The Colours of a Siren.

Today is the last day of Project Spectrum's red/black/metallic colours. I have done very little with these colours because I have been hearing the siren songs from so many other yarns this time out. I think I have managed to work on two projects that go with this colour scheme. My Wrapped in Cables scarf and this fun fur boa for Girly. I started it a while ago and have added a row here and there in between succumbing to the songs of the yarn. Apparently I have done a lot of succumbing and not a lot of actual colour planning.

The next colour scheme is orange/brown/purple. This yarn has been singing quite loud and a small project has nearly taken shape in my head. It seems I may be susceptible to a pretty song. Good thing there's a bit of brown in this song.

Warm and snuggly.

The buttons got sewn on my project. Such pretty ones too and although two of them would work better on the inside, they were too pretty to hide. What is it, you ask? Why it's a ...

Teapot Cozy!

It's very easy to knit, but there is a lot of finishing work. A crocheted border to make it look neater along the sides and give you a thicker line to sew the buttons on and of course six buttons.

I think it looks pretty though and very worth all the finishing work. It can also be used as a cozy for other small things. The button here lets you use the handle and keeps the side of the pot covered at the same time.

I left it open here for those teapots that like to dribble a little. That way you can tuck a napkin or little cotton cloth inside to catch those dribbles.

The top flap opens to let you refresh your tea without having to take the whole thing off.


Teapot Cozy

Materials:

2 - 50g skeins of sock yarn in Main colour [I used Regia (you won't use all of them, but I think I used more than half a ball of each of mine so one ball divided may not be enough)]
1 - 50g skein of sock yarn in Contrast colour (I used Paton's Kroy) divided in half
1 - pair of 4.5mm (US 7) knitting needles
1 - 4mm (US G-6) crochet hook
6 - buttons (if you only have four pretty ones, use two plain ones on the inside)
Tapestry needle
Sewing needle
Thread to match contrast colour

Pattern Notes:
1 - You will be holding two strands of yarn together at all times. You may substitute a single strand of a light worsted weight yarn if you prefer. If using a light worsted, you will probably need about 200 - 230yds of the Main colour and about 100 - 150 yds of the contrast colour. But I would make sure I had a bit more of each since my estimating abilities are sometimes quite wrong.
2 - Don't forget to carry your yarns up one side.
3 - If you wish to make the crochet edging easier, slip the first stitch of every row and work the last stitch as indicated in the pattern.

Pattern:

Cast on 51 sts with CC

Row 1: (CC) Knit 1 row
Row 2: (CC) Purl 1 row
Row 3: (MC) K1, *S1, K5* Repeat *to* to last 2 sts, S1, K1
Row 4: (MC) K1, *S1, K5* Repeat *to* to last 2 sts, S1, K1
Row 5: (MC) P1, *S1, P5* Repeat *to* to last 2 sts, S1, P1
Row 6: (MC) K1, *S1, K5* Repeat *to* to last 2 sts, S1, K1
Row 7: (MC) P1, *S1, P5* Repeat *to* to last 2 sts, S1, P1
Row 8: (MC) K1, *S1, K5* Repeat *to* to last 2 sts, S1, K1
Row 9: (CC) Knit 1 row
Row 10:(CC) Purl 1 row
Row 11:(MC) K4, *S1, K5* Repeat *to* to last 5 sts, S1, K4
Row 12:(MC) K4, *S1, K5* Repeat *to* to last 5 sts, S1, K4
Row 13:(MC) P4, *S1, P5* Repeat *to* to last 5 sts, S1, P4
Row 14:(MC) K4, *S1, K5* Repeat *to* to last 5 sts, S1, K4
Row 15:(MC) P4, *S1, P5* Repeat *to* to last 5 sts, S1, P4
Row 16:(MC) K4, *S1, K5* Repeat *to* to last 5 sts, S1, K4

Repeat Rows 1 - 16, 5 times more.

With CC colour, K1 row, on the purl row, cast off 12 (knitwise), P26, cast off remaining 12 sts (knitwise).

Cut both yarns and rejoin MC, continue pattern beginning with row 3. Complete that repeat and do one more.

Cast off.

