Knitting with Math

I kept thinking of ratios and math as I shrink different knitted objects in the washing machine. Some shrink about a third of their size and other shrink even more. The little boy above shrank about a third.

The sheep above started live as knitpicks wool of the andes yarn and came out about 11 inches tall. Very cute but lose and lots of stitch definition. A really nice yarn to knit with.

Three loads of wash later and 'snickerdoodle' the sheep is now only 7 inches tall and extremely cute and playable. Snickerdoodle in the color of the yarn but is such a cute name for a member of my toy flock. This is my favorite fibertrends pattern. I've knitted usually in lambs pride bulky or other feltable leftovers in the attic but never in a worsted weight. I love the finished size it came out. I checked on their website and they have knit it in blues and purples and I actually liked the other hued sheep. I'll have to go outside of my comfort zone and knit some more additions to the flock.

This is my needlepoint canvas I'm working on. Right now I'm working on the sky background. I like to do needlepoint in order because in this project you build layer after layer. This project also has a deadline of the first of August. I'll have to do less knitting in the next few weeks and more stitching. Notice I said 'less knitting' not none at all. I can't keep those needles out of my bag. So many fun projects to work on. I finished a large triangle shawl this morning and have to block it today. I'm looking around my craft area for a flat, cat-free space to lay it out. Another project in the finished pile.

Just knitting along

I worked last nite and today on the monkeys lab coat. I ripped back the first collar four times before I understood the pattern directions. I looked at the picture, the directions, the knitting and tried again and again until I got it right. Now the labcoat needs three pocket and two sleeves and the monkey needs two ears and a tail. I got the saftey eyes to install but and waiting until the ears are done first to get the right head shape.

Mr Foster Progress

As you can see, Mr Foster now has a head. I've left it on stitch holders until I pick out some 'safety eyes' for him. His mouth is knit just like a socks heel.

Here he is posing with his lab coat. I've been knitting it on size 0 needles. I tried the square cable needles but switched after a few inches to my knitpicks wooden harmony cable needles. The square needles worked great but the join between the needle and cable was extremely flexible and kept folding over and poking the end back through the stitches. I spent more time fussing with getting the active stitches ready on the left needle. The knitpicks cable is stiffer around the join and the stitches glide right over the join ready for knitting up. The squares vs round didn't give me a different gauge at all. I'd like to try the squares maybe just in a dpn or straight set and see how it went.

I wanted to try some more of my 'webs' yarn and picked out the kuku doll to knit. He knit up really fast, about 4 hours total. All he needs is some strategically placed holding threads through his body part and he'll be ready for shrinking in the washing machine. I think a sheep is next for some speedy knitting.

Sunday knitting

I had a relaxing Sunday, listening to books, watching tv and knitting away on Mr Foster the monkey. His body is done up to the neck and it's on to the head shaping. This has been a very different pattern for me to knit. It's constructed all in one piece and filled as you knit along. The arms are attached and the shoulders knit just like you are decreasing for a raglan sweater. The head is made like heels of socks. It's moving fast because I'm enjoying the challenge and seeing him take form. As you can see he's a large monkey, 12 inches tall so far. His outfits look interesting too. For his lab coat I purchased a square cable needle and am going to see how these new needles work for me. I'll let you know.

A whole lot of knitting going on

The alpaca made it through the wash and got stuffed and brushed an is looking extremely cute and fun to play with. I think it needs some eyes and a ribbon around it's neck and it will be complete.

It's a Turtle Police Department uniform and hat for Sheldon the amazing changing turtle.

His uniform comes complete with a belt and shield so he can protect the community in the pond.

I needle felted eyes onto the kuku doll and he looks a little bit better than with no face at all. I need to work on my needlefelting skills a bit though.

It's one sock down on the metallic 'bling' yarn. It came out very nice and isn't at all scratchy. The ribbing makes it form fitting. A short cuff but they can't all be knee-highs.

Mr. Foster is getting started with two arms and a toe. I'm knitting this on size 0 needles and it is coming out very even, smooth and even I would say beautiful. This knitpicks kit uses their 'stroll' yarn, a superwash merino and nylon blend. Lot's of knitting to do in this project. My son doesn't like 'sock monkeys' but agreed with me that this project would be challenging and give me a lot of knitting pleasure time.

The craftiest cat in town

I was setting up for my photos and Sailor, the crafty cat helper decided that I should take photos of him first. He get cute and cuddly looking and you can't resist giving him just the scratch and pets that he asks for. I think he is psychic or else he has me well trained.

I cast on using my new metallic yarn for a pair of socks with some bling. I'm using the pattern "simplicity" from the book the eclectic sole. It's going along nicely and I'm liking the yarn. Not much stretch in the yarn so it's all in the ribbing for fit. Everyone who sees it likes the glittery shiny effect.

Yesterday I cast on and knitted an alpaca. Yes it's ready to get shrunk. An easy fibertrends pattern that worked up quickly. The yarn is organic wool, very soft and hopefully very feltable.

Yesterday I finished my sfs socks. They are ready for the wash too but won't felt down like the alpaca. Tomorrow is laundry day so they will be off to a soldier in need of warm feet by the end of the week. There's a lot of knitting in these socks. I'll be mailing off for more 'regulation' yarn so there will definitely be more socks in the making.

