Scatterbrained

Yes, that is me lately. 80 thousand things going on, both in life and in knitting (I consider these seperate worlds, by the way), and I find myself unable to focus on one thing for long. It's frustrating. I got halfway through the sleeves of the itty bitty size 3 needles sweater for me and set it aside because it was becoming just an absolute chore to pick it up. That began my couple of days obsession with fingerless gloves. I banged out my first pair with no trouble at all, with a lace panel on the top too even! Got started on my second pair with some Silky Wool that I got 40% off at an LYS that is or now has gone, out of business. Got one glove made and set it aside last night to play with a skein of Noro Sekku that I also picked up at the going out of business sale. Got some rounds crocheted on a doily. My end table is now overflowing with WIP's. I don't like that. Personal matters have been overwhelming though. My oldest son finally got himself in some real trouble a couple weeks ago after going in the wrong direction for a few months. My days are now being crowded with court dates and lawyer meetings, community service, school admissions and job searches. He seems to finally have woken up and seen where he was heading (it's amazing how a couple days in a real live grown up jail will do that for you!), and is making a real attempt at turning his life around. It's all exhausting. I thank God for the knitting, it allows me some down time to relax, but even that has been effected by my just total feeling of restlessness lately. It's also been VERY warm here, perhaps some cold weather will help me settle in more. I need to make a pair of fingerless gloves for my mother in law and some socks for Marcus, both for Christmas. Also ordered the last 5 skeins to compete my Lizard's Ridge Afghan and don't even know WHEN I'm going to fit that in....Ok, I must go try and settle this child down for his nap or give up the idea entirely. He's been in there singing and dancing in his crib for an hour and 26 minutes with no sleep in sight. How long can a full moon last anyways?

Ideas, Projects, Ideas, Projects and a Great Rainy Day!

Well I haven't written lately, my apologies, but  I sure have been busy. Both with knit and non-knit related things. I'm big on always trying to move forward or else you start to slip back and there's nothing good about that. So I am always trying to improve upon something, pretty much every day. Be it myself, my home, a way of doing something, ect... and I've been doing a lot of that lately, which is good. =)

On the knit front, I discovered the other day that the Wake County NC library(s) have gone COMPLETELY online. You can now do everything that you could do at the library, in the comfort of your home. You can check your account, renew your books and most importantly, for me anyways, search through and request hundreds of knitting titles while your son comfortably naps in the next room. Yay! I went a little nuts. Request, request, REQUEST! Yesterday, I happily picked up my first batch of 'holds'. It included, but not limited to, New England Knits, a scarf book, a bag book, 2 at a time toe up sock book (this REALLY got some ideas flowing!!) and a few others. Oh, Stitch and Bitch Superstar Knitting and a Suss Design book. This morning I was supposed to go running for the first time in a week. (My mornings have been SO busy!) And  I got up and it was pouring. Consistantly. It never does that in North Carolina. We get spotty showers here and there at best and are ALWAYS in a drought. I remember being in my new apartment for 6 months a realizing that we had yet to have an actual rainy day. Well today we do. So I happily got myself a cup of coffee and started in with the new book collection. Demarcus joined me. He likes my knitting books as they usually have something in them he finds interesting like babies or toy props. He sat right there with me looking at them and pointing out the things he knew, working on his words. =) What a GREAT way to spend a morning!!

I also have discovered SweaterBabe.com in my absence from blogging. What a great site and I am beyond envious of her talent. If I can just get through Christmas with the boys, I will be ordering a LOT of patterns from her!

