Tag: knit

Travel

Weekend Off and My Dream Machine

Iris Rose

I got a little sidetracked this week. My computer crashed at work and DH has been really wonderful about getting me up and running again but was using my home desk and monitor for the work. He is all done now so this is better late than never!

We spent the weekend, a wonderful weekend by the way, at Nakiska, a ski resort in Kananaskis here in the Alberta Rockies. The weather was great, cold and sunny, perfect for skiing. I don’t ski; I know how but hate the feeling of sliding down a steep hill so DH skied to his heart’s content and I did what I love best, crafting with a little hot tub time thrown in. We do really live in a spectacular country, so scenic and friendly too!

         

I worked on my mystery crochet pattern. It is almost done and would have been if not for the computer crash and other life distractions. I seem to be on a better late than never trend, don’t I? I did finish the basic piece, however and just need to complete the embellishments. I can’t wait to see if the reality matches my imagination.

While we were away, I spotted an ad for a used knitting machine that I have been lusting after since I first saw this beauty in the early 90’s. I bought myself a little used and in great shape Singer 580 with all of the bells and whistles for a great bargain price. I am one happy lady! I just need to finish up the cleaning (only the ribber to go) and I will be digging into my cone yarn stash.

In order to fit everything new into my tiny craft room (6’ x 9’), I did a major cleanup and rearranging. I really have got too much stuff and I mean that in a big way. I have managed to stick to my no new yarn policy for two and a half months and have made some inroads but not enough by any stretch on the imagination. I just need to craft faster or sleep less!

         

Don’t forget about my 50OFF coupon code for my Gradient Cable Poncho, which will look good in any worsted yarn and for my Northern Rose Shawl patterns, knit in worsted or sock yarn, that you can use for both of the patterns at half price in my Ravelry store.

Yarn, Knitting and Crochet

Fun With Food!

Iris Rose

It has been a really busy, busy week and I haven’t had time to finish anything for you by blog time. So, instead of babbling on about something knitting or crochet related, I thought that I would turn to my next great love, food.

         

Every morning we have a mix of fruit and berries with our breakfast. I always top DH’s with a little cereal and yogurt for some extra protein. A little while ago, I got bored with the plain white yogurt on top of everything else and decided to jazz it up a bit.

         

We have a tradition of making faces with the components of the rest of our meal anyway so what is one step further? Animal faces, of course and the trend was born.
These are some of the little faces that I make to bring a smile to my sweetheart’s face and what better way to start the day than with a smile?

         

I have been working on the crochet pattern that I promised you and, with luck and some spare time, should have it the sample finished this weekend.

I have also finished a couple of machine knit cardigans like the one I posted a couple of weeks ago to add to my craft sale stock. These are just so soft and cozy feeling that I want one for myself!

I have almost finished the hand knit sample of this little sweater and hope to get that pattern to you in the next couple of weeks.

Knitting

Whining About the Cold and Some Cute Hats

Iris Rose

It is winter and still snowing (and snowing and snowing).  It is really cold again here and I am ready for spring.  Okay enough whining already, I can hear you thinking that.  Maybe I should be wining and then I wouldn’t care about whining or snow!

I wrote a pattern last summer for a little jumper (tunic not sweater) that is sized from six months to three years.  I made the sample up in a light pink colour, hence the name Pink Ice Cream, available to you as a paid pattern on Ravelry here.  It is a very easy and straight forward knit in the round piece if maybe a bit boring, think TV knitting, as it is mostly knit stitch.

Even though it is snowing (whining again here), it is a good time to consider spring knit and crochet projects.  If you have a little one that needs a little warmth for spring, this jumper is great over leggings and a long sleeved Tshirt.  The paid pattern is available on Ravelry here for download.

Speaking of spring projects, I designed these little hats for the grandkids a few years ago and they thought that they were great.  Crocheted with kitchen cotton, they were quick to make and a lot of fun to design.

If you are still in winter mode and need a cute hat for someone five and under, here is another hat that I designed.  It is a free pattern on Ravelry here and is also a fairly easy make.  Have fun with it!  Think about changing the colours and making the tiger into a teddy.

