Rain, Rain, Go Away....

It seems like it has been raining for the whole month of may and I am beginning to get quite sick of it. You'd think that with all this rain I would have a ton of time to knit but I really have not been that productive lately.

A couple weeks ago I finally finished my bag which I was knitting with Bernat Softee Chunky, and it turned out quite well. I sewed a lining in it and have been using it as my everyday purse. I found the pattern on Bernat's website but I sort of modified it since I didn't like the way the bernat fancy fur looked with the colour of the softee chunky.

Since I last wrote I celebrated my 22'nd birthday, aren't I old now?? Anyways my birthday was great. I got a lot of money from my family and was able to buy a couple new outfits. I also purchased a few books (which i mentioned in my previous entry). Well "One Skein Wonders" and "Stitch 'N Bitch: A Knitters Handbook" arrived about a week and a half ago and I am quite impressed with both of them. SNB is one of the best handbooks I've come across, in fact, in the week and a half since it arrived I have consulted it many times. Not only does it have great instructions and helpful tips, but the information about knitting in it is great and I already have plans to make the kitty bed in, hopefully, the near future. "One Skein Wonders" is also great. This book has some great patterns that will make great Christmas gifts for family. I love how the book is organized by yarn weight so you can substitute yarns easily. The only downside is there are a few patterns that are horrible and I would never knit, like the knit collars *blech* they just seem much too old fashioned for my tastes. ALong with the knit collars some of the hats are tacky but some are really cute. The book was worth purchasing because out of the 101 patterns there are quite a few that I hope to attempt. I've already made a pair of wrist warmers/ fingerless mittens that I knit up in Bernat Satin and were knit on dpn. I've also started a pair of socks on dpn with fingering weight yarn. The pattern says that this pattern is great with handpainted yarn as it really shows it off. I'm knitting these socks up with Bernat Baby, since it's my first time using smaller needles and fingering weight yarn I didn't want to go out and spend a lot just in case I couldn't get the hang of it. I actually had to increase the size of the needle from a size 1 to one that I believe is almost a size 2 (I don't know the actual size since my inherited my grandma's knitting needles and her dpn were all thrown together without their sizes listed so I had to sort through them with my needle guage and these ones were not quite a 2 but did not fit in the size 1 slot), I've been working on them almost a week and it's taken a while to get the hang of the pattern and I'm just about to move onto the heel of the first sock. Once I get one finished I intend to post a pic on here.
I've been working on small projects for a while (socks, bags, mittens, scarves) and I think I need to begin a project that is going to take a long time to complete and something that will be very satisfying once I'm complete it. I'm torn between attempting my first sweater or an afghan (or this afghan). I have found the patterns for both and in the long run the sweater will cost me about half of what the afghan will but I do intend on completing both of them eventually. For the afghan I will have to purchase my first circular needle and a lot more yarn, but it is something that you can use almost every day and the colour I have chosen would look great in our basement. The sweater, however, is something every knitter must one day attempt and I have the needles and the yarn will only cost about $16 for the whole sweater. I'm really quite torn.
Anyways that's about all for now. Happy Knitting!

Gotta Love Online Shopping

There is just something about shopping online that is quite exciting. I am not one of those compulsive online shoppers, in fact it's almost been a year since I last made a purchase online (and that was my Knitting for Dummies Book). Since my 22'nd birthday is just around the corner (May 21) and I know I will be getting some money from family as presents I decided to make a couple purchases in advance so that they will be here just after my birthday. I pre-ordered the Harry Potter book, One Skein Wonders ( i hear that there are quite a few mistakes in the book but most reviews are positive and with my budget one skein projects are just right), and Stitch 'N Bitch: A Knitters Handbook (which I have read many positive reviews for, although I really thought about getting Not Your Mama's Knitting, which i may keep in mind at Christmas-time). I took the free delivery option, which means I may not be getting the Harry Potter book on the release date, so hopefully no one will spoil it for me!

At the moment I only have one knitting project on the go. I'm knitting a couple dishcloths for my grandpa for his birthday(which just happens to be May 22, the day after mine). We're having the family birthday party on saturday so I really need to finish them since I only have half of the first one complete.

Yesterday I finished the bag I've written about a few times. I finished knitting it on the weekend then I bought some cheap fabric to line it and a couple clasps. It turned out really cute!! I'm quite proud of it and will post pictures most likely in my next post. I also finished my first pair of socks, I really need to practice grafting (which i'm hoping my new knitting books will do), but i've worn them around the house since they're called "dorm socks" and they are quite comfortable. Here is a picture for your enjoyment! Isn't is adorable??Anyways I best be off!! Happy Knitting!

Yay it's May!

As my title says.... Yay it's may!!! Not only is may usually a great month of the year weather wise, it is also birthday central! This month is extra special because in 2 weeks I get to celebrate my birthday. Anyways on the topic of birthdays I want to wish Jenna a happy Early Birthday/whacking day. Her and I had a lovely knitting afternoon last monday and a nice catch up... and of course she got to smother my animals with love.

I've been semi busy with knitting projects.... I'm making progress on my bag. I have 1 panel done, about half done the second panel. I still need to make the bottom and the handles. I may get some fabric to line it with, but only if I really love the end result and plan on using the bag on a regular basis.

I made a quick I-pod cozy during our little knitting party. It originally began as a kitty toy (i've decided to make kitty toys and little items, like the ipod cozy, with all my little scraps of yarn) but this kitty toy was the perfect size for my Ipod so magically it turned into an ipod cozy.

My goal for this week is to quickly make up another dishcloth for my mom... i think i have enough Bernat handicrafter cotton lying around to make one.

I also have been attempting socks on dpn *ooooooh* I found a pattern that actually uses cheap ol' Red Heart yarn (I didn't want to go out and buy actual sock/fingering weight yarn to practice with). There were a few moments of frustration, and I ended up pulling it all out twice... but as of about 11:30 AM this morning I Have my very first sock... yay!!!!

The main problem i had with the sock were tiny holes/gaps. For example where you join the heel gusset with the instep. I found a website that shows exactly how to avoid that problem, so for the next one I shall follow that. I do not have a pic of my sock, since the batteries in my camera died and I was feeling too lazy to replace them... a picture will be coming shortly. I will leave you, however, with a couple pictures of other projects I have done.

This is a dishcloth I made out of Bernat Handicrafter cotton. I found this pattern in a book I took out of the public library and the pattern was called the "company dishcloth"... because apparently it is nice enough to use when company comes to visit.





This is a "pocketbook slipper" I made for my mom. It is a very simple pattern I found back around Christmas-time. I've made 3 pairs of them so far. I use just basic Red Heart yarn and they knit up pretty fast.... a nice mindless knitting project!


Anyways I best be off.... I shall write again soon!