Fiber Tools

 I've been listening to Fat Squirrel Speaks (a knitting vlog) for a bit now (discovered via TheKnitGirllls) and in one of her more recent YouTube posts, Amy (aka Fat Squirrel) had mentioned a random stripe generator. I found it fascinating in part it would be helpful in destashing some of the yarn I've had for waaaaayyyyyy too long. The blog the random stripe generator is on also offers a weighted version, so that way if you have more of one color you can tell the generator to create more rows of that color (i.e. give more weight or precedence to said color).

That's all for now, I'm still knitting a slouchy hat for myself, testing out a knitted pull over robe that I'm making the pattern up on the fly, and I've kind of stalled on a crocheted virus shawl (mostly because I've been focused on the robe and hat). And this is all in between working, required reading for a group I am apart of, and trying to be inspired to go out Geocaching (the current promotion they have isn't doing anything for me).

Happy 2023! Yarn Stuff and Life.

 Happy 2023! I do realize its a little over 1/3 into 2023, but it still can be a joyous thing. I know we need that more than ever now. I'm going to just leave it at - life as we know it has changed over the last couple of years.

I'm still knitting and crocheting. Not as frequently as I would like, but still going at it. Most of it are on the smaller side of things (scarves/cowls/gloves/etc vs sweaters or blankets). I was turned onto Kumihimo a few years back and have enjoyed the results from that. I'm still trying to figure out how to incorporate it into my knitting/crocheting projects.

Also, to help keep me inspired I've created a knitting bingo card. Some of the spaces are for specific areas of the body (like for your head, for your hands, etc), playing around with yarn (like using only 3 shades of color or rainbow colors only, or play yarn chicken). Some of the ones I'm interested in are the 2 destashing squares (one is for 5lbs and the other is 10lbs) and finishing a WIP (looking at you crochet blanket I started in 2009). I am also hoping to post some of my finished stuff here.

We've been doing a garden-ish thing for the last couple years, nothing too serious, mostly growing tomatoes. This year I was hoping to get some herbs growing. Might not be TOO late for some. Idk. I do enjoy drying herbs and using them in loose incense. I am hoping to be able to create my own incense cones or sticks. I do have some catnip growing and hoping to use it for the cats. 

Anyway....here's to keeping up the blogging!

Getting Fancy

 I'm excited for having 'Spirit Week' at work. I wasn't planning helping or getting involved, but it should be fun.

I'm currently working on a chunky rainbow shawl and using the Springtime Bandit by Kate Gagnon Osborn. I'll say it's one of my favorite patterns to do. One of the things I like about it is that the size is customizable. 

General Chit Chat.

 Here's to getting back into blogging again! Wheee!

The last couple of years have been a bit of a blur for me, but I feel like it's been that way for a lot of folks.

I want to be able to show off some of my knitting and crocheting. And possibly other creative stuff. So here's a start!

Yarn Yarn Everywhere

Yeah! A long awaited blog post! *The crowd goes wild*

So. I'm a knitter. I also crochet. I also have too much yarn. Way too much....not quite to the point of hoarding - it hasnt spread beyond my bedroom.

I am excited to say I'm going to do a Knit Down Along with a knitting group I attend. WOOT! This means, I may actually *HAVE* stuff for family members, etc for Christmas presents.

Good for stash busting, trying new patterns, having something on hand for gifts, and poissibly have a cleaner bedroom.

We'll see how well this works out for me.....

TTFN

Another shawl....Really?

So, I just completed my first knitted shawl the other day. Yeah me! And now I have begun knitting another one. Both are apart of a KAL (Knit-A-Long) and I am surprised at the fact that I am knitting something OTHER than hats.......something outside my familurarity zone. :)

I'll try to get photos posted here as soon as possible.

Always Room for One More

I've been knitting for about 10 years now. A decade. (Sheesh, don't I feel old now ;) ).

