Bored Knitter

The Eagle Has Landed!!!

2006-09-14T22:37:00.000-05:00

The Frugalhaus bag is done! And despite the ugly RH yarn, it is adorable. I got home from work this morning and just flat out decided I was not going to bed until I sewed the bottom on. This afternoon (after what seemed like a mere 5 hours of sleep) I brought my overdue library books back in my new bag (yay!) to pay my (gasp) $15 fine - and that was after a break from the library lady. (I hate to put a squash on reading but we're going to have to limit the number of books checked out at the Gary household.)

Back to the bag. I am definitely making more of these. I think these will become little project bags. It took either 6 or 8 ounces to make this bag and it's quite tall. I think the subsequent bags will be squattier (is that a word?) with a nice cable down the center. That would be cute, cute, cute!

Bag Almost Done, Videocast, Not...

2006-09-13T04:29:00.000-05:00

I've almost got the Frugalhaus bag done. All I have left is a few more rows on the bottom and then sew it on. I sized the bag up a little so naturally, I don't have quite enough yarn. Somewhere is a hat I made with this yarn which will probably be frogged (once I find it) since I don't really like it very much. I do like the looks of this bag, tho'. This will become my library book bag.

The video podcast is another story. I'm working nightshift, 6 days a week for 12 hours a day and just can't seem to find the time to get to it. I am sooooo tired everyday; my work is very physical and the hours are heinous. I get the kids ready and off to school in the morning after work and try to spend a few minutes before I go to sleep to knit or read. I guess the podcast will have to wait. Sorry.

Loom Podcast in the Future?

2006-08-29T03:34:00.000-05:00

Well, I just about have a loom knitting video podcast ready. I used my little instructional videos, pictures from my gallery, a few splash screens and voila! video podcast. I'm doing the voice over now and hope to have it up on iTunes next week.

Stitches Midwest

2006-08-28T22:56:00.000-05:00

I went to Stitches Midwest earlier this month. I was going to have all these pictures and information to add to my blog but such is not the case. WTF! No cameras?! I was completely disappointed and will probably not attend another Stitches ever. I have attended loads of scrapbooking and rubber stamping conventions and never once did they prohibit taking pictures. I won't buy the pattern now nor the yarn because I can't remember what it friggin' looks like! Me thinks they are idiots.

World's Worst Blogger

2006-08-18T11:36:00.000-05:00

I have to admit, I am the world's worst blogger. I just cannot seem to find the time to blog. I spend plenty of time reading other's blogs so you'd think I would be inspired to write in my own, but alas, such is not the case.

I have been knitting. I just finished knitting a baby bib and two wash cloths. Pretty boring, huh? I'm now knitting this shopping tote found on Frugal Knitting Haus.
I plan to knit projects like these to use up my acrylic yarn stash. At one time, I acquired a huge amount of acrylic yarn as payment for helping a blind women organize her knitting stash. She was an incredible knitter and an incredible yarn horder. Initially I thought this was a great thing. I have young kids and knitting things in acrylic yarn just made sense for the durability and washability factor.

But I have become a yarn snob. To tell you the truth, I thought this would never happen because I am CHEAP but it seems that all my frugal sense escapes me when I get in a real yarn store.

I Have Been Knitting, Really...

2006-02-08T23:41:00.000-05:00

OK, so I haven't been posting so much. I really have been knitting but with the holidays and work, I haven't had any time to report on my latest activities. I even have trouble popping off an email or two to my mom in florida.

Let's see, what have I done lately (or in the middle of doing):

I did finish a hat and mitten set for myself. finally, something for me.

I've picked up the mitten and sock bug recently. so much fun and so quick to make. I've also fallen in love with knitting in the round on (gasp) double pointed needles. I've knit several pairs of mittens and a pair of socks.

When I was in Florida in December I picked up a bunch of super bulky yarn from Joann's. It was in the clearance bin for $1.50! I've decided to knit a nice bulky vest to wear around the house when the days are cold. I have one front side done and I just can't believe how fast this stuff knits up!

