Utopia Cable Hat

I knitted the Utopia Cable Hat witht Beginner's Knit Along group on Ravelry. This is KAL for November 2015. I used size US 8 16" circular needles. The yarn is Lion Brand's Vanna's Choice, which is worsted weight acrylic yarn. the color is Colonial Blue. This is some of the yarn I purchased at the Legacy in Sebastopol. 

I love knitting cables, they are so easy and fun to do. I really want to explore more with cables. I want to learn Celtic Cables. This is the first time I cabled in the round.

Scopes Hat

This is the Scopes Hat a free pattern on Ravelry. I knitted this with the Beginners Knit Along group on Ravelry. I used US6 32" circular needles and Nashua Handknits Creative Focus Superwash yarn. It is a wool. The colorway is plum. This hat is real slouchy.

The main stitches used are Knit, Purl, Yarnover, Knit 2together, SSK (slip two and knit} and K tbl (knit through the backloop).
I also learned to knit from a chart, which uses symbols.

My First Knit A Long: The Shawl Body

I finally got the body of the Glam Shells Shawl done. I got mu 203 stitches on the needles.
I had to restart once, but I have since caught up. June 22 is the day we are suppose to have the body done, so I am a day ahead.

Now it is on to the Shell pattern. You are suppose to work it from a chart, but since I have never used a chart, I found the written pattern. This is much easier to follow.  I still need to learn to read a chart, but not on this one.

My First Knit Along - The Cast On and Set Up Rows

Here is the Cast On for the Glam Shells in the Expression Fiber Arts June Knit Along. The cast on was the easy part. I am finding this fingering weight yarn hard to work with. I had cast on several times, first on US 6 needles. This cast on was done on US 7 needles. I had to get some smaller stitch markers for this smaller yarn. 

Here is the setup rows this is the first 10 rows. The increases are yarn overs with K2tog and SSK. I am now ready to start row 11-16, which is repeating row 7 and 8 three more times.

Time to take a deep breath and Keep Calm and Knit Along!

My First Knit Along

I have recently found a yarn company called Expression Fiber Arts. In one of their emails to me they announced a Knit Along for June 2015. I was intrigued, I have been wanting to find a KAL to join and this seemed like the right time. I went to Ravelry.com (a knitters best friend) and joined the Expression Fiber Arts group. I was a little apprehensive, I thought may be the pattern would be over my head. However, I said I can do this so I "signed up". When and I went to Expression Fiber Arts and placed an order for this lovely yarn seen above. It is a Superwash Merino Tencel Fingering  yarn called Frosted Freesia.  410yd 3 ply for knitting needle size US 0-7.  The pattern was later revealed as the Glam Shells shawl, when I saw it I said, Oh, can I do that? It looked like I could be in over my head. I looked at the pattern itself and saw that it was just K (knit), YO (yarn over), SSK (slip slip knit). Well I thought no I can do this. Since this pattern will grow to 203 stitches I will be using my US 6 32" circular needles.

June 1 is the start date, that is when I get to CO (cast on) and I need to complete by June 30. Yes, I can do this. It will be fun!

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/sandrasmith007/glam-shells

2015 Baby Bird Nest Campaign - Wildcare

It is that time of year again, the call went out from Wildcare that they once again needed baby bird nests, so I dug into my stash of yarn and here is what I came up with.http://www.wildcarebayarea.org/site/PageServer?pagename=babybirdnest_whyweneednests

Handbrake Cowl

 This is the Handbrake Cowl from the Bakery Bears podcast. I purchased this pattern for $1.56 (1 pound UK). This pattern was designed by Kay Jones of the Bakery Bears podcast. The proceeds from this pattern all go to cancer research. 

The yarn I used was Spud & Chloe Sweater worsted, which is Superwash 58% wool  and 45% Organic Cotton. the weight is 100 grams, guage is 4-5 sts per inch, needle size US 7-9 (I used sized 7 US 24" circulars). and approx. 160 yards. I used one 1 skein and a little bit of the second one. I purchased this yarn from the Yarnover Truck when they were on their California road trip to Santa Rosa.

This pattern was so simple to make, you just knit and purl.

Cabled Wine Sleeve

The Cabled Wine Sleeve

This is a free pattern on Ravelry.com by Olivia Forney. I knitted it with some Red Heart Worsted weight yarn in red. I used 3 DPN's (Double Pointed Needles) US 8 (5.0 mm). This is the 3 knitted project I have used double pointed needles, I am starting to get used to them. 