One thing I've noticed, is how I've developed an affinity for knitting hats. More so for me than anyone else, but hey, I know I'll enjoy them - and I know what color/s to knit the hat/s in.

So, this year, I've actually challenged myself to knit as many hats as possible (desirable 52 - one per week) and I've actually started the process. This is mostly (but not entirely) due to the fact that I am participating in the 2010 Ravelympics. Ravelympics? It's a knitter/crocheter/weaver/spinner's version of the Olympics, where we challenge ourselves to make 'x' during the Olympics - from opening ceremony/lighting of the torch to closing ceremony/extinguishing of the torch. And everything needs to start and finish in between the opening and closing ceremonies. (I'm just a little excited about it)

So far, so good. I'm on hat #5. Granted I should be on hat #8, at least - but life is life and sometimes it means putting some things on the back burner.

On a different note:

/begin rant

I haven't considered myself a selfish knitter, until more recently (going on 4.5 months now). Personally, I've gotten a little fed up with people (more in face-to-face life) asking if I do commission work or make suggestions that I should sell my stuff.

If I really wanted to sell my stuff, I would be doing it already.

I do have a couple exceptions to the rule. Family and friends - more often than not, they are appreciative and take care of the hand made items.

/end rant


Anyway.

Happy Tuesday.

Tuesday Ten

Ok. So, I'm trying to get in the habbit of blogging more. Even if it's a list of something. :)



For today's ten list, I thought I'd share some stuff about knitting. YEAH! Mostly it's going to be about projects that I have knitted and places I like to knit.

1. An unusual capstick cozy. I would say, this is a fav of mine to knit. Granted, I haven't done many of these lately (and I need to) but it always gives me the giggles when I knit this.
2. Hats! Oh my gosh, I love knitting hats. One of my favorite is one called Dependence. Unfortunately, the blog that USE to have it posted, is no longer available. BUT! You can see pics of it here and here. So far I have 3 of them in different colors and plan on making myself some more!
3. Another favorite hat I like to knit is called Tychus. It's a short row hat, making super easy to do (and I think a good beginning project for a beginner to intermediate beginner).
4. Oh, how could I forget my Glove Hat (aka Knitted Motorway Moses Hat). I've done this pattern about 5 times already in different colors and yarn weight. I am planning on doing more! *insert evil laugh*
5. I've done some fingerless gloves/mittens a fair number of times (I would say in the ball park of 8.......so far).
6. I have a chunk of time to kill when I commute to and from work (about an hour each way), and I end up knitting on the public transit (yeah metro)
7. I've been known to knit in Bars, Movie theatres, and watching TV.
8. I've also been known to knit while walking. I have yet to be documented while doing so. Eluding the camera isn't a set skill for this phenomenon apparently.
9. I've knitted durring an ice hockey game.....probably the only time I'll ever do that.
10. Last but not least, I have been know to sneak in a stitch or two at some EXTREAMLY LONG lights in the area. NOTE: I DO NOT KNIT WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION WHEN I AM BEHIND THE WHEEL, NOR DO I ENDORSE SUCH ACTIVITIES.

*Gasp* It's Another One!

Holy Cow!

It's another knitter's contest!

This one's a little more involved, but just as worth it.

Darcy's Knotty Knitter is a sauve blog that's giving away 2 skeins of fingering weight yarn (one's green color and the other one is yellow) AND a new sock pattern! Nifty stuff in my book.

You can have up to five (yes FIVE) chances to win!

Check out the blog post about the nifty contest that ends midnight of July 12th! Make sure you let them know who sent ya!

Love y'all!

Wandering Cat Studio

I stumbled upon this blog called the Wandering Cat Studio and discovered they were having a contest! Cute little blog. :) Anyway, they have some nummy stuff on their Etsy site, Wandering Cat Yarns that you should check out.

The rules are:
1. Check out their Etsy store
2. Leave a comment on their blog post
3. Blog about in in your own blog!


So simple!