Oh, and the best thing! My husband coaches my daughter's basketball team and this past weekend we had a pizza party for the team at our home. Picture this, I'm trapped in the house with seven loud, out-of-control preteen girls. Now, this may sound weird from a mother of three but I don't like kids too much. Especially loud ones. So, needless to say, my nerves were getting just a little frazzled after about an hour. So, I pull out my trusty knitting to grasp a few minutes of sanity. Next thing I know, I have 4 girls sitting around wanting to knit. Several of them already knew how to knit so I just directed them toward the needles and yarn. A couple of them wanted to learn so I did my best to get them started. I don't think they were successful but at least they were quiet for a little while. My daughter also taught one of them how to knit on a loom. But the best thing is that later on my daughter came to me and asked me to teach her how to needle knit. She has always turned me down before when I would offer to show her so I was absolutely ecstatic when she asked me. Of course, I didn't let my happiness show. I made sure she thought she was bothering me lest I scare her off.

Oh yeah, my daughter picked up the needle knitting right away. I'm so proud.

Loomknit One Skein Wonder

2005-11-14T19:19:00.000-05:00

I've been working on the loom knit OSW for myself. I tried it on last night...doesn't quite fit. Matter of fact, I just about gave myself a panic attack when I tried it on and sort of got it stuck on my shoulders. Jeez, it must have been a comical sight from a distance...overweight, middle-aged woman, half-naked with this knitted "monkey" stuck on her back. I was afraid I was going to have to call my husband to remove it. I think I need to add another oh, maybe a hundred rows or so.

Here it is so far:

2005-11-12T12:49:00.000-05:00

Finished the main part of the loomed one skein wonder. I plan on adding an edging around the sleeves and the main opening but can't decide what yarn to use. Now, if I could only find someone to wear it. My daughter won't wear it. She has no interest in wearing anything that may be remotely feminine now that she is a self-proclaimed tomboy.

Now that I finally found all of my looms (boy, do I hate moving) I can start on one for myself. I find that my arms are just a little (a lot) too fat for my slipper loom so I have to jump up to a baby hat loom.

I'm headed to the Hobby Lobby today with my 40% off coupon. I sure wish they had a decent knitting board there. I have the purple knifty knitter but I really don't like the large gauge of that thing. I have a DecorAccents scarf knitter and just love its gauge but I'd sure like something longer. Ah, maybe it's time to make another order.

2005-11-08T22:08:00.001-05:00

Finished a hat for myself yesterday. It's actually not a hat, it's more like a superwide headband which I can pull down around my neck as a pseudo cowl when needed. The yarn I used is one of Joann's Sensations discontinued yarns which is disappointing because I only bought the one skein. After knitting it up, I sure wish I had enough to make a scarf and mittens.

I started a shrug today on one of my slipper looms. This is my attempt to replicate Glampyre's one skein wonder. My sleeves will be longer and I'll probably add a little specialty yarn edging around the sleeves and the neck/back opening. I'm back to work for 3 days of 12-hour shifts so I probably won't get this done until the weekend. I'll be sure to post a pic when I'm finished.

2005-11-06T05:45:00.000-05:00

It really is unbelievable that I have not updated my blog for over a year. And so much has happened in the past year. No longer am I in Arkansas, thank you, I am now in Wisconsin. Finally! A climate in which I can seriously knit.

I have been knitting hats at a furious pace. I know, I only have one head but I just can't resist all those beautiful specialty yarns. It's a cheap fix, too. Five or six bucks for a hat is pretty reasonable to me. I also just completed a pair of slippers for my daughter. I have fallen in love with most, if not all, of Hobby Lobby's Yarn Bee line of yarn. I think her slippers were from a skein of Playful. Just wonderful stuff.

Turned my needle-knitting neighbor onto loom knitting. She loves it. Kewl.

2004-07-22T22:25:00.000-05:00

I've somewhat of an unconventional job for a woman. I'm a plant operator at a nuclear power plant. Forget hair and makeup. Wearing a hardhat all day gives me a terrible case of helmet hair. And makeup, forget it. The heat in the power plant literally melts the stuff right off my face.

Because it's been so hot at my job I really haven't had the inclination to knit. Besides, I still don't have any of my boards or looms. I did finish a washcloth and two kerchiefs with the needles and kitchen cotton but I'm bored with that now. Not to mention that I'm absolutely fed up with the needles I bought. They are flexible plastic, so flexible it's like knitting with flippin' drinking straws.

