Knitting Dragonflies

OOOps ....This is a candid shot of me after using my Visa at my LYS !!!

Back to work, I have a theory that vacation good feelings last only about 15 min tops after I return to work. My theory still stands true, I think 10 min this time. I did make it to the break room. I have had it burst in the parking garage once, that was the record, out of my car I hop, all relaxed, and a coworkers ambushes me and says "the entire computer system has been down for 5 days!!!" Need a little vacation flashback...... OK that's better.... Remember I have needles and I'm not afraid to use them.....

My girlfriend and I are doing a Christmas Craft show, I was going to sell handmade scarves, (which I am now) but quickly decided that I needed something that was quicker to make. Thus, the quest for a item. I have quilted a lot in the past, but have not for years now. So after much dithering and searching I decided to try my hand at baby/toddler size rag quilts. I really had a hard time finding info on them. I just started myself, by using some descriptions of rag quilt that I had seen for sale on EBay etc... and after a few errors along the way decided on the way I was going to proceed. This is the best free info that I found on the Internet: http://www.craftsofchaddsford.com/makeragquilt.htm Beware, for you must have some muscle in your cutting hand, the snipping of the "rags" to get the cute look of the quilt, is a marathon of hand cramping!! I now have 20 quilts done, mine measure approx. 40X40inches. One of the big problems, is that I am continually buying more flannel,...

I did start quilting again, I finally realized that I gotten quilters block after washing two quilts with red fabric in them and getting a big red bleeding mess!!! After trying the only product I could find, I did remove the bleeding and some color of the rest of the quilt as well. It was a last ditch effort to save both of them. One turned out OK, but the other would make you LOL and your head hurt. Of course I did jump back on the quilting horse and made one today, that was because in my trip to Joann's to buy the fabric dye remover I ended up buying another 150.00 worth of fabric, so to quite that little insane voice in my head I had to make at least one quilt. That being said, I feel like I am back on track. Right now I am learing at a sweater that I have been knitting since Fall of 2000. Yes, that is not a typo!!! It has only taken me 7 years to decided to frog this monster!!! More on that later. Go start Happy Knitting!!

Well I keep trying to quilt for the craft show, but somehow I keep picking up yarn, looking at yarn magazines, after all Fall is the Great issue for all knitting Mag's. I have been sewing up my shrug, Yes I finally got it put together, now I am ready to start knitting my ribbing around it. I am working on the Cat's Paw lace scarf, and believe it or not, after spending a unbelieveable amount of money on fabric, batting and thread etc....Yes I have started buying yarn and knitting scraves to try and sell at the craft show. Eeek! And it is the first weekend in Dec. and I have, oh, I am not ready to pull my head out of the sand yet and admit how many yards of fabric I have to quilt up. Don't get me wrong, like to quilt, but yes you know what I am going to say, LOVE to knit. So Until I pull my head out of the sand and get the gritty stuff out of my eyes..... Keep Happy Knitting!!

In an effort to make some quick gifts, I made this scarf up very quickly. I used one skein of Wool-Ease Thuck & quick Super Bulky Wt. I was going for a easy scarf, one that would be good if you have never knitted any cables, and would be unisex. Easy Chunky Cable Scarf Pattern One Skein of Super Bulky Wt. Wool 6oz/170 gms or 108 yds/98 meters SZ US 17 needles or 12.75mm Cast on 14 sts row 1 Knit 4 Purl 6 Knit 4 2 K 4, CF6 (k), K4 3 K 4, P 6, K 4 4 K 5 K 4, P 6, K 4 6 K 7 K 4, P 6, K 4 8 K* repeat CF6 (k)=Slip 3 sts to the cable needle and hold to the front, K 3, Now knit 3 from cable needle. This scarf measures approx 7" wide by 50" long. Now get busy with your Happy Knitting!!

The Fall On line KNITTY mag is out!! If you have never checked this out, you must, it is really great. Knitting articles, tons of cool free original knitting patterns http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall07/PATTjh.html Coffeeshop, you can also submit patterns if you are especially creative. As for me I am sewing my shrug up (yes still) have to put the last arm on and then cast on for the ribbing, It's looking good!!! Keep happy knitting!!!

I have finished my 2nd sleeve while listening to Brenda Dayne's podcast "Cast On". If you have never heard it, please check it out, it is filled with information of all kinds and is absolutely charming.. http://www.cast-on.com/ If we had a patron saint of knitting it would be Brenda Dayne. I am going to walk the puppies now and get ready to consult on "destructions" as my husband calls them, (hopefully no reflection on the amount of froggin I do). Happy Knitting

I have finished my 2nd sleeve, taking a small break before I continue to refer to the "destructions" (as my husband likes to call them, that might reflect on the amount of frogging I do??) While I was finishing the sleeve I was listening to "Cast On" a podcast by Brenda Dayne, If you have not heard her check her out!! http://www.cast-on.com/ it is a wonderful podcast, one can learn all kinds of things, she has a great way of presenting all of her topics and has music, and essays. If knitting had a patron saint I believe it would be Brenda Dayne. I did find a idea I like alot from another blog: Franklin in Chicago picked St. Clair. I like his logic:I want to say a prayer but don’t know who the patron saint of knitters is. I decide on St. Clare of Assisi – she’s the patroness of embroiderers and can always pass along the message – and the Virgin Mary, who is obviously fond of shawls. http://the-panopticon.blogspot.com/2005/08/stitches-midwest-diary-part-one.html So u...

I haven't mentioned it, but a girlfriend and I are doing our first Christmas Craft Show! We have never tried anything like this before, she is a manic beader and I am trying my hand at rag quilts. We are going through various stages of panic, exhaustion, worry and excitement about it. I have spend into the 4 digits now just on materials, and so has she, I have gone from thinking about what I am going to do with the money I make (originally buy a spinning wheel) to just hoping I break even. It appears to be a dog eat dog craft show world out there. I think I will make about .75 cents an hour. I can see why all of our things are made in third world countries and why use to have alot of children to run their farm etc... Does anyone have any advise??? On the knitting side of things I am trying to balance my knitting with frantic quilting. I did knit on my 2nd shurg arm and am up to the decrease part, I am working 2nd shift so tonight, maybe I can knit some when I get home. (much quiter...

OK it's Friday, but for me it feels like a Monday, I promised myself I would get the shrug together by the end of the week. I work a swing shift plus weekends so I am on 2nds right now, I always think I will get sooooo much done!! HA So I have knitted a little, and knitted on a Cat's Paw lace scarf http://www.straw.com/cpy/patterns/scarves/kidm-catspaw-scarf.html Free pattern, it is the first lace item I have had success with, as usual I start out too big and then it gets tossed to the side. The Cat's Paw scarf is something little I can carry around and knit at work in my "spare time" to try and get a little sanity into my day. Check it out!!!

I am onto sleeve number two, I have heard of people knitting both sleeves at the same time. Is this one one needle? Or two, one row here and then one row there? I always think the 2nd sleeve goes faster, I've already made all of my mistakes on the first (hopefully). Here are some pics of the body pieces and the sleeves so far, hope to be able to put them all together by the end of the week and start knitting around with the ribbing. Until Later....