuts trying to find it. It's just the fast yeast you get for bread machines. I used Red Star Quick Rise and it worked perfectly fine. And you might want to double the salt, I read on a few blogs that it needed more flavor.

I am still plugging along on the never-ending sleeves of my green cable pullover. I anticipate a done date within the next couple weeks. Then it is on to the purple cardigan or this little number. I think that is the cutest sweater I've seen in a long time. I just worry that my big-ass belly will look even bigger! Maybe I should lose some weight first...like, while I'm knitting the sweater I could also be on a stationary bike. Maybe not. I also am confused by the directions of "reverse shaping" for the fronts of the sweater. I'll need to read those directions a few times to figure that out! Why can't the pattern companies just write out the WHOLE pattern for us? That's one of my biggest pet peeves.

Well, the dog is outside waiting to come in and her feet are muddy...oh joy. Have a wonderful weekend and keep those needles clicking!

Saturday, April 7, 2007

Happy Easter! Radical Waves Sock Pattern


Happy Easter to all who celebrate this holiday! I am having the big Easter dinner tomorrow at my house. Glazed ham, baked turkey breast, cheesy potatoes, asparagus, fruit salad, etc. Sounds like a pretty tasty feast to me. I am happy to report that thanks to a wonderful student who lives in Norway, and her excellent German translations, the Canklet Socks may be a go! I am going to try and knit the second one and if it works...I will post the pattern. For now I will post a pattern I wrote years ago that uses sport weight sock yarn and is a pretty quick knit. I call it the Radical Waves Sock but I'm sure all you seasoned knitters will recognize the pattern. It is a pretty lace sock that is easy to knit and looks good on. Without further ado...Radical Waves!

Materials
Yarn: 100 grams sport weight sock yarn, sample is knit with Silja Sock Yarn
Needles: US size 2 (2.75mm) set of 4 dpn
Stitch marker
Gauge: 7.5 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch

Radical Waves Pattern:
Rnd 1: knit
Rnd 2: *yo, k3, sl 1-k2tog-psso, k3, yo, k1*
Rnd 3: knit
Rnd 4: *k1, yo, k2, sl 1-k2tog-psso, k2, yo, k1, p1*
Rnd 5: *k9, p1*
Rnd 6: *k2, yo, k1, sl 1-k2tog-psso, k1, yo, k2, p1*
Rnd 7: *k9, p1*
Rnd 8: *k3, yo, sl 1-k2tog-psso, yo, k3, p1*

Slip stitches as if to purl.

yo=yarn over

sl 1-k2tog-psso=slip one stitch, knit 2 stitches together, pass the slipped stitch over the knit 2 together

SSK(slip slip knit)= slip 2 stitches individually as if to knit, then knit them together through the back loop.

Cast On

Cast on 60 stitches.
Divide the stitches evenly onto 3 needles, 20 sts each.
Join, being careful not to twist stitches.
Place marker at beginning of round, between needles 1 and 3.

Leg

Work *K2, P2* ribbing for 12 rounds, or desired length.
Change to Radical Wave Pattern and knit 5 pattern repeats. Ending after a round 8.

Heel Flap
Knit across the 20 sts on needle 1 and the first 10 stitches on needle 2. You now have 30 stitches total on needle 1 (move marker to the center of these stitches, this is now center back). Set the 30 stitches aside (on needles 2 and 3) for instep. You may leave the stitches on needles 2 and 3 as they are, or put them on a piece of waste yarn while you work the heel.

Turn work. S1, and purl back 30 stitches on needle 1.

Knit heel flap in heel stitch:
Row 1(right side): *sl 1, k1* across.
Row 2: sl 1, purl across.
Work 34 rows of heel stitch, ending after a row 2.

Turn Heel

This is a round heel:
Slip 1, knit 16 stitches, SSK, k1, turn.
Slip 1, purl 5, p2tog, p1, turn.
Slip 1, knit 6, SSK, k1, turn.
Slip 1, purl 7, p2tog, p1, turn.

Continue to turn heel, always working one more stitch each row, until all stitches are worked. End after a purl round.

~Tip~There will always be a noticeable gap between the stitches that need to be worked together (SSK, p2tog). The decreases are always worked across the gap using the stitch before the gap and the stitch after the gap.

Knit across needle 1 to end.

Gussets

Using needle 1, pick up one stitch through each slip stitch loop on edge of heel flap.
Knit across the 30 instep stitches, continuing with round 1 of Radical Wave Pattern. Combining all 30 instep stitches from needles 2 and 3 onto one needle.

With loose needle, pick up one stitch through each slip stitch loop on edge of heel flap and knit to center of heel where the marker is.
You should now have:
needle 1: half the heel stitches and the first group of picked-up gusset stitches
needle 2: the 30 instep stitches
needle 3: the second group of gusset stitches and the second half of the heel stitches
Marker should be between needles 1 and 3. This is center back.

Gusset Decreases
Ndl 1: *Knit to 3 sts from end of needle 1, k2tog, k1.
Ndl 2: pattern across (this is rnd 2 of pattern)
Ndl 3: k1, SSK, k to end of needle (at center of heel).

Knit one round even.*

Decrease as above from * to * until 60 stitches total remain. Always working a plain round between the decrease rounds with needle 2 remaining in pattern. When decreases are done you should have 15 sts on both needles 1 and 3, and the 30 instep stitches on needle 2.

Instep
Work sock on the 60 stitches (needle 2 always in pattern, needles 1 and 3 in knit) until foot reaches the point where your big toe is attached to your foot. Knit one round plain. You will discontinue the pattern on needle 2 for the toe.

Toe
Decrease round:
Needle 1: K to 3 sts from end, k2tog, k1.
Needle 2: K1, SSK, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
Needle 3: K1, SSK, knit to end.

Knit one round even.
Alternate decrease and plain rounds until 30 stitches total remain.
Now work decreases every round until 12 (ndl 1: 3 sts, ndl 2: 6 sts, ndl 3: 3 sts) total stitches remain. Combine the sts from ndls 1 and 3 onto one needle and kitchener together with the stitches on needle 2.

Kitchener Stitch:
With stitches on 2 needles, the working yarn coming from the back needle, hold the needles parallel in your left hand. Cut yarn leaving an 18” tail. Thread a yarn needle onto the tail.

~Hint~ Always work your stitches under the needles. The working yarn never goes over the top of the needles when closing the toe.

Do once:
Front needle: bring threaded needle through first stitch as if to purl and leave stitch on the needle

Back needle: bring threaded needle through first stitch as if to knit and leave stitch on needle

Repeat the next 2 steps until all stitches have been worked:

Front needle: bring threaded needle through first stitch as if to knit and slip off--bring threaded needle through next stitch as if to purl and leave on

Back needle: bring threaded needle through first stitch as if to purl one slip off--bring threaded needle through next stitch as if to knit and leave on

Weave in any loose ends. Knit another sock to match!
Karen Hoyle, Wren’s Nest Designs©2001