Don’t Tread on me!................
When I got your ping I thought “wow - kind of late in the month” for a cute post/ping (folks generally don’t post real late to the current thread) .... it JUST dawned on me that it’s a new month, new thread! I am obviously waaaay behind mentally right now.
I wish I could knit and/or crochet a chicken tractor. I’m obsessed with chicken tractors ... looking at DIY plans, but getting bombarded with negativity (dad) so I’m bummed.
Still working on bobble sheep pillows so I’ll spare you - the bobbles have gotten tedious & I’m plodding along. The sheep heads (assuming the pattern is actually “ok”) should break the monotony. The real sheep are doing great - leading on halters now.
I never did post a pic of the faux fur hat in color ‘red panda’ so maybe I’ll do that. I looked up what red pandas look like - boy, are they cute!! I wish the color of my hat was that cute - it’s sort of a burgundy/brown color, depending on which way the light hits it.
https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/red-panda
On a happy note, I did receive my “Knit Stitch: 50 Knit & Purl Patterns” book by Kristen McDonnell, StudioKnit LLC
She has it broken down by how many pattern rows there are - 2 row repeats all the way up to 18-28 row repeats! Something else I really like is that she gives instructions for each pattern 2 ways: flat & in the round.
One skill I really do not have is ‘seaming’, either in crochet or knitting. It’s easier to “hide” things in crochet (joining, etc.) but not so much in knitting. The old “mattress stitch” ... one of these days I’ll figure out how to do it well. In the meanwhile, I avoid it whenever possible & knit in the round.
The pattern for the vintage Irish Moss Stitch (I love it & it’s a reversible pattern - good on both sides) came from Kristen so I figured I’d like her book, and I do - I see lots of stitch patterns I want to try.
Good times! :-)
Confession time - I bought yarn today (before I used up everything I was supposed to use up before I bought more!).
Handy Little Me came out with some new patterns the other day, including a knit fingerless mitten with cables & knit in the round .... woo hoo!
I have partial skeins of dark colors, but needed something lighter so the cables will show up. I had to go to Walmart today (a rare trip) & cruised by the yarn (Hobby Lobby closed on Sunday) ... picked up a skein of “Dusty Gray” that is a nice color - $3.28 so it didn’t break the bank. I am surprised at how soft it is - Super Saver has improved over the years.
I’ve been in a slump - haven’t picked up a hook (Bobble Sheep pillow projects) or knitting needles for at least a week, but the new pattern has me excited.
Knitted Arm Warmers (Celtic Cable Stitch Pattern)
I frogged a project & have used a lot of that yarn - had 1 whole skein I didn't use on the project left oveer so I'm using it here. Vanna's Choice, color Dusty Rose.
This is a 16-row pattern repeat. I have worked 4 rows of 1 x 1 ribbing (K1, P1 for 4 rows) & the 16 rows of pattern - I need to work those 16 rows 2 x more & then do another 4 rows of 1 x 1 ribbing. So far, the pattern is "good" - Louise (Handy Little Me) has really clear, accurate patterns.
Making up - this is knitted in the flat (boo hiss!) so I am being forced to seam it together. I've looked at the "mattress stitch" (recommended seaming technique) a few times & will watch a few more before I try it. I do need to learn how to do it - she has a couple of patterns I want to try & they need to be worked flat - on magic loop, the split between front/back needles would be right in the middle of the cable pattern, so that doesn't work.
As for the Dusty Gray yarn I bought yesterday, here are the fingerless mittens I plan on making - very simple cable & worked in the round (yay!) although it does have thumbs you need to knit .... I can do thumbs, but I'm not really fast at doing them yet & they're a bit nerve-wracking still.
Malva Christie Fingerless Gloves Pattern {Cable Knit}
I LOVE knitting fingerless gloves & arm warmers because they can be very simple or very complex (cables), are small enough projects you don't have to spend weeks on them (like lace baby blankets), they're stash busters, & they're useful/make great gifts. The neighbor I got eggs from last week got 2 pairs ... she let her daughter pick the color on the first pair - something in brown (not very exciting). I told the mom she could have another pair & she picked 'red', one of her alma mater colors - she walks/runs so the mitts are perfect for that. She has since texted me that she loves them, which is all the 'reward' I need for knitting them. :-)