Nottingham Pattern...

The pattern for this hat is finally done! I'm so excited! It should be smooth sailing from here on.

The Nottingham hat...

Here is a look at my next project. I haven't decided who I'm going to give it to, but it will go to one of my little cousins. As a side note, the picture of the green Nottingham hat does not belong to me. I borrowed it from a member of Ravelry. Didn't she do a great job? Pictured below is the start of my version of the hat. I will keep you updated on it's progress.

Owl Hat!

Isn't this cute! I finished it on Saturday. See the little owls? Wow, I'm so excited that I finally finished this. Now I want one for myself! Also on Saturday I started a new hat with new stitches that I have not learned yet. At first I was nervous, but now that I see the pattern emerging I am much more at ease. It's turning out to look very neat!

Making progress...

Well, I'm making progress on the Owl beanie. I've already started the pattern as you can see. I have two more cable rounds to go before I can start to finish this hat. I honestly am so excited about this project for some reason. I can't wait to see what it will look like once I have sewn in the beads that are going to be the owls eyes. This hat is going to be so cute! Mackenzie is sure to love it. I'm going to say it again, I love the yarn I'm working with! It is soft and won't be itchy on Mackenzie's skin. Wow, I wish I were making this hat for me. Maybe I will make one after the Christmas season is through.

Owl Beanie...

Since I finished Tinley's beanie I decided to start on Mackenzie's. It's going to be a cute light blue owl beanie with crystal beads for the owls eyes. So far I have it worked up to the point that I need to start the pattern. I am very pleased with the yarn I'm using. It's Vanna's Choice Baby. It's semi-soft and works up fairly quick. The hat pictured above is not the same hat that I'm knitting, but it will give you an idea of what an owl pattern looks like.

Finished!!!

I did it! It's done! Now I can move on to Mackenzie's hat! I tell you what, I do not like knitting with small needles. It takes forever! I thought I'd never be done with this project, but here it is! Yay!!!

Do you really need to frog it?

Yesterday I was working on Tinley's Hermione hat when I realized that the pattern was off. Ugh! If your a knitter I'm sure you've been in this position before. You start looking at your work to see where you messed up and holy cow, you find it four rows down! I used to think this meant you had to frog your work, but this time I tried something different. Instead of frogging it, I purposely dropped the stitch all the way down to where I originally screwed up. Then I used the technique to pick up a dropped stitch to fix my issue. So next time you think you need to frog your work, really look at it and find out if it is necessary. It it's just a small problem it can sometimes be salvaged by dropping the stitch above the problem.

Yay!!!

I found the perfect Yarn for Tinley's beanie! Last year I gave her a pink beanie and she seemed to like it, so when I found this sparkly hot pink yarn I instantly thought she'd like it. I mean what girls don't like sparkle?

Hard Times...

I can't believe it! I can't find the right needles for my throw! So I guess that project will have to be put on hold for a while... at least until I can find the supplies I need.

Meanwhile I guess I will start on my Christmas gifts. The first project is going to be a beanie inspired by Harry Potter's Hermione. I can't remember what movie she wore it in, but the design in the pattern I found is really close to the hat she wears. I will be making it for Tinley.... Now, picking out a color... that is the hard part. I guess I'll have to ask her dad what colors she likes to wear. If all else fails, I'll just make it grey like the one in the movie. Grey goes with almost anything.

Another cabled beanie...

This is another cabled beanie that I am currently working on. Notice the cable needle that I'm using to hold the stitches. Usually I don't use one because I would rather use another double pointed needle. However, using another DPN was a bit tedious with this project. I will definitely show you the finished project in a couple of days.

I know it's been a while...

I know it's been a while, but I have been knitting... honestly. This is a hat that I finished recently. I started it off by making a cabled band that fit around my head. Then I picked up stitches on the flat side of the band and knitted them. What I came up with is this baggy but warm hat. I can't wait to wear it!

Good little knitter...

That's right, I was a good little knitter this weekend and made two beanies. One for Jessica's little girl and one for Heather N's baby. The first one I made was Jessica's. It was a pattern that I got off of Ravelry but, I ended up heavily modifying it by knitting every other row. The result was a cute little eyelet beanie. Also, the flower was my own doing. I made it by crocheting.

Heather N's Baby is going to be a boy, so I finally bit the bullet and tried knitting with multiple colors. This beanie was created by using a pattern from Ravelry also.