Contest ends midnight of July 13th and winners will be announced/contacted on July 1q4th.
Enjoy everyone!

Knitting Graffiti

I've "rediscovered" knitting graffiti and have been inspired.

Here are some links:
http://deputy-dog.com/2008/11/urban-knitting-worlds-most-inoffensive.html
http://knittaplease.com/ABOUT.html
http://www.cherryflava.com/cherryflava/2007/10/knitta---urban-.html
http://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/knitting-graffiti

WIP Where I Need to Be.

So, for those who arent in the knitting terminology know how, WIP is short for Work In Progress.

It always feels that I have at least half a dozen projects going on and a gazillion things I want to make. (Let alone the fact that my bedroom is slowly being taken over by my yarn stash).

Right now I'm knitting up a hat that was giving me problems. The orig directions seemed a little wonky when I first scanned though them, assuming that the hat, like all the other hats I've knitted from patterns, would be done in the round! I started the pattern, and the changing of the colors were giving me issues of making the change over smoothly.

I had realised that the pattern had you knit the first 3 rows in the round THEN switch to working flat (going back and forth as if on two needles as apposed to continuing in the round). I thought it was a bit poor for the designer to have you start in the round and then switch it up so soon into the pattern. At that rate, it should have been just straight up two needle pattern (non-cicrular needles) and then have you sew the seam up - you'd still have to sew a seam up in any event might as well make it all one seam.

Weird weird weird.

I am also knitting up two pairs of Fetching, fingerless gloves that has cables at the writsts and just below the knuckles (the cables make it snug enough to keep your wrist warm with out cutting off cirulation to your hand). Its more of a wrist warmer than fingerless glovess.

Also, I'm working on pair of socks (just bound on and no other progress).

I'm scheeming about knitting a vest for myself. Something that's professional enough to wear to work but can be a casual dress up vest as well.

Well enough of my ranting for the moment as I go off and print more hat patterns (as if i need more patterns! ha!)

A Second Christmas!!!!

Ok. Today I came home to a package of stuff that I had bought trough ebay. I was so excited! Like a second x-mas. The package contained 22 circular knitting needles (1 pair of 11 different sizes - this makes things easier/simpler for me to knit - like socks or mittens, things that usually require pair of something - so they are the same tension and i can make the same changes in the exact same spot on each item).

My dad didnt know what I had gotten and from the way they were packaged, he kept ranting and hooting that I had gotten a dildo in the mail. (Granted it did come in a simular shape to what a dildo may look like packaged).

My mom was giving him dirty looks from the phone call she was on with one of my dad's good friends from childhood.

But part of the reason why I was so happy about the needles, I figured out that I had spent less that $1/needle ($.91/needle to be exact), INCLUDING shipping (shipping was free, but still....)

*does a happy butt dance*

Current Projects

Ug. I guess this goes hand in hand with the "Ambition" post.

But it always feels like I have at least 10 projects going on (as in actually on knitting needles) and at least double that of what I have planned/want to do!

Right now I have:

1. An endless granny square afghan (purple hues - an on again, off again love affair)
2. A seemingly endless wool sweater (which has been hibernating in the closet since forever)
3. A smattering of small projects (including chap stick cozies)
4. Fingerless gloves for a belated x-mas gift
5. Fingerless gloves for a birthday gift
6. Hat for belated x-mas gift

And that's just the short list

Winter Dreams

I love winter. I love how cold it can get. I love how the snow falls. I also love the fact it's more conducive to knitting and snuggling (not to mention hot chocolate and s'mores).

One thing I dont like is how dark it gets so quickly. Pretty much as soon as I get home from work, all I want to do is find my pj's and get into them. Yup. If I go straight home, that means I'm in my pj's by 6pm.

"This is crazy" you say. Heh. When all you want to do is crawl into bed as soon as it's dark outside, it's only the next logical step I say. It's more prevalent when it's yucky outside (as in "It's been overcast for the last week and there has been some sort of precipitation every single hour of single day"). Ugh! Mix that into the bag of "It's dark by 5pm" and you've got your pj's on as soon as you hit your doorstep (they might even be jumping up and down at the door, waiting for you to come in).