Finishing:

Using CC yarn, single crochet edging around making sure to make little chain loops large enough for your buttons at centre of top, all four corners and on the contrast row just after the third main colour rows. When making button loops, chain five (or enough to go around your button) then resume crocheting around sides at next stitch without missing one. Hopefully that makes sense. This site has a lot of tutorials on crochet for those who need help with the single crochet and chaining.

Sew on buttons at the bottom corners of the flap, just after the first slipped stitch and just before the last slipped stitch on the bottom, at the third MC row from the top of the body and in the centre of the first row of CC after the MC at the bottom of the body. If that is confusing, refer to the photo at the top to help clear things up.

If you are using two plain buttons for the inside rather than having all six on the outside, put the plain ones at the slipped stitches at the bottom on the wrong side of the cozy.

As ever, if you have issues with this pattern, drop me a line (email in my profile) and I'll try to answer your questions.

Now go forth and enjoy a nice hot cuppa.

Yawn...

The dog woke me at 4:00am and I had trouble falling back to sleep until just before the alarm went off. I hate mornings like that. So now I am very tired and the thought processes are less than stellar.

The Ballband sock yarn project is nearly done. It isn't socks. I don't really think this stitch pattern would lend itself to being knit in the round and still look good. Although I am wrong quite often.

I just have the buttons left to sew on then I will take a picture and put up the pattern. I think it works really well, but I won't know for sure until I try it out.

Now I need to go finish off that pot of coffee. Think if I duct tape a spout to the top of the pot I'll be able to drink out of it without burning my lips or pouring it all over myself?

Time for Change.

The number one reason long haul companies need to be forced to pay their drivers by the hour and not by the km/mile. That is the top of the trailer ripped off and all it's cargo spilled out. I don't know what happened to the driver, but from the angle of the cab, at best he/she was injured, at worst, well, you know.

The number two reason is that red truck halfway down the bank. It didn't look damaged, but most people don't park or drive in the ditches.

There were no tire marks on the road and chances are good the driver fell asleep at the wheel. Trying to earn some decent money at a thankless job. If you have a bit of time, write a letter to your member of parliament/congress person and ask them to help change the level of safety on our highways by forcing the last hold out to a bygone era to pay their employees by the hour. No one works more hours than they are getting paid for, but many drivers will push their limits beyond what is healthy or safe in order to make a decent dollar by the km/mile. Current laws and enforcements aren't working and people are dying. Time for that to stop.

Steamy

This year has been the oddest one I can remember in a long time. First we had next to no snow compared to our normal years. Then it melted early and no rain fell for so long that everything turned into kindling just waiting for a match. We all prayed or did rain dances and they came. Oh did we get rain! The lakes came back up from well below normal to above normal and so did the swamps, including the ones in the ditches on our road. Now the heat is here and the steam is a haze in the air.

The children don't get to play outside for more than half an hour at a time and only in the morning, the dog goes out long enough to do his business and I try not to go out at all, at least until the sunburn on my shoulders heals. Thank you, Lord for A/C!! I think I would have had to move out this tin can in the middle of an open field if we didn't have it. I am content though. Better +44*C/111*F with the humidity than -44*C/-47*F with the wind chill factor. I know a lot of people who say they prefer cold to hot since you can dress for the cold, but I think that's crap.

Cold is worse, who really wants to be so bundled up they can barely move and out in snow that is too cold to pack well. Skiing isn't even fun at that temperature. At least in the heat, you can still go outside from here to there without spending half an hour getting your stuff on and warming your car up so it can run properly. In the heat, you can go the beach and sit in the shade. We won't even begin to list all the yummy things to eat and drink in the heat either.

Also, if your A/C is good and your Mr. insists on keeping it at a temperature he would freak out about in the winter, you can even knit with wool! Like this mitt for Girly with an extra long cuff. I'm using Freedom wool from Twilley's of Stamford. Soft and beautiful yarn.

Also a variation on the Ballband with wool sock yarns. I'm hoping this will work out for a new pattern idea.


Here's to you, now I am off to make myself a nice yogurt, wheat germ and berries smoothie for breakfast. Mmm, cold and nutritious! Good thing the Mr. is working so I can turn the A/C up to a normal human temperature.

Bit again.