I really do have a penchant for tank tops. I have my heart set on making one of the tank tops in the Yarn Girls book on one of my looms. I think the pattern will be easy to translate. I also want to try the "Tank Girl" from Stitch 'n Bitch. All this, of course, while I'm trying to unpack all these boxes and set up the new house. BTW, we found a house to buy so I didn't have to rent. Yes!

2004-07-02T15:21:00.000-05:00

I arrived in Arkansas on Monday and I've been spending the whole week looking for a house to rent. The houses are either too small or located in a neighborhood I wouldn't let me dog live in, much less my children. Today I think I found the perfect place. After all, it's only for 6 months or so.

I didn't get the knitting board done before I had to leave for Arkansas. Russellville doesn't have a craft store to speak of so I went to Walmart and bought a pair of knitting needles. Say what!! I know, I'm a traitor. It's just that that kitchen cotton kept calling to me every time I got in the car and when I'd open the back of the car up to get something out it would jump out at me. I had to do something. Anyway, I have half a washcloth done and I'm finding this knitting WITH needles business not as bad as I remembered. I have found that I'm a continental style knitter which might explain why I had a hard time learning. I think I was trying to learn English style which was too awkward for me. I have a lot of latent leftie characteristics which may explain why I like the continental style. Plus, I can knit leftie and rightie - no purling for me!!

2004-06-24T22:14:00.000-05:00

I've been off the internet for a while. Took a new job in New Jersey which had me living in a campground for almost two months with no (gasp) internet. Talk about feeling alienated.

Well, the NJ job didn't work out so now I'm off to Arkansas and a new job. I've done some searching for yarn stores in AR only to find I may have stumbled into a yarn wasteland. Good thing I have some stash built up. Unfortunately, all my looms and yarn are packed up so I'm not doing anything!!!

I have a knitting board on my drill press right now that I started builiding before I left for NJ. I think I'll finish it and give it a try. My mom just gave me a big skein of kitchen cotton which will make some nice new dish cloths for my new kitchen.

2004-04-03T18:29:00.000-05:00

Been bouncing this idea around for a while: garter stitch on the knitting board. Today I worked it up and it is easy and fast and I even had a serendipitous discovery: the seed stitch. Actually the seed stitch was the result of my flawed thinking but...well, we won't go into that. Now mind you, both of these stitches do not produce a double knit fabric like one expects from a knitting board but hey, who cares? If it doesn't curl I don't care what stitch it is.

The whole idea derives from knitting each row of stitches on opposite sides of the board. In other words, for the garter stitch you will cast on your stitches on one side of the board and after knitting each stitch place it on the opposing peg on the other side of the board. You will knit every row, no purling required! (Those of you who can't master that purling thing will love this.)

The seed stitch is only slightly more difficult. Cast on alternating every other peg from one side of the board to the other. It will look like a big zigzag across the board. Knit each stitch on one side of the board and place it on the opposing peg. Turn the board and repeat on the other side.

I will be posting a video for both of these techniques soon. I have a full plate this weekend with motorcross today and air show tomorrow so Monday looks like a good day.

2004-04-02T14:30:00.000-05:00

I've been working a rag rug on my homemade knitting board. Can't say that I'm having a great time with it although I'm really liking the results. The knitting is somewhat slow because I'm using a lightweight cotton not cut on the bias so there is absolutely no give to the rag strip. If I attempt this again, I will use a knit fabric, something like a t-shirt weight and the garter stitch.

2004-03-27T13:17:00.000-05:00

Decided I would create a blog to keep up with my needless knitting hobby (obsession.)

Background: I started knitting on knitting boards and rakes about two years ago. Of course, like many people, I had actually spool knitted years ago when I was a kid. Remember those cute little spool knitters, an old wooden thread spool with 4-6 nails placed in a circle around the hole. One could sit for hours and makes yards and yards of useless knitted rope (proper term for us grown-up knitters: i-cord.)

I now own about 10 round knitting looms, 3 knitting boards and a Bond Incredible Sweater Machine.

I like to create my own patterns and hope to publish some in the near future. You can see some of my projects here:
http://homepage.mac.com/garyfamily/FiberArts/PhotoAlbum6.html