WIP Wednesday and Lots of Rain

It’s been quite busy these last few days. Not only have Husband and I been rearranging and decluttering our house in preparation for Christmas decorations. I went to visit my parents Sunday and got roped into helping them too. Lots of fun. We are about done with our house. There are just a few more decorations to put out and I can see some dust bunnies that need to be rounded up and corralled in the trash bin. Yee-haw!

The kids have added their own personal touches to the tree. Daughter made a puppet Santa and a snow flake and Son made a snow flake. I’m sure as Christmas draws nearer, more will be showing up.

Sarah’s Super Quick Throw, part two, is a third complete.

The lighting in the pictures are horrendous. It’s all the gloom from the rain we’re getting.

With all the distraction of home life, I’m not as far along as I would like to be. Must crochet faster AND FASTER. Until I have this completed, I won’t be starting/working on anything else. Time is barreling by, Christmas will be here soon.

Go check out more wonderful WIPW’s over at Tami's Amis.

FO Friday

For FO Friday (my first), I have a twofer. Sarah’s Super Quick Throw

and it’s pattern, which is available through my Etsy shop, KnitPurlHooked.

Sarah's Super Quick Throw

This throw works up quickly. I managed to finish this first one in just a week. Also, it’s idea for making a great bed scarf. You can even double the yarn for thicker and heavier results. The one I’ve completed and the other that I’m currently working on are slated for Christmas gifts.

Hop over to Tami's Amis to view all the wonderful FO’s.

Hours and hours later...

I worked on this post last night because I knew that today was going to be incredibly busy and I had planned on publishing this post this morning. Well, in the rush to get out the door my well lade plans got forgotten.


My Husband only has one day off a week, Friday. We had a list about a mile long of things that need to be accomplished soon. And we had this great idea of trying to do it ALL today.


Friday's Honey Do List:
1. Chop, load, and haul home a truck load of wood. Done.
2. Unload truck and load old 2 setter couch into truck. Done.
3. Take couch to local charity then go to store and buy new furniture. Done.
4. Haul new furniture home and get it in the house. Done.
5. Wrestle old 3 setter (and it weighed a freaking ton) out of the house and onto the truck. Done.
6. While Husband went back to get more wood, after taking couch to local charity, I put together our new recliner and couch (it took me 2 hours). Done.
7. Go to grocery store (with kids on a Friday evening) and purchase food, so that we do not die of starvation. Done.
8. Have Husband help me get Christmas decorations out from under bed and out of closet and haul downstairs. Done.


I'M EXHAUSTED! I need like a week off just to recover from today. Hope everyone else had a nice and relaxing day.

Happy Friday!

My First WIP Wednesday

Originally, this post was going to be about the new hat that I was working on.

All was going well with my improvised pattern but the further I got along with it the more I didn’t like it. The hat has now been frogged. Ribbet!

I spent a long couple of hours last night separating this yarn.

Years ago, I had bought it to make myself a sweater. I did everything properly in preparation for the project, including testing my gauge, which I don’t do very often. Spent hours working on this sweater and when I assembled it I found that there had been glitches in the pattern resulting in some parts not lining up right. Well, I rigged it together and it didn’t fit. By this time, after all the work I’d spent on it, I was reduced to frustrated tears. The sweater was frogged and the yarn was put away. I was very disappointed, I don’t usually make stuff for myself.

Sarah’s Tip: when frogging a project that requires double strand, remember to separate the skeins as you wind the yarn up. Because years later when you go to use it for a new project that only requires one strand, it will take FOREVER to unwind into a single strand ball.

My new WIP is another Sarah’s Super Quick Throw.

When the holiday knitting/crocheting frenzies are over I will have more time to write this pattern up and have it offered for sale.

Go to Tami's Amis to check out all the WIP Wednesday updates.

Be inspired. Be creative.

Ramblings and a Contest

I really need to get in the habit of posting the projects that I’m working on and those that I’ve finished. Ravelry has really helped me towards this goal but I’m just not at the level I would like to be, which are about three posts to my blog a week. I’m planning on participating in the WIP Wednesday and FO Fridays with  Tami's Amis and a Rambling post on Mondays.

There are some fabulous craft blogs out of the UK: Crafts From The Cwtch, A Stash Addicts Ramblings, and Exchanging Fire to name a few that I follow. What I am wondering is if there are any in the US and elsewhere that are interesting to follow?

Now to the goodies; I am going to have a few contests here on my blog. Due to the de-cluttering of my bookshelves I will be giving away some knit and crochet books. Also, there may be a little handmade goodie added in.

The Contest

To enter:
*Leave your name and email in THIS post.
*You must be 18 and over
*Tell me who started your love/obsession with knitting/crocheting.
*One entry per person per household.
*Contest ends Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at noon eastern time.

All names will be thrown into a hat and picked from there. Check back regularly for the winner and future contests.

This contest is closed.

