Money pads...

I thought I'd show how I dressed up the boys' gifts this year.  Money is the same old, same old Christmas gift for them...but it's easy for me, and always happily received by them.  But just so it's not completely boring, I like for there to be some element of surprise as to how it's presented.  There was the year of the origame 'candy' box.  And last year I tucked Chandler's into a box of beef jerky, and Bobby's into a jar of candy.  

This year I thought I'd make a pad of money that they can peel a few bills from as needed.  I actually thought about it early, and went by the bank a couple of months ago for crisp, uncirculated $1 bills.  I also ordered padding compound...not sure the link is the one I bought, but it had a nice photo that shows the process, so I linked it.  The amount used is miniscule, so I'm going to have to make a lot of notepads or something.

I used some chipboard cut to the size of the bills to give it a firm back.  I just stacked the bills and the chipboard and clamped them with binder clips.  Then I painted the padding compound on the left end.  

After it dried, I cut some patterned paper a little longer so that it would wrap around the bound end, and I used double-sided tape to adhere the patterned paper to the back.  That way none of the bills were damaged, and the cover will stay on even after bills are peeled off.

 I designed the cover labels on the computer and printed them out in Christmas colors.  Chandler got his license this year, so I labeled his 'Ga$ Money.'  I cut an oval out of one cover so that George Washington's face from the top bill showed through.

I also knit each of the boys a cap.  I tucked their money pads into the appropriate kid's cap and wrapped them up.  

When they opened them, they were gratifyingly impressed with the concept of a pad of money.  They weren't sure it was real money.  I assured them that it was and that it would be accepted anywhere they chose to spend it.  

And they were all gracious enough to pose in their knit caps for a quick photo.  Uncle Jared (far right) got in the photo too since he was wearing the same cap which I made for him a couple of months ago.

Sky scarf 2012...

 

From this on January 1, 2012...

...






to this on December 31, 2012...


This is it hot off the needles...no blocking or woven-in ends yet.  It finished out at a little over seven feet long...stockinette stitch, with garter stitch borders.  As of now, the two ends are still separate from each other, but I think that I will join them into a mobius, and wear it looped over like it is in the photo.  Not sure yet.  I think I'll decide after blocking.

I am really happy with it!  I ended up adding in a couple of additional grays than I started out with.

The key works out something like this:
solid white = fog
light blue = clear skies
light blue with white = partly cloudy
bright blue = temperature in excess of 100 degrees
    (you can't really see that since it's mostly behind my neck in this photo)
light gray = cloudy and/or light rain
charcoal = thunderstorms

Depending on how my mood or my impression of the sky struck me on a given day, I would knit two colors together or just knit a single color.  I think I will take one of the colors, and stitch in "2012" at one end. (Original post and credit to creator here.)

I am really, really excited to have it DONE! 

Over halfway there...

I haven't shown the progress of my Sky Scarf in awhile.  I haven't even seen the progress as a whole for myself in quite awhile, as I keep it rolled up on the tray with the yarns.  So unrolling it to take this photo was very interesting for me.  I'm happy to see all the grays, as it reminds me that we have had quite a few damp days.  And seeing the dark charcoal grays shows that we have had quite a few thunderstorms this year, some of those dumping heavy rains, even though we are still terribly dry.  At the end nearest the needles, you can see a bit more bright blue...those are the days over 100 degrees F.  Ugh! 

Need it, knit it...

June 4 - close up

This is what I was working on this morning.  I needed a little instant gratification, so I've whipped up a couple of dishcloths over the past couple of days.  I also needed dishcloths, as I seem to have somehow gotten down to just one!

Making it Monday...

For my Sky Scarf progress this month, I thought I'd put something in the photo to give some perspective...so that's a yard stick there on the left (1 yard = 0.9144 meters).  To date the scarf measures 28 inches (71 cm).  That will put it at 7 feet at the end of the year...plenty of length to loop and wrap...because in the long cold south Texas winters we really have to bundle up don't you know.  :)

Making it Monday--Sky Scarf progress II...

It was brought to my attention that I neglected to show February's progress on my Sky Scarf.  Truth be told, I was about a week behind on the knitting of it, but I'm all caught up now.  It was rather gloomy for a good bit of February...lots of overcast days and some fog and even another thunderstorm.  And we are so happy for every drop!

The red thread is just a marker showing the end of January...there is now another marking the end of February. Yea!

And thanks for asking, Lynne.  :)

Clickety clack...

The knitting needles have been clicking out a staccato rhythm for the past week.

You've seen Chloe's hat already when I had her and Caitlyn try it on to make sure it fit. 

Caitlyn didn't want hers to be identical, so I went with a black stripe instead of green, and I changed from a bow to a crocheted flower with a black button center.

And when Diego found out I was knitting hats for the girls, he requested one in black and red.  His is made of wool that is a finer weight, and he's quite a bit older than the girls, so I opted to increase the stitch count quite a bit.  It's a little large, but he can wear it longer, right?  Oh, well, it will keep his ears warm.