How about a snowman?  This is another free pattern of mine on Ravelry here.

Keep warm if you live in the Great White North and enjoy the warmth if you are not.  Happy crafting until next week!

Knitting

Machine Knitting and a Crochet Teaser.

Iris Rose

Wow, the week sure has flown by!  I have been busy with my knitting machine this week. 

These were made with self striping sock yarn with a little sacrificed cause I love matchy, matchy.

I have a bunch, okay a ton, no actually about a few hundred skeins of yarn from an ebay binge that I went on a couple of years ago.  You may have recognized the labels from my hat post two weeks ago.  I have to seriously purge my stash before it takes over the house and, as most of the yarn that I bought is sport or finer, the machine just called out to me!

The hat is lined for warmth!

I have had some problems in the past with static that these yarns hold.  I am not sure why but they are way more electric than any other yarn I have used.  It doesn’t seem to matter about the type of fibre.  I normally rewind the skeins into a cake for machine knitting to suss out any knots or imperfections before they hit the tension mast or the carriage and cause a major patterning fail.  Plus, it hurts like crazy when the weights hit your feet as the knitting drops off the needles!  I held a damp wash cloth in my hand and let the yarn run through it while tensioning and, voila, no static!  Why didn’t I think of this years ago??

I am working on a pattern for a toddler’s cardigan, machine knit, with a hand crocheted edge.  The sample turned out really cute, so I am experimenting with sizing now.  I always like to offer a pattern in multiple sizes and, although I know how to do the math from gauge for hand knits and crochet, machine knitting is a little different.  As the samples are quick to knit and can be added to my sales inventory, I am making one in each size to ensure that the pattern is correct.  It will be written out and on sale next week.

Samples ready for blocking and finishing.

I am also working on a hand knit version in worsted weight as I liked the machine knit one so much.  That pattern is going to take just a little bit longer.

I am also working on a crochet pattern for you.  I have a vision of a shawl that I have been cooking in my brain for the last ten months.  I made a sample over the summer but didn’t like it enough to finish it.  I have been mulling over the best stitch pattern to achieve the look that I want and have arrived at a winner I think.  I will let you know how it goes!  Here is a teaser.

Don’t forget about my half price offer on the Gradient Cable Poncho and Northern Rose Shawl patterns, coupon code 50OFF in my Ravelry store!

Yarn, Knitting and Crochet

My New Gradient Cable Poncho Pattern, Half Price!

Iris Rose

Well, at long last I finished my gradient yarn poncho and, tada, I love it! You know that feeling that you get when you envision a project or fall in love with a pattern and yarn and just have to make it? And when it turns out exactly like your vision or the pattern, you just want to jump up and down and hug someone? That’s it; that is what I am actually feeling, woohoo!

Okay, okay, time to calm down already. I have published the pattern for my Gradient Cable Poncho, made in worsted weight yarn, on Ravelry and, for the next two months, I am offering it to my blog readers at fifty percent off. Use the coupon code 50OFF at checkout and enjoy! Half price for all my loyal readers and, if you pass it along, to your friends too. You do need to click through to Ravelry from my blog for this promotion. While you are on my blog site, have a look at all of the other free patterns that I have up there in cyberspace for you to use.

               

As a special bonus, because spring is coming and who doesn’t need another light and lovely shawl to keep those shoulders warm in the cool spring breeze, you can use the same coupon to purchase my Northern Rose Shawl pattern at half price. The pattern for this pretty shawl is written and charted and can be made in two sizes depending on the yarn that you choose. Have a look at the pattern details to see both a worsted weight and a sock weight version. Who doesn’t love to save money?

       

I have been busy with charity hats still and am about one third of the way through that box of yarn that I featured last week. Who knew that making hats is so addictive and great TV knitting? I am determined to switch up to crochet this weekend which will slow down the movie intake (I need to look at what I am doing when I crochet!) but, hopefully will sharpen up my skill set.

I have a couple of machine knit patterns in the works too, worked on a standard gauge machine, for anyone interested in that craft. I just have to decipher my notes, always a challenge! Keep watch here as they will be featured on my blog first.