So I lied...

I know I spent more time AWOL than I had originally thought I would, But I am slowly working my way back into the saddle. I have decided to forgo knitting for other people and concentrate on knitting as a hobby again... at least for the time being. I think I had suffered from a bad case of burn out. So just the other day I finished my first project in over two months. This spiral beanie. It was quick and easy and I had fun making it while watching TV. I'm hoping to complete a few more projects like this one until I can have fun knitting for other people again. I will once again be keeping you updated on my progress. Again, sorry about my absence.

Personal business...

I've had to put my knitting on hold for the time being because there is some personal things that are a little more important right now. However, I promise I won't be on AWOL for long. I still have a throw and a couple of other projects to get done.

Capitan Hat #2 is finished!

I'm finally done with this hat and I am completely happy with it. I tried using a chunky yarn instead of holding two strands of worsted together. The choice certainly saved my fingers and hands from a lot of pain. I didn't have to take a pain med once during the making of this cap. I really am hoping that the recipient of this project will enjoy it. I still want one for myself. I like that the bill is easy to manipulate, so you can shape it to how you like it. Some may not like that it's not exactly a beanie. It does not come close to covering the ears. I still love the design though.

All I need is a bill

I got the cap part done to the Capitan Hat! This one's decreases look cleaner for some reason. Perhaps it is because I used logic instead of the pattern. Sigh... I couldn't get onto Ravelry to view it. Meanwhile I think I did a better job all by myself! I didn't think I was going to get this far or I would have brought my straight needles to finish the bill. Oh Well, As long as it's done before 4:00pm. If I can manage that I'll be able to ship both items today. If not, I'll just have to wait until tomorrow.

Done!

Well, I got one of my projects done before Friday. The hat will have to wait until Saturday to get done. After all I lost a lot of time by leaving my DPNs at home yesterday. Oy, I need to me more mindful of what I'm doing in the morning. However, My house is almost done, so I won't have to work on it as much. So that's something. :o) Next I'll be working on a Feather and Fan Series. Hopefully I'll be able to find patterns for a hat, scarf and fingerless mits. I made a feather and fan hat once, but I'm unsure how I managed it. So I'll have to research and gauge to make sure it will turn out okay. This is going to be fun!

Guage is the thing...

Many may remember my frustrations with making this beanie. The pattern said it would fit a extra large head with dreadlocks. Not! It wouldn't even fit my head. What a waste of time. Meanwhile I did learn how to do cables with this hat. So all was not lost. I am going to try and do another hat like this in the future using Lion Brand Thick & Quick yarn. Perhaps increasing the weight of the yarn may make the true gauge of this hat. Ah, there's the key right? I didn't know a thing about gauge when I started this project. However, I do now. I pay attention to gauge every time I start a project. That way I know how many stitches per inch I am making. Say a hat's circumference is 21 inches. If I am using a yarn and needle combination that makes 3 stitches per inch, I would need to cast on 63 stitches give or take to reach the correct gauge of the hat. Say the hat calls for you to cast on 60 stitches and it has a pattern that requires 5 stitches (the stitch requirement might look like this 60+5). Go ahead and cast on an extra 2 stitches so that you have a total of 65. It's always better to be a little bit over than to go through all the work to make a hat only to have it come out too small. I bet some may have not known there was math involved in knitting. Ha! I hate math....

The Knit Stitch

1. Start with you're working yarn in your right hand behind the needle.
2. Slide right needle through the loop on the left needle.
3. Wrap working yarn around the tip of the right needle.
4. Pull yarn wrapped around the right needle through the loop on the left.
5.You have now made a new loop on the right needle so you can pull the loop off of the left.

My first beanie...

My first attempt at a hat turned out to be a huge success. I found a cute pattern on Ravelry.com called "Hannah." After a few modifications I had a cute green ponytail beanie! I knew it was risky to modify when you had never done a beanie before, but I did it anyway and learned a lot. Also this was the first project I did in which I used a counter. It is an excellent tool, and I recommend that if you aren't using one to do so. You'll be relieved when you don't have to count in your head for the whole project. I own 4 of them and I'm rarely found without one while I'm knitting.

I forgot...

I forgot to grab my DPNs this morning on my way out the door. So the hat will have to wait until tomorrow. Oops... Meanwhile I do have time to work on the scarf today! Maybe I'll finish it by tomorrow!