When I delivered Diego's this afternoon, I took orders for color choices from Bobby and Chandler.  But they won't be getting theirs in time to take skiing this week.

Serendipitous...

Last week I looked and looked for a pattern for a particular style of hat, but could only find a pattern done on double pointed needles.  I gave them a try...I really did...but as usual I didn't give myself much time to finish the project, and I didn't think I would be able to finish while using a new technique.

That very evening I was checking in on my blog list.  When I popped in to visit Elizabeth , lo and behold she had posted the exact style of hat I was trying for and a link to her pattern knitted on just two needles!  I was flooded with a sense of relief!

I didn't have much time to knit last week, but I have now completed one, and today I took it over to try it on my models.  

A perfect fit on Caitlyn...

...and on Chloe too.

Now that I know that no adjustments are needed, I will be starting the next one.  It should work up even quicker.  I have a week and a half before they leave for their ski vacation.  These will be perfect to keep their heads and ears warm for their snow days.

Diego even requested one done in black and red...without the bow.  :)

Thanks, Elizabeth!

Knit wit...

 

This is the first time I've ever attempted to knit in the round with double pointed needles.

I would really like to know what sadomasochist devised this particular form of torture.

Making it Monday--Sky Scarf progress...

Having almost reached the end of January (!), I thought it was time to show the progress made thus far on the Sky Scarf.

I'm using six colors to represent:
clear sky - light blue
summer sky - medium blue
overcast - light gray
thunderstorm - charcoal gray
fog - white
clouds - lace-weight variagated white/gray

Most days I use a combination of the the variagated 'cloud' yarn with one of the other colors.  The charcoal gray sticks out like a sore thumb...or like a crash of thunder.  That darkest stripe you see represents a storm full of lightning and thunder which poured four and a half inches of rain on us. 

I decided to do a garter stitch border and the center in stockinette.  I'm not crazy about the look of carrying the unused colors up the side, but I may go back at the end and crochet around the whole thing as Lynne suggested.

It's a fun project.  It only takes a few minutes to knit each day's two rows (after I untangle the yarn).  I'll be showing each month's progress at month's end.

Happy 2012...

A new year is upon us!  I got a little sidetracked last week, so more crafty Christmas photos will have to be posted later.  The above photo shows the makings of my 2012 undertaking.

I came across this idea initiated by Leigh at leafcutterdesigns.com and thought it was absolutely brilliant.  This is called the Sky Scarf.  You start out with yarns in blues, white, and grays, then each day you knit a stripe in colors that match the sky that day. Over the year you will have a record of the year's weather patterns in your scarf.

Since you only knit one stripe (two rows) a day, I think it is a very manageable goal, even for me.  On January 1st I cast on and knit the first two rows.  My plan is to show my progress on the first of each month through the year.  You are supposed to end up with a five-foot scarf at year's end.  I am adjusting my pattern and yarn just a bit, so I may end up with something a bit different.  My gauge sample was very close to that suggested though, so I'm not too worried.

I have two other year-long goals this year, so stay tuned.  :)

Serendipity...

You might remember this little cap from my post awhile back. I was going to wait till I had a little stockpile built up, and then talk to someone about donating them.

Then the other day I stumbled upon this post from Steph on Snickerdoodle. Perfect timing! A cause. Detailed instructions for mailing. An offer of knitting help. And a giveaway to boot!

You'll notice this button

over on the right side of my blog. Click it for Steph's full post. It's awesome.

I mailed my cap off in the mail this morning, and I've had a smile on my face all day.

Hot off the needles...

Remember that little knitting project I started the other day? I finished it!

Excuse my rough first attempt at knitting a cap and the truly awful photo (for which I couldn't find an appropriate sized form to model it on and very quickly faked a pastel background)...but I'm very happy with the effort. Knits up quickly, and is donate-able. Won't this look cute on a precious little baby?

I foresee a lot of these in my future.

One World~One Heart Giveaway...

February 15, 2010 EDIT: This year's One World~One Heart winners were drawn this afternoon by random integer generator...congratulations to the winner of the Red/Natural set #40 Beadwright, and to the winner of the Blue/Ecru set #245 Bubbachenille. The dishcloths will be in the mail to you as soon as you reply to my e-mail (sent a few minutes ago) with your mailing address. Please don't wait too long...if I don't hear from you within seven days, I will have to draw a new winner(s).

**********************************************************
February 15, 2010...12:00 p.m. US CST...ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED...WINNERS WILL BE DRAWN AND ANNOUNCED/CONTACTED LATER THIS AFTERNOON.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO COMMENTED AND LEFT SUCH POSITIVE MESSAGES.
**********************************************************
Edited to add a second giveaway item due to high volume of entries...thanks for your positive feedback!