You know this Ballband addiction is really insanely tough to beat. I went for two whole days without a stitch on one of them and whammo! I black out for a few hours and another one appears. Apparently they are my knit of choice. I even have an idea for a Ballband something that I will show you if it works out. I may be in deep here, but denial is never far away.

Speaking of things in pink. Even a girly girl can't resist the lure of a tractor. This one is a future driver.

That's all She Knit.

I finally finished Clue 1 and am nearly halfway through Clue 2. Which is perfect because that leaves me exactly as behind as I was on Thursday before Clue 4 came out Friday morning. I hope to be finished this stole by the end of August so that I will be continuously this far behind in the knitting.

The fishing trip was a smashing success. We headed out and found a calm little inlet, dropped anchor and lines.

Someone had a ball and she even caught a little fish. Her favourite thing to say, I caught a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, FISH! Way to build up suspense as you reel in your line.

Sunday's moon was really cool too. All in all, a good weekend with lace, fish and moon.

Gone Fishin'

Clever? Haven't seen her.

I wanted to write some long complicated and witty post. Apparently my brain is on strike today though so all you get it a sentence or two and another warshrag in the blur of the Ball Band parade.

Do try to contain yourself with all the excitement.

Much better.

Sometimes all something needs is a good tweaking and different colours to make a girl happy. I present:

Steamy Sleeve

Materials:

Around 1/4 to 1/3 of a 50g ball of sock yarn. I used Paton's Kroy leftovers.
38 beads.
2.25mm/US 1 knitting needles.
A needle threader or a small piece of thin fishing line.
Tapestry needle.

Gauge:

7 sts and 10 rows to 2.5cm/1" measured on St st in the round.

Pattern:

Thread beads onto yarn. I used a piece of fishing line to do this. Wrap your line around the yarn and thread the ends through each bead then pull bead down the line and onto yarn. If you are using two colours of beads like I did, alternate the first three, then do two of each in alternating colours for 11 repeats, then alternate the remaining ones. So your colours end up like mine did. Otherwise you will get one colour on each side of the steam. Although that could give it a nice shadow effect.


Cast on 64 sts (16 on each needle). Join to knit in the round.

Knit in 2x2 ribbing for three rounds. Needles 1, 3 and 4 are in ribbing for the entire pattern. St st and chart on needle 2 only. Knit a plain round on N2, only, after each beaded round. Once you have finished the chart, knit another 3 rounds of 2x2 ribbing. Cast off with a stretchy bind off. I used a loose sewn bind off.

How to read the chart: start at the bottom and read right to left making sure to remember the plain round between each beaded round. The plain rows are not marked on the chart. Each empty square is a knit stitch and each coloured square is where you place a bead against the previous stitch, then knit 1. The beads will end up on the bar between the stitches and want to sit on the purl side so when you are finished, turn it inside out and it's ready to go.

The finished sleeve will fit most take out coffee cups. I like the billowing look the purl side gives the steam, but if you prefer using a crochet hook to add your beads as opposed to threading them on the yarn, you can just as easily do that. Your beads will end up on the knit side. You'll need to add a plain row on N2 before starting the chart and you'll have to move the chart to the right one column to centre it better. I'd also eliminate the plain row on N2 at the top of the chart and just begin the ribbing.

I only put beads on one needle, since they may heat up on the cup. Putting them on one needle gives you a pretty sleeve and still protects your hands from the heat.

It must be a summer thing.

I've noticed around blogland that people's knitting mojo seems to be waxing and waning and it seems mine is no different. I like the colours, I don't like how it's coming out. I just finished ripping the whole thing as my photos were uploading. I'm going to rearrange the beads on the yarn so they alternate in the pattern a little better, widen the beading chart, then I'm going to rib most of it again. Although it isn't as easy to get on the cup, it works better and gives your hand a little more insulation from the heat.

We had friends come through the neighbouring town so we took off for the day to visit and had a great time. Someone stuffed her face with deep fried calamari and was very sad when we had to go home. It seems she really took to them and they to her. It also helped that they had a beautiful chocolate lab who thought she was the bees knees.

Unexpected day off.

I finished what I was working on yesterday. A coffee cup holder from sock yarn. It's a very simple one and I am not happy with it. The bead design came out wrong and the ribbing all the way up makes it hard to put on the cup so I am making another one and tweaking things even more.