We also have this great thing here in Wake County called FreeCycle which is pretty much where you go to get rid of something you no longer need or want but it's still perfectly good (or mostly). I have given and gotten SO many things from this! (I'm lucky that in Wake County there are 10,000 members, which makes for a lot of giving!). I've gotten everything from sofas and loveseats, kitchen tables, TV's, a king sized pillow top bed set (inluding the bed), you get the idea. This is over about 4 years worth of time. It is hit or miss, something when you REALLY need something you will not see anyone posting one up, but with patience, just about everything becomes available eventually! Well the reason I am writing about this and how it is knit related, is I FINALLY got a printer! When Marcus and I split up the beginning of this year, I left him the printer when I moved because though it was a house purchase, he had purchased it, so it just didn't seem right to try and take it. So I didn't. That ment I have been printing everything at the library since April and at 50 cents for a colored sheet and 25 cents for a black and white, lets just say I haven't been doing a whole lot of printing. Well now my 'printables' folder in my email, which is just smack FULL of knitting patterns to be printed....... can finally start being printed. In color, no less! =)

Some projects rolling around in my mind right now that I need to get to soon are the Lotus Bag from Stitch and Bitch Superstar Knitting, especially since when I went on KnitPicks I found that the yarn averaged $2 a ball and you only need 4 balls to make this great bag. Also fingerless gloves. I need some. SweaterBabe has a great pair of cabled and a pair of lace ones at only around $3 a pattern, but sadly, I do not even have that on the pre-paid credit card right now so I went in search of a fabulous free one. I found it at Elann in their free pattern section. Also, I've got socks on the brain. A million of them to try. For me, for Demarcus and even for Marcus, who has his faults but faithfully wears his hand knit socks pretty much every day he is not working. =)


Ok, well that is enough rambling for today. I need to finish pulling myself together and perhaps start to tackle that closet that I could fit so much more in if it were just organized! (Progression, Progression, Progression!!)

And Moving Forward....Kinda =)

Ok, I apologize for the lack of updates, I've been a little discouraged these days. For one, I started this blog with some ideas in mind. One was that I love to knit and show off what I've done but I'm not big on Ravelry because as I've stated, I tend to get lost beyond the point of return. Also, I was looking to connect and get feedback from other knitters, that hasn't really happened yet but I realize I am still early in this. Another one was money. I had heard that you can make money blogging and thought hey, why not? I'm a disabled single mother of three and I certainly struggle to get all the bills paid each month. If I can make a few bucks writing about something I love and sharing patterns I've written, well, why not? And I was. Only a little bit, but hey, it wasn't costing me anything to share and type. (This was from the Google Ads offered here on Blogger). I was up to twenty something bucks. At a hundred, they would cut me a check and I was pretty excited about that even though it wouldn't be for awhile. Then I went to check my account and saw that it had been disabled. No explanation. Invalid click activity. I don't even know what this is really but I know I read their policy when I signed up and I hadn't done anything it said I wasn't supposed to do. So I filled out their appeal form and sent it. I read their rules about the appeal and it said you had no other recourse if your appeal was denied, that was it. I really couldn't imagine mine would be, I thought it had to be some mistake and filled out the form. I received an email a few days later saying that my account would NOT be reinstated. No further explanation. Nothing else I can do. I am barred, FOR LIFE, from Googles Adsense and I have no idea why. And they took back my lousy twenty something dollars too. So you see, I've been a little discouraged.

Also, at the same time, I was attempting for the 5th time, my first lace project. I love lace. It doesn't love me. I get so far and boom, mistake that I don't even begin to know how to fix. I guess I just have bad concentration. I'm determined to overcome it, though I guess not right now. I tried the Kid Silk Haze wrap like 4 times, each time having to rip it out and start over. Sometimes after just a couple of rows, sometimes after I'd correctly done 5 inches. I then tried it with the Patons Lace yarn, thinking maybe I was just having trouble because the Kid Silk Haze is so fine. Yes, that was absolutely the problem I decided after correctly knitting 6 inches with the Patons Lace. Then boom, wrong stitch count again. Nope, it's not the yarn. It is most positively, definitely, me. So for the sake of my moral, I had to put it aside AGAIN!