Sunshine Baby Blanket

KnitPurlHooked presents a SarahFay Lucy Design

Notions
10 mm 14” Knitting Needles
10 mm Crochet Hook
Darning Needle

Yarn
Main Color (MC) 3 skeins
Red Heart Light & Lofty Citrus/4.5 ozs. /105 yds.
Contrasting Color (CC) 1 skein
Red Heart Light & Lofty Painted Desert/4.5 ozs. /105 yds.

Gauge
6 stitches and 4 rows = 2" in stockinette stitch

Measurements
Approximately 35” x 35”

Body
With MC and knitting needles, cast on 63 stitches (sts).
Row 1: Knit. Right Side (RS).
Row 2: Purl. Wrong Side (WS).
Repeat Rows 1 & 2 for the body of the blanket using all 3 skeins.

Bind Off.

Join CC with crochet hook in a corner on RS.
Row 1: *Single crochet (sc), Chain (ch) 1, sc in corner, sc to next corner*, repeat from *to* around to first sc. Join with slip stitch (sl. st.) in first sc.
Row 2: sc in first sc, *sc, ch 1, sc in ch 1 space, sc to next corner*, repeat from *to* around to first sc. Join with sl st in first sc.

Finish off.

Weave in ends.

All patterns featured on this blog are sole property and copyright (2011) of KnitPurlHooked. Items made from this pattern are meant for personal use and not to be sold commercially. You may print one copy for personal use, but may not print multiples to distribute, nor may you share the digital file with others. Please direct your friends to this blog so that they can purchase their own copy.

October, Glad To See You Go

20 Hexipuffs!

This has truly become my grab and go WIP.

October was a drive by month that has left me feeling like I haven't accomplished anything. Which, for everything I had planned on doing, is true. I'm hoping that for November, I'll be able to at least have a more of an online presence.

Today, I finally had the time to write up some patterns that I've been planning on. A baby blanket, that I completed yesterday, and a couple of patterns for hats that I made awhile back but, never jotted down. As soon as I'm done writing up the new patterns I will post about it. The blanket is going to be a free pattern and the hats will be available for a small fee through Raverly.

Ballet Shoe Bag - Pattern

Ballet Shoe Bag

A KnitPurlHooked Pattern by Sarahfay Lucy

This bag came about because my daughter needed something to put her ballet shoes in so that they wouldn’t dirty the rest of her ballet gear in her dance bag. This nifty little bag can be used for a multiple of purposes (i.e. jewelry, glasses, a catch-all, etc.)

Measurements: Approximately 5”x10”.

Yarn: Ocean Spray by Naturally Caron.com Spa. 75% Microdenier Acrylic & 25% Rayon from Bamboo. 3 oz. /85g. 251 yds. /230m.

Notions: 4 US 6 (4mm) DPN’s, 2 US 4 (3.5mm) DPN’s, and a darning needle.

Gauge: 22 stitches and 25 rows = 4” in stockinette stitch.

Stitch Abbreviations:
DPN = Double Point Needle
K = Knit
K2tog. = Knit 2 together
KW = Knit Wise
PM = Place Marker
PW = Purl Wise
St(s). = Stitch(es)
Cast On:
Using the US 6 DPN’s, cast on 48 Sts. Separate to 3 DPN’s, 16 Sts. each. Join in round and PM to mark the beginning of work.

Body of Bag:
K every row until the body of the bag measures 8”.

Make 4 Holes for Drawstring:
K 2 Sts., yo, K2tog., K 20 Sts., yo, K2tog., K1, yo, K2tog., K to 2 Sts. before end, yo, K2tog.

Knitting the Fold:
K every St. for 2”. Loosely bind off.

Drawstring (I-Cord):
Make 2
Using the US 4 DPN’s, cast on 3 Sts., slide work to opposite end of needle, *K 3 Sts. DO NOT turn, slide work to opposite end of needle, K 3 Sts.* repeat from *to* until I-Cords measures 10” or desired length. Leave a 4” tail.

Closing the Bottom of the Bag:
I decided to use the Kitchener’s stitch to close the bottom with.
Pick up cast on stitches along bottom of the bag with the US 4 DPN’s. Using the Kitchener’s stitch; insert darning needle KW into 1st St. on 1st needle, slip St. off needle, insert darning needle PW into 2nd St. on 1st needle, leave on needle, insert darning needle PW into 1st. St. on 2nd needle, slip St. off needle, insert darning needle KW into 2nd St. on 2nd needle KW, leave on needle. Continue in pattern until all Sts. have been slipped off needle.

Finishing:
Weave an I-Cord through all 4 holes and tie together using the tails; weave the tails into the I-Cords, cut off any excess. Repeat for 2nd I-Cord.
Now take the fold and overlap the I-Cords on the inside of the bag and sew down.
Weave in any loose ends.

All patterns featured on this blog are sole property and copyright (2011) of KnitPurlHooked. Items made from this pattern are meant for personal use and not to be sold commercially. You may print one copy for personal use, but may not print multiples to distribute, nor may you share the digital file with others. Please direct your friends to this blog so that they can purchase their own copy.