I don't have any children today so we are relaxing and just chilling. So nice!

It's all fun and games...

until someone drops a stitch. Which explains the lack of progress on the Mystery Stole. I did as much tinking as I did knitting which means I worked on it for about half a day and I'm only one row further along. Ah well, keep on plugging and eventually I'll have it finished.

I've been working on this quite a bit too. I've done a good bit of ripping and tinking, then tweaking the pattern then scrapping the pattern and writing it over. You'd think it was something big or complicated for all the fixing I've been doing. It isn't a sock. It's something else and it has a small motif of beads on it or it will if I can ever get it right.

A Ballband, because I know how much you would worry if there wasn't one on my needles.

We made it to the sheep farm and even managed to see the animals between the rain clouds.

These elk were pretty protective of their babies. Girly ran toward the fence and a few of them ran toward her until I said NO! Apparently I sounded commanding enough to bring child and elk up short. Once she started walking slowly toward the fence, they were okay but, still watchful. I'm really not that far away. Small lens on camera = make things look further away.

Baby alpaca. Cute! Mama clicked toward the pasture the whole time we were in there. Almost like she was calling for the guards to come and take the human away.

It will be raining and pouring.

The old man is trying to snore and hoping he can sleep through the morning.

As it turns out, we wouldn't have been able to go to the sheep farm yesterday either since it poured all day long. Today may not be any different.

Happy Saturday!

Brilliant.

I had been hoping to have today off. I didn't have any children scheduled to come this morning and was planning on getting up and taking off for the day. Girly wanted to go to the sheep farm again and I wanted to check out their yarn shop with a little more time than I had last time. Sigh. It was not to be today. My sister got called in and I am looking after her kids. Tomorrow we go to the farm, today I sook a little bit. Brilliant plan.

Yesterday on a forum, I heard tell of people using cookie sheets and magnets to help them read their lace charts more easily. I had a stroke of brilliance and got mine set up too. Much easier for sure!


Hope your day is better than mine or at least with a bit less sooking going on.

ETA: Just me retouching the chart photo. I didn't double check to see how clearly it was coming through and since it's a copyrighted photo, I should have made sure it wasn't clear enough to knit from. I apologize to Melanie and to all of you.

One of those days.

Yay! More Ballbanding! I know, I'm going to run out of colour combinations pretty soon. I'm getting low on the small balls, but this big ball of white is lasting forever and then there is the big ball of yellow, the one of brown/white and the one of green/white. I foresee Ballbands until the end of time.

Did you know that they are so big and squarshy that you can only fit 6 of them in a 11.4cm/4.5" x 34cm/3 3/8" thermos box? I had to fold them in thirds which makes them thicker, but by comparison, they are much bigger.

Which one was washed in Downy?

Someone is so excited about the Ballband.

Something of interest.

The stole did get a line or eight. Nothing else got touched.

Something was very needy. He didn't get a walk or even get to play outside with all the pouring rain. So the Ma had to entertain the mutt, the cats and the child. Thus the lack of knitting.

I got the most interesting thing in the post the other day though. My postcards! I had originally wanted to sell these as part of my Relay for Life fundraiser, but they kept getting turned around at customs and sent back to Kristy. Fortunately she hung in there, kept trying and finally they are here! Since I had wanted them to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society, I think I will still sell them and donate half the price to them anyway. I'll be selling these at $2.00 each (1 for me, 1 for CCS) or $6.00 (3 for me, 3 for CCS) for a set of 4 plus $2.00 for shipping (that will cover Paypal fees, an envelope and a stamp). There are 40 of each and I will be selling them until they are gone. I'll be working on getting Paypal set up and should have it ready by this afternoon.

Links and not much else.

I had a few distractions yesterday so the mystery stole did not get worked on until very late and then it only got three rows. Enough to finish off Chart A or about half of the first clue. I don't have any kids today though so hopefully when Girly takes her nap, I'll get some distraction free time to concentrate on it.

In the meantime, the Pudorosa got bigger. It's about 2" from done now and I think I am going to skip the picot bind off since that look really isn't me. If I have enough yarn left, I'll add a bit of a crocheted edge though. Tejemanejes has a few patterns with English translations. They have the links on the pattern page if anyone wants to try making any of their patterns. The hat is a basic hat shape and all you would need is the chart to make it. You shouldn't even need a symbols translation since it's all colour work as opposed to lace work.