So now I am back to work on the size 3 needle sweater for me that I have been working on for a couple of months off and on. The needle size is so small and it's so tedious, I make a piece of the sweater and then set it aside, do something else and then go back to it. It, I so completely hope, should be fabulous upon completion. It is the Draped Cardigan from Debbie Bliss' Spring/Summer 2010 issue. There is a picture of it here.

I still need to get someone to take a picture of me in the last sweater I finished, right before Google disabled my ads and I lost my knitting mojo with the lace. Perhaps tomorrow, Marcus is off. I'm unsure the fate of this blog right, to be honest, but I think for now I will keep plugging away. Taking it down is a forever decision, so I will wait until I'm not so down to decide. If anyone has any input, please, feel free to comment!

Another Finished Sweater....

This time for me! I finally finished the Paton's Devine sweater I spoke of in an earlier post. With the 3/4 length sleeves. I just couldn't bear even the thought of trying to rip out this fuzzy fuzzy yarn (you all know how fuzzy fuzzy yarn snags and gets stuck when trying to un-knit it!), along with the fact that I had already woven in the ends and sewn up the seam (the only seeming to this sweater is under the arms, it's a top down pattern). So, the 3/4 sleeves are growing on me. Hey, it's good to try new things, right? I should have a pic of it up tomorrow, today it's just me and Demarcus (age 2) and he's good at a lot of things, but picture taking isn't one of them. =)

So I am undecided if I am going to pull out a half done project from the closet, or start a new one. I got the yarn for a great lace shawl project from AC Moore for $3. And it only uses the one $3 skein too. The pattern is free along with a photo on the Paton's site here. It should be an interesting project...I love the IDEA of knitting lace. The actual doing is um, sketchy. I tend to lose my place. Even with no distractions, my mind tends to distract itself. I don't think I've mentioned yet in this blog that I am hearing impaired. Well, that doesn't really explain much, I have a cochlear implant. Which means I am completely and totally deaf when not wearing my device. Which actually comes in handy in regards to knitting. (And parenting). I can just shut off everybody and everything when  I want to. I think this is natures way of compensating me for the annoyance of always going 'Whaaaat?' to everybody. But it comes in damn handy when trying to count while knitting. But still, the lace. Eh, it doesn't always work out so well. Add into it that I'm new to lace and aren't comfortable just ripping out a few rows and picking up there and it's a melt down waiting to happen. But I'm no quitter, so still I try. I have a really cute wrap to make out of Rowans Kid Silk Haze that I spent $30 on the 2 lousy balls of yarn for a lifetime ago. I've started it 3 times only to mess it up after completing 10 inches or so and have to rip it out. I WILL finish it eventually!

I also have this great top I wear all the time that I really want to try knitting up but that'll be hard budget wise, having to swatch and such. But I'll get there eventually, it would be a great piece knitted. I also have some skirt idea's kicking around in my head too. But for now, pics of the newest sweater should be up tomorrow! Thanks for reading!

The Free 'Baby Gap' Sweater Pattern

 I call this my 'Baby Gap Sweater', because it was inspired by an absolutely adorable sweater at Baby Gap. However, I am a single mom of 3 boys, some weeks I don't even have a Walmart budget. Baby Gap is out of the question. I had some Bernat Organic Cotton at home that I had picked up on clearance in a tan and off white that would be perfect and so I set out to make my son a 'Baby Gap Sweater'. The Bernat has since been discontinued but any cotton that will knit up to gauge will do. You could also try a wool or wool blend that knits to gauge, thought the drape and hang of the garmet will differ somewhat. I would recommend trying the Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece Seconds from Coveted Yarn as it is only $4.00 a ball and $5.00 shipping to anywhere in the US. My next one of these will be of a monotone nature, which I thought of while looking at the Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece Seconds, which is why I am recommending it. =)

 Size: Fits AROUND 18 months (I hate this age guess, just use the finished chest measurement, it's SO much more accurate!). Finished chest measurement of 28 inches.