Yoga anyone?

Sometimes I don't use a pattern and I get creative. This was inspired from having to lug my mat to Jazzercise. Now I may not go to Jazzercise much, but I am still proud of my yoga mat bag. I got the Idea after I made a pinwheel sweater for a little girl. I started it off like I started the sweater and then instead of increasing I stayed at the same amount of stitches until it was long enough. 2 inches before It became long enough I changed color. This bag was quite easy enough. Perhaps I'll author the entire pattern so that others can enjoy creating one. My favorite part of this project? The smaller beads on the tassles are mood beads! Ha!

Never just a one project girl.

As many of you know, I'm an ADD monkey. I jump from one thing to another so fast it's a wonder I get anything done at all! At the moment I'm working on a throw a hat and a scarf! The hat is what I'm going to be working on today.... No, I did not finish the scarf. However, since both projects have to be done by friday, I figure no harm no foul. The hat I'm working on is another Capitan cap. This time it's in a pretty pink color. I can't wait to see how this one turns out also! Silly me though, I left my size 10 DPN at home, so I'm going to have to figure out another way to do cables today.... Hmmm perhaps a pencil....

Hi again!

This is the scarf I mentioned. At the moment it's only about an inch and a half wide, but I'm not complaining. It's going to be so handsome.  This is a pattern I made up about six months ago based on a scarf my mother bought me from Old Navy.  I can't wait to see how it turns out!  Yet, here I am procrastinating again.... I better get back to my knitting.

Procrastinating...I'm the queen of it.

Procrastinating is something I have tried to overcome, but somehow it always wins. I have at this moment many things on my list that need to get done, three of them I could have done this morning...but I didn't. I like most people would rather stay snuggled up in bed. However, in my need to overcome my vice, I did grab a project on the way out the door that I have put off for the past two weeks. I cringe to think it could already be done, although, I did get a lot done by way of knitting anyway. So, I don't really feel too bad about this one. It's going to be a brown and navy striped scarf.My goal is to get it done today and start working on a hat tomorrow. With luck, both projects will be ready to be shipped out by Friday.  Oh heck, I'm just going to broaden that goal and say I'm also going to get my house clean this weekend as well.  Let's see if I can't kick procrastination's butt just this once.

I guess there is time for one more post.

When I first started knitting I honestly didn't know what I was thinking. I had never taken any classes on the subject nor had anyone ever taught me the basics. I just got the Idea to go buy some needles, yarn and a book and I sat down and taught myself.  Who does that?  Srsly!  Meanwhile, I became hooked after I somehow figured out how to make fingerless gloves. The book I chose didn't tell me weather the pattern was easy or difficult, but I assumed It looked easy enough. Wrong!  I had to search the internet to figure out what the stitches were. The project took me 4 days to complete, and know a year and a half or so later, I am still proud of my mits, even if they are a bit wonky. The pattern was intermediate and I did it as my first project. Since then I have approched all my projects the same way. I don't care if they have difficult stitches, because I'll just learn them. I said before that every bump in the road is a chance to learn and I whole heartedly believe that is true.  Don't be intimidated. Well... it's okay to feel that way, but don't let it stop you from achieving something.

Capitan Hat

This is my newest achievement. The ever so adorable Capitan hat. At first I was very intimidated because I have never made any hat with a bill, but it was requested. So I cabled and decreased until my fingers were blistered and then came time to do the bill. Ahhhhh!!!! LOL... Actually it turned out that I had nothing to worry about. I finished the bill in a couple of hours and then stitched it up. This hat turned out so cute I want one for myself! Maybe I'll even make one for my mom for mother's day. This pattern called to make a strip also that went across the bill as shown. I made two one in aqua and the other in grey. Both colors were absolutely beautiful on this cap. All in all I am very proud of this hat. However, I will have to take a breather before I make another one. The blister was rather nasty and my hands were very sore for a couple of days.

My first blog

Blogging is a new experience for me. I am just so excited about my hobby knitting that I just have to share it all with you. I am going to be sharing new and old projects and also some complications. I am still new to knitting so there are always bumps in my road, however bumps force me to learn, so they are welcome. You will also have to forgive my spelling. sometimes I get so eager to share that I type faster than I think. Ha! I'm sure we've all been there.