Spring Knitting

The knitting season might slow down for some come spring/summer but for me I think I will knit just as much as I would in the fall/winter.  It is just about finding the right spring/summer projects; think weddings, babies, light shawls and vibrant or soft pastel colours.  This is a great pattern I found at Urban Yarns called the “Ruffled Scarf.”  This pattern comes in 2 gauges- Worsted and DK.  Because it is not quite spring and the air is still crisp  I made it in worsted weight with Malabrigo yarn in periwinkle.   I added beads to the flower to give some sparkle!

Mini Toys

I have always enjoyed making dolls and creatures.  Recently I have been into knitting mini toys.  This bunny from  CiD Hanscom Designs turned out super cute.  When I finished “Harry Rabbit” (the name it came with) clearly was a girl so I changed her name to Harriet and designed her a little pink skirt!  My next toy project is “Squeak” from the same company which you can imagine is a mouse!  After that I will most likely design my own cute creature!

I will be instructing a 2 day knitted toy class April 01 and 08 at Urban Yarns featuring CiD Hanscom Design kits.  Visit Urban Yarns for more information.

A Basket Full of Roving

I have a beautiful basket full of blue and brown roving- my 2 favorite colour combinations –sitting in my living room. It is just as great a décor piece that warms up the room as it is a basket full of roving! I have a little spinner that is small enough to place on my knee or table top which is perfect for taking this project anywhere; I have a lot to spin! Other idea I ponder are making wee felted toys; Kitty is always on the hunt for new and exciting mice- I think a blue mouse might be just what she is looking for! The other day a woman came into the shop who told me all about her fluffy roving bath mat- knitted with the largest needles possible and plain roving (un-spun). I must admit, I am not 100% sold on the idea although she assured me the oils from the wool keeps it water resistant and it dries fast…sort of makes sense, slightly intrigued.

French Press Slippers

If you are looking for a quick yet satisfying weekend project these French Press Slippers are perfect.  I knit these slippers with 2 skeins of Cascade 220 in Black with 10mm needles.  Because they are felted after I knit them up they were huge- funny to think they will actually shrink up just right. 

Once these slippers had been felted (about 2-3 times through the agitation cycle) I placed them on my feet wet to contour them to my foot.  I put them on every few hours to make sure they would dry in this shape.  They took a few days to dry but worth the wait!  Once they were dried I sewed on the top flap and cute white heart button!  I recommend this project for beginners and pros!  I will be holding a 2 night class on making these slippers March 18^th and 25^th 2010 6:00pm – 9:00pm at Urban Yarns Point Grey Location $25.00 plus the cost of yarn and pattern.

A Bowl Full of Yarn

I think I am driving my Husband crazy with all this knitting- he says “can’t you just relax with me” and I look at him confused saying “but I am relaxing” as I click’ity- clack the needles row after row.  I suppose it is my jolting motion I make every time I flip the yarn over the needle that is least relaxing- I agree…one day I will learn a graceful knitting technique. 

He recently built a shelf to accommodate his addiction: DVD collecting.  And since it isn’t 100% full of DVD’s yet I have found it to be a perfect spot to store my addiction: yarn, knitting book and 1/2 done knitting project collecting!  He is good at sharing for now but I suppose his DVD’s will win over the space soon enough which only means that he will have to build me a special yarn shelf! 

Now that I have started knitting like crazy and storing my yarn on the DVD shelf, where do I put my ends (the yarn left over from most projects)?  Suddenly my home décor mode kicks in and I think of the perfect spot, a glass bowl.  Displaying rather than hiding the ends in plastic bags until I commit to a project I can use them in is just right.  A glass bowl full of yarn as a center piece is most charming and mysterious, what will these mini orbs of yarn be used for?

I Love Buttons

I suppose I gather yarn and collect buttons.  I gather yarn for all the projects I have ideas for, projects I want to make and projects I have not thought of but know will look amazing in the bright coloured variegated yarn I fall in love with. I collect buttons because they are unique, pretty, and sparkly, old, or ugly.  I collect buttons from bargain bins, from Paris, from fancy button stores.  There is never a reason for collecting buttons- I never have a planned idea of where they are going to land; either on a knitted thing or sewn garment.  I just collect them because I like them and maybe they will make it onto something I create in the future or maybe they will just look pretty in my collecting tin to admire every so often.  There are so many different kinds of buttons and they become little treasures once they catch my eye.  I love the big buttons and the unique shaped ones.  Wooden buttons are always special and the antique metal ones are always a favorite!

An Introduction

Welcome to the Knitty Knitty Gritty; a new blog about all things Knit hopefully to inspire!  I recently re-started knitting after taking a many-year-break and now cannot stop.  What sparked my manic knitting was a part-time job at Urban Yarns in Vancouver BC Canada.  Surrounded by wool all day, surrounded by talented knitters and creative crafters constantly could only lead to a knitting frenzy!  So after learning a more technical side to knitting I am now designing patterns and challenging my knitting addiction daily.  I am loving it!