I'm excited to announce my participation in the 4th annual One World~One Heart Giveaway. This event is the brainchild of Lisa Swifka of A Whimsical Bohemian, and it helps bloggers all over the world find and visit other creative bloggers...AND there are prizes to be won!

This year I will be drawing two winners, and each will receive a set of three hand-knitted dishcloths. My blog giveaway is open to all bloggers worldwide!

Set one red and natural...



Set two blue and ecru...



To enter, please leave a comment at the end of this post. Make sure you include some kind of contact info, be it e-mail address or a way for me to link back to your blog. Comments will close at noon (USA Central Standard Time) on February 15, 2010. Later that afternoon, I will draw a winner using a random number generator, and I will contact the winner that same day, as well as announce the winner here on my blog. The winner will have seven days to contact me with a mailing address. If I do not receive a response within seven days, I will draw an alternate winner.

To read more about One World~One Heart, and to see a list of links to all the participating bloggers so you can begin entering the drawings, just click here .

Ready...set...GO!

Knitting progress report...

Progress on the seed stitch afghan (pictured above) is going pretty well. In my update a month ago, I had finished only three squares in a month. This past month I finished eleven more squares. But I'm putting it aside for now, and switching projects.

It's time for...

...Christmas gifts!

This is a doll for a little girl. Of course, there will have to be two made. The pattern is from the Nov/Dec 1982 issue of Needlecraft for Today. I've made several false starts on this pattern over the decades (!), and if I don't finish this time, I am going to call it quits and move on.

This is the photo from the magazine...

I wonder...if I do finish it...will it turn out looking like this? I'll keep you 'post'ed. :)

Bear-ly off the knitting needles...

My daughter mentioned the other day that my blog was somewhat less than interesting lately. She's right. I apologize. Aside from work, I've been reading and knitting, and that's about all. Nothing much to write about.

I've been madly knitting on a project I've shared previously. But today I took a break from the plain squares, to try something a little more playful.

I found the pattern designed by Rachel Borello Carroll recently on Petite Purls after seeing it featured on One Pretty Thing. It was so cute I had to try it.

I don't think my little bear (pictured above sitting in front of my computer monitor with his family picture pulled up on the screen behind him) turned out quite as cute as he could have. But I 'made do' with the wrong size needles, no fiber fill to stuff him with, and a rapidly hand-stitched face. I definitely want to try the others when I'm patient enough to make sure I have all the right supplies at hand. I could have some big fun with these.

It was a couple of hours well and enjoyably spent.

Seed stitch afghan progress...

Just a quick update on my knitting progress. This was one skein. I'm trying to decide if I want to try to get one more square out of the remaining brown (I think there might just be enough) or move on to another color. I'm leaning toward another color...for a little change of pace...and because I don't think I have another skein of brown, so I might have to run to buy another before I could finish.

As you can see, my speed is not stellar. Only three squares in a little over a month.

Oh, by the way, knitting today has helped me get past that tune-in-my-head problem of the last few days. My knitting gauge is about an inch per 5 rows. So since I didn't have a paper/pencil handy, I started humming songs on each row that would help me track my progress.

ONE Is The Loneliest Number.
Tea for TWO.
THREE Blind Mice.
FOUR He's a Jolly Good Fellow. (Yes, yes. I know.)
FIVE Golden Rings (I only hummed from 5 down to 1 of the Twelve Days of Christmas).

Of course, the other one is still in Carey's head. He came in a few minutes ago and said that now HE'S making up new lyrics. I told him I was afraid to ask. To which he responded that he was afraid to tell me.

Uh-oh.

Knit one, purl one...

Here's the progress I've made thus far.

The plan? Seed stitch afghan. Nine-inch squares, each bordered by crochet, and sewn together. It's a version of an afghan my mother made years ago, as best I can remember it. She was an expert knitter, and yet this simple afghan was one of my favorite things she made.

She believed that you should always have something to show for your time...and this one is an easy one to work on while watching tv, since you don't have to concentrate on a pattern...much. (I already have about half a row that I got off a stitch on. Oh well, I just knit on...I call it practicing imperfection...that doesn't come easy...I am my mother's daughter after all.)

When Mom started hers, it seemed a strange combination of colors...very un-mom like colors. What I liked about it was that not only did it turn out really attractive, it was a good cover. Though I think lacy afghans are beautiful, I hate the way the open work in the pattern seems to invite drafts to sneak through.

Mom's afghan was gifted away, but I never forgot it. So I thought it was time I try to recreate it. My plan is for this to be my lunch-time afghan. I'm going to leave my knitting bag in my car, so I can knit on my lunch hour. Be productive and de-stress at the same time. Hmmm...I think that's called multi-tasking.

New Projects...

I love to start new projects. I love to finish projects. It's just the part in between that can get a little tiresome.

So here's a photo of my newest project. The colors look pretty awful in the photo, but pay no attention. I'm posting this as a challenge to myself...and a record.

There will be progress reports...if there is progress. :)