Rabbitch is having a washcloth drive. You can read about it on this post. The address to send them to is on this post. I'll be sending a few, how about you? Heh, I was a poet and I didn't know it! [singsong that in a very annoying voice]


It's raining out now, so there may be much more stitching going on around here. Or much less since I will now be the sole entertainment for the child. Whether or not tomorrow's post has anything of interest is a bit of a crapshoot right now. Maybe if it quits raining, I can take a picture of the lake and we can do a comparison of earlier spring photo and now photo so you all can see just how much rain we have gotten lately. We have gone from preparing for mass exodus in fear of forest fires and nekkid rain dancing in hope of a drop or three, to soaked and humid. Apparently when you ask God for something, you just might get it.

Pretty, pretty!

A belated Saturday Sky. The sunset was short, but spectacular.

I spent the weekend doing quite a bit of knitting. There was the Ballband, of course.

The Pudorosa got some more stitches. It's really shaping out now and I am very happy with how it's looking so far.

A close up of the lace pattern. It's a really pretty one. I think it's called Fishtail Lace. Whatever it is, I like it.

My Mystery Stole. Apparently I am very fond of thinking things are way harder than they actually turn out to be. Knitting with laceweight is no harder than knitting with a DK weight. Tinking is much harder though! Using a crochet hook to add beads is pretty easy too. Thus far, it has been fairly smooth sailing once I figured out what size needle looks best with the Misti Alpaca Laceweight [2.5mm although I would have gone down to 2mm if I wasn't worried about losing even more width and length than I already will]. The designer made her stole with Zephyr Wool/silk on 3.5mm needles. So I will be losing a good bit of width and length but I think that will be okay. If not, I'll use it as a giant scarf.


I was awarded a Award by Miss Scarlett this weekend. I rock? Alright! Now it's my turn to award five fabulous women and I have been thinking about this ever since I found out I'd been gifted with this honour. It isn't as easy as it sounds. Only five? Hmmm... I think I've managed to narrow it down. Fortunately Scarlett awarded Cynthia already so that leaves me another spot.

So without further ado, here are my five Rockin' Girls!

Katy: My very first on-line friend. We met on the SnB forum. Apparently when you are on a knitting site and your handles have more to do with food than knitting, you stand out a little. This girl would stand out anywhere though. Anyone who can finish a marathon with a cracked hip must be a rockin' kind of girl. She knits, she runs, she fosters Greyhounds. The woman can also conserve water like nobody's business.

Suzanne: Whose generousity and thoughtfulness has made my day more than once. She rocks the science lab and plays with equations for fun. Her designs are always clever and they turn out so beautifully with just the right amount of artistry and planning. Smart, beautiful and creative, how could I not award her a Rockin' button.

Kristy: Another generous soul. Her heart is huge and her love of quotes inspiring. The woman can crank out the origami, knit socks like a pro (she just started knitting socks last year) and her beaded stitch markers are creations to admire. She isn't afraid to take on a big project either.

Dipsy: Whose vacations take me around the world vicariously. Her knitting is always beautiful and holy sock knitting Batman! The woman is a sock knitting fiend. Her designs are beautiful and very well written. She loves to fly down the ski slopes and her pictures of her area of the world are amazing. Mostly I admire her ability to speak more than one language proficiently.

Lolly: Whose Project Spectrum has inspired me and many others to look at the colours around us with a different eye. To try to knit with colours we don't normally choose and even more scary to put them together. Her love for her family and husband shines. Her love of photography and writing showcase both her knitting and her surroundings to perfection.

ETA: Oops, I forgot to say, copy the image, paste it to your post and award five fabulous women you think deserve this award. Then display it with pride in your sidebar.

I have lost my dang mind!

Lost it, I tell you! Gone! What in the heck am I thinking about?! I have issues with knitting from a chart, I have issues with following complicated patterns, I have issues knitting with small gauge yarn. So why, oh why, did I think that this would be a good idea? Laceweight, complicated and beaded!


By the way, sign ups close tonight at midnight Eastern Standard Time. You know, in case you want to lose your mind too. Crazy loves company as much as misery does.