Anyway. Random thoughts for now.

The Hats! The Hats!

Ok. So, I challenged myself to do 100 hats come the new year. Quite the ambitious knitter who wasn't working full time. Quite the challenge for someone who now works full time.

So, what I'm going to do is take the time limit off and just knit the 100 hats. Maybe make it 100 hats by 2010?

We shall see.

Hot or Not.

Ok. I am addicted to knitting like a fish is addicted to water.

Now, I'm always game to knit something new or unusual. But sometimes the things that intrigue me may not be the most sociable mainstream items.

First up is the digestive tract.

Now, I'm not a biologist or doctor or anything medical of the sorts, but I stumbled across this and fount it fascinating! A good enough excuse to use waste yarn.

I have knitted the next item up to bat. The womb. 'Nuf said. Now there is a picture of one that someone took to the next step. They added an eye patch and an eye to it.

Very clever, I think.

Now we need to represent both sexes here. So, now may I present to you: Sperm!

Some how I find these things fascinating! So off the wall and quite possibly shocking to some. I love it.

Ok, these next few photos are for that biologist in you (or possibly the curious).




The top row of photos is a dissected frog and the bottom row are photos of a dissected lab rat. Both are knitted. How cool!

Now on something less gross but just as cool

This is a "hat" (term used loosely) that's done up to look like you have your hair up in curlers. Tres funny. Desperate Housefrau is the name of the pattern/look.

Ok. Last whimsical/odd knitting item is a Hallowig. Basically a "wig" you knit yourself that has bangs incorporated.

So, if you havent been totally grossed out by some of the knitted items and you've made it this far, the following is probably one of the cutest things I've ever seen.



Some of the pictures I got off of estonia76's flicker (like the Lab Rat), and i was paroosing her photo stream (b/c she knits/crochet and I like to see what others have done) and came across the Sheep-Romper!

Selling Stuff!

Ok. I've known about Etsy for some time and have been wanting to put some knitted stuff on there.

A few people have brought up that I should sell my stuff, but not in a way that inspired me to do nothing but burn all my knitting needles, yarn, and everything I have knitted or crocheted. (Some suggestions were like doing craft shows and commissions at local boutiques - all were valid ideas, I dont want to mass produce tedious, unfulfilling items just to make my time & effort worth while at craft shows, boutiques or other such places). For me knitting has become a fulfilling hobby and will only knit things that I have an urge to knit (I'm not really into commission knitting - will do it, but it'll have to pattern specific, nothing made on the fly).

With Etsy, I can knit things on my own time, and sell them w/o investing a whole lot of time (like at a booth at a craft fair - granted its a good way to network).

Knitting to a Different Hair Colour.

To start off. I've dyed my hair, again.

Yes, I even did my eyebrows.

I enjoy freaking my mom out. This is one sure way of doing it.

So, here's what I've been up to knitting wise:

1. Participating in Hat-Attack (an elimination competition that the winner gets $500 worth of yarn - I've been knocked out already, but I'm proud that I've lasted thus far - about 50% of the other people were knocked out before me).

2. Knitting birthday presents - a couple friends birthdays are coming up soon in October. The gifts are going to be hats in their preferred colour schemes.

3. Making a mojo for a friend to inspire songs.

4. Continuing to make hats for my 100 hat challenge.

5. Queing up assorted projects for Christmas (family's presents).

Knitting Contest.

So.

Keeping Knit Simple is celebrating a blogaversary. Yeah! And apart of the celebration is a contest where you can win a CD and yarn.

Simple entry. Just post a comment on the blog's comment section. More entries for blogging about the contest and sending people over to the blog.

It ends on Sept. 6th, 2008, Mid-night EDT.

Yeah contests! :)