Confessions of an addicted knitter

I went to Webs today. If you don't know it you are missing out on America's largest yarn store. Check it out at yarn.com. I had prepared myself with a few patterns to buy the yarn for. We got to the store and my sister asked if I needed a basket and I agreed and got one. An hour later I found the shopping carts and transfered the basket into the cart. The basket was overflowing. In all I purchased yarn to make:

1 alpaca
3 sheep
5 dolls
1 zippered vest
1 pair glittery socks
1 pair two color socks
1 smoke ring
1 pair mittens
1 triangular shawl

That's 15 projects.

In my closet are the following:

1 prayer shawl, on the needles
1 baby blanket, on the needles
1 triangular shawl, also on the needles
Sheldon the turtles police officer outfit, on the needles
1 bag of bunny parts waiting for assembly
1 bag of bride and groom parts also waiting for assembly
The kit for Mr Foster, the knitted monkey and all his outfits
The kit for the amigarumi gang from knitpicks
The second market bags yarn
dishcloths from the second Mason-Dixon book
Different yarns for additional sheep
animal book and yarn to make a dog, duck, and mouse

That's just the knitting projects I have to work on, and don't forget my sfs socks that are almost finished. That's a lot of knitting but I'm going to love knitting and finishing up everthing. I'm admitting it, I'm addicted to knitting and crafting, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Race to the toe

I've been knitting the foot sections of both of my sfs socks. There are about 7 inches on each so far but they need 9 inches from heel to the end of the foot. Then you change to the 000 needles and knit tiny stitches for the toe cap. These socks are going so fast. I usually knit a ribbed sock so just doing stockinette is speedy. At this rate I'll be mailing them to the coordinator next week.

SFS turning a corner

The legs of the SFS socks are both finished and I've turned the heel on the first one and have it all set up for the gusset decreases. I'm going to do the same to the second sock so they will both end up with the same number of picked up stitches on the heel flap. I love my new Inox steel lace pins. They have sharp points that pick up this fine yarn wonderfully and hold up to my grip of steel that bends regular needles.

Crafting updates

My neckwarmer got finished this week and is ready to try out. It was too hot last night but I'm hopeful tonite is the time. It's filled with seed corn that you had to pretreat by heating in the microwave and then sifting through to clean. The corn heats up like a dream though. Now I need to clean the microwave before using it to heat up this gorgeous neck warmer.

Yesterday I tackled an orphan project. I finished the main stitching for my sister's mother-in-law. Now it just needs the dates and initials done and it's done and back to her for framing. It was good to get this project to the top of the pile and worked on. This one has a deadline for the fall.

My socks for soldiers are doing well. I received my 00 and 000 lace pins in the mail and got the stitches off the bendy aluminum needles and on to the new stiff steel ones. One sock is ready for the next ball of yarn to be added and the other needs an inch or two of knitting prior to the heel. I'm so glad the needles came as it will make it easier to get these worked on. I'm not working on them over the weekend as other projects cry out for equal crafting time.

Shrunken Boy

Three times through the washing machine and the little guy got shorter and cuter every time. We think he's done shrinking now. He has to dry now before getting his face felted in place. I could see knitting him again with other feltable yarns using different colors for his outfit and hair. My son loved how he came out. Good craft feedback.

I cast on the second sock for SFS. I didn't get quite as much knitting done on it but it's getting there. You are supposed to knit at least 1 inch per day. I think I'm getting a bit ahead of myself. I'm putting a marker where I end knitting each day so I can measure my progress. My sock/medic/purse bag that I got in my kit is working out great. It has three compartments. One large one holds my drink and knitting. One small one holds knitting accessories and the other small one my wallet and calendar. The yarn stays in the bag and feeds out the side so I can keep the bag closed and keep on knitting away. One person was disappointed this morning when I told her I had to work on the second sock first. By the afternoon she was happy again seeing my progress. Wait until I get to the heels.

Socks for Soldiers

I joined the "Socks for Soldiers" yahoo group and ordered my first kit last week. It arrived last night and I quickly unpacked it and followed the instructions. That meant knitting a gauge swatch so that I would get 8 spi and 9 spi. For me the loose knitter it means knitting on size 00 and 000 needles. Luckily I have one set of each, but you are supposed to knit them concurrently. I got online and found some 'Inox' dpn lace needles and ordered 2 pair each. They should arrive in a few days. In the mean time I cast on and knitted about 6 inches today. I love the bag that keeps everything organized and gets people to ask about what I am knitting. This is a group that matches me and my skills.

It took a few hours but the 'princess tin' is completed. Custom cover done in mat board, batting, muslin, laced on needlework with a finish of custom cord. It came out really cool and will be fun to take to stitching events. There is only one like it.

I've been knitting parts for this 'Alan Dart' bunny. It has a total of 15 pieces to assemble and stuff. I purchased additional quality stuffing and he's bound to come to life on the weekend.

It's not a Frankenstein project but a KuKu doll ready to go in the washing machine. The stitching is there to keep the stuffing in place while being felted. It was an easy pattern to knit but the kit was skimpy on the yarn. I'd make it again using my own yarn or get some 'cascade 220' in colors. It's been through the wash twice but needs another wash to get totally felted down to size. He's getting better and better as he shrinks.

At the 'machine quilting expo' my sister and I attended I got a kit that makes a shoulder spa bag and eye mask. I've finished the eye mask and have the shoulder bag ready to stuff and finish off. First I need to clean and heat the large bag of feed corn prior to final assembly. That will kill the bugs and insure safe use of the shoulder relaxer. It's the first time I've done piping as an accent and I need to work more on that technique or get a better piping foot for my machine. I'm looking forward to being able to use this soon on my shoulders.