MATERIALS:
3 (50 gr) skeins cotton in off white
3 (50 gr) skeins cotton in tan
Size 6 Needles or size needed to get gauge
Stitch holders
Set of 4 Double Pointed Needles (DPN's) in size 6 or size needed for gauge (used for 3 needle bind off).
Your choice of zipper or buttons for closure.


GAUGE:
17 stitches = 4" in stockinette stitch

NOTE:
As it becomes tiresome to both write and read all the color changes, I am simply going to note here to change colors every 8 rows. Very shortly after starting this pattern, you will be able to tell by eye when you need to change.


BACK:
Starting with tan, cast on 68 stitches.
Knit for 1". (garter stitch)
Work in stockinette stitch (knitting on the right side, purling on the wrong side) until piece measures 13" from beginning, ending with a ws row. Don't forget your color changes every 8 rows!

K 18 stitches and place on a holder for right shoulder, k next 32 stitches and place on a holder for back neck, k remaining stitches and place on a holder for left shoulder.

RIGHT FRONT:
Cast on 38 stitches, again starting with the tan yarn. Work 1" in garter stitch, then switch to stockinette stitch BUT keep the last 6 stitches in garter stitch for the edging. Again, don't forget to keep up your striping pattern. Continue as established until piece measures 11 1/2" from cast on, end with a ws row.

Shape Neck:
Next Row (RS): Work to last 6 sts, place last 6 sts on a holder. (these are later used for you hood edging)
Next Row: Bind off 8 stitches (neck edge), work to end.
Continue to bind off from neck edge 6 sts once more. (18 sts).
Work even until piece measures same length as back. Place remaining 18 sts on holder for later finishing.

LEFT FRONT:
Work same as right front, reversing all shaping and remembering to work the FIRST 6 stitches of every row in garter stitch for the edging instead of the last 6 stitches.

SEW SHOULDER SEAMS:
With wrong sides facing eachother and front of sweater facing you, place stitches of back and front right shoulders on two parallel DPN's. With a 3rd DPN, knit first stitch fron front needle together with first stitch from back needle, *knit next stitch from front and back needles together, sl first stitch over second stitch to bind off. Repeat from * until all stitches are bound off. Then repeat entire sequence to bind off the left shoulder seam. (this leaves still the 32 live stitches you have remaining on a holder that will be used for the hood).

SLEEVES:
Mark for sleeves 5 1/2" down from shoulder seams on front and back. With right side facing, pick up and knit 60 stitches between markers. Work in stockinette stitch with color changes for 10 rows, then decrease 1 stitch on each end on next row, then every 4th row, 8 times. Then every 2nd row 1 time. (40 stitches).
Work even until leave measures 8 1/2", end with a right side row. Work garter stitch for 1" then bind off.

Repeat for second sleeve.

HOOD:
Pick up and knit 14 stitches from top of left front, knit the 32 stitches for the back neck that you placed on a holder, pick up and knit 14 stitches from right front. (60 stitches). You will now be working back and forth for the hood.

Work 4 rows even in stockinette stitch, ending with a right side row.

Next Row: purl
Next Row (increase row): knit 14 stitches, knit into front and back of next stitch (inc), knit 16 stitches, inc, knit 16, inc, knit remaining 14 stitches.
Next Row: Purl
Next Row: Increase Row
Next Row: Purl
Next Row: Increase Row

Continue even in stockinette stitch until hood measures 9". Fold hood in half and use the same 3 needle bind off to sew up the top that you used to sew up the shoulder seams.

HOOD EDGING:
Take the 6 stitches that you placed on a holder for finishing earlier and put them on a needle. Make a garter strip (knit every row back and forth on the 6 stitches), making sure to continue with your color changes every 8 rows. Do this until the strip is the same length as the hood around and then attach to the 6 live stitches on the other side or simply bind off those other live stitches and whipstitch that little seam when you whipstitch your hood edging to your hood.

FINISHING:
Sew underarm seams and close the sleeves up. Attach buttons or a zipper as desired. (I used a zipper but it was a PAIN to put in!!)

This pattern is copyright 2010, please do not reproduce without written permission from me. I do not care if you sell your finished sweaters or not, this is a part of the copyright that has always been a peeve of mine. If you make this, please send me a pic! And if you have any problems or notice any errors in the pattern, please let me know!

NOTE: Correction made on 12/18/10 regarding the number of stitches used in the hood edging. Please reprint or correct your pattern if you printed it before this date. The older version states an incorrect number of 18 stitches used for the hood edging when it, in fact, should read 6. Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused and thank you to Maureen for emailing me about it!

A Good Day!

Well yesterday I FINALLY got those sleeves finished and spent a couple hours seeming Demarcus' green sweater up. Today I finished weaving in those pesky ends and talked the Ex into bringing me to get the buttons (it's so much more fun when you bring people!). After MUCH discussion in the button aisle of Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts, I went with simple because there's so much to the yarn....

 Cute huh? Again, this is the 'Classic Baby Cardi' from Debbie Bliss' Spring/Summer 2010 issue and knit up using a sock yarn from Jo-Ann Fabrics called Deborah Norville Collection Serenity Garden Yarn in Grass. I LOVE that issue, I have made the cabled tank, a navy one of these 'Classic Baby Cardi's' and am in the process of making the 'Draped Cardigan'. Coincidentally, I just picked up her Fall/Winter issue today. I like some of the stuff in it, but not nearly as much as that Spring/Summer issue! Marcus (the Ex and Demarcus' Dad), already said today that he wanted a sweater like this. He doesn't even wear sweaters! (He would be the recipient of the infamous Marvin, as well). Well low and behold when I picked up the Debbie Bliss Magazine Fall/Winter issue today, there is an EXACT replica of this sweater, but man sized. Oy.

On another note, since I finished Demarcus' sweater today, I also pulled out that sweater I mentioned last time that just needs the sleeves finished. I was disappointed to see that it's going to be more involved than I thought as one sleeve I already completed and wove in the ends. It also uses live stitches that were on a holder too, so it's not as easy to rip them out and re-do the sleeve as if they were just picked up or knit seperately. I was looking though and I'm now undecided about whether or not to make them longer....realizing what a pain it will be to fix has kind of made me wonder if perhaps they don't look so bad after all........... =)

Stalled on the Sleeves....

I apologize for the lack of updates, it seems as though everything is getting in the way of my knitting this week. Including me. I've been busy with house stuff, kid stuff, computer stuff, errand stuff and just plain old wasting time stuff. I made good progress last week on Demarcus' little green striped sweater, was pretty excited to make the sleeves at the same time. Not complicated at all, just something I hadn't done before. But then I got stalled. It's not that I haven't been working on them, I have. But I get 4 rows done and remember something else I should be doing and stop. Also lurking in my head is the sweater I put aside in the 'spring', which is a season that doesn't really exist down here. We seem to go from cool winter (which only averages about 40 degrees anyways), to 90 + degrees in a week. It's a great fluffy sweater made from the brown of Patons Devine but I just couldn't stand to have it on my lap working on it when it got 90 + degrees. So I need to pull that out of my closet. It's all done except the sleeves, I didn't like the length the pattern stated and was going to make them longer. The sweater was so full and fluffy (the pattern wasn't written for Patons Devine yarn, I substituted), it just looked dumb with three quarter sleeves. That is also my first sweater knit from the top down and I absolutely LOVED it! I will now make every sweater I can like that, it FLEW by! I also need to collect I think 5 more skeins of Noro Kureyon  to complete my Lizards Ridge afghan that is going to be just GORGEOUS! I've also decided to line the afghan with a black flannel sheet since the Kureyon is absolutely fabulous drenched color but not so soft or great against the skin. I think this will work great, but we will see. Ok, I must stop stalling now and get back to work on those sleeves...........