Wine Bottle Cozy

This is pattern is free on Ravelry from Tara's Knits. I knitted it on 3  US 8 double points with worsted weight yarn I had in my stash.  It is knitted in the round, so no seaming. You start with a rib pattern and then basically knit for 12 1/2 inches then decrease to form the bottom.

Chutes & Ladders Scarf

This is the Chutes & Ladders Scarf from KnitandCrochetNow.com. I knitted this with size US 11 needles and Lion Brand Wool ease Chunk in the Nantucket colorway. The yarn is real soft and squishy, it will definitely keep someone warm. It was a simple pattern to knit and I loved doing the cables. This scarf will be given to the Knit Wits at the Novato United Methodist Church.

33 Cup Cosy and Tea Toter

 This is my first attempt at knitting a cup cosy. I recently have started to watch many knitting podcasts on You Tube. One of the podcasts I am watching is the Little Bobbins, where I participated in a cup cosy swap. I was paired up with someone in Australia. I knitted this cosy with some stash yarn called Phentex "Chunky". It is bulky yarn good for cabling. I really had fun making this and now I want to make more cup cosys.

 I also had fun knitting this Tea Toter. I used worsted weight yarn called, I Love This Yarn. I really love this yarn, it made a lovely pattern as I knitted. I would like to make more of these, too.

Claire's "Gone Hog Wild" capelet

I am a big fan of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander. I have been watching the show on Starz and really enjoying the knitted items. I was thrilled when I found this pattern for the capelet Claire wore in the episode entitled, The Gathering. 

I knitted this pattern on size US 11 circular needles with Bernat's Softee chunky yarn. This yarn is super bulky in the Pumpkin colorway. I used 2 skeins to knit this. I learned a new stitch, The kfb (knit in front loop, then back loop) this was a way to increase and very easy stitch. The pattern is a top down pattern. You start with the collar in seed stitch, k1, p1 (knit 1, purl 1), in seed stitch you knit the purls and purl the knits.  

I love this pattern, it was easy and quite fast to knit. Everytime I see this capelet, it makes me smile.

The Big Blue

This pattern is called The Big Blue by Meg Gadsbey / Atelier Yarn. I knitted this shawl for my Knit Wit's knit group (A prayer shawl knitting ministry the Novato United Methodist Church).
 This patttern me learn a new cast on, The Garter Tab Cast On. I had no idea what that was.  So as I always do when confronted with a new stitch or method, I went to You Tube, where there is a video on just about anything. I found what I was looking for on the New Stitch A Day channel. This was very helpful and after a few viewings and a lot of practice I was able to do the Garter Tab Cast On.  You cast on 3 stitches, knit 7 rows turn 90 degrees and pick up and knit 3 stitches then turn 90 degrees pickup and knit 3 stitches. Then there were 9 stitches in total on the needle.  
I also had to learn M1L (Make 1 Left) and M1R (Make 1 Right). Once again I went to You Tube and on the Knitwitch channel I learned to do that stitch.

I knitted this with 1 1/2 skeins of Red Heart Soft Seafoam on US 8 32 inch circular needles..

Library Capelet

This is a free pattern from Lion Brand Yarn Company. I used most of 2 skeins of Lion Brand Homespun and size US 10 1/2 29 inch circular needles. It was easy to knit. The first few rows are in seed stitch (k1 p1 and then you knit the purls and purl the knits in other rows) and then do stockinette stitch (alternating knit row and purl row). I would like to put a shawl pin on it. 

Owl Boot Cuffs

I just finished the Owl Boot Cuffs. This was a free pattern on Ravelry. Once I figured out the pattern, they were quite easy to knit. I used Annabel Fox Chunky Donegal yarn and US 9 16 inch circular needles.

My First Fingerless Mittens

 
I knitted my first pair of fingerless mittens. This is a free pattern on Craftsy. This pattern had me knit in two colors. I used your basic acrylic yarn and size US 8 10 inch straight needles. These were easy because you knitted flat and seamed them up leaving a "thumb" hole. My seaming needs a little work. Of course, I knitted them in "Giant" Orange and Black!

Highland Gauntlets

This is a free pattern from Lion Brand Yarn Company. I learned to make a thumb gusset. It is an easy pattern and will quick to make two gauntlets. I used Lion Brand Heartland, the color is glacier Bay. yarn and size US 8 10 inch straight needles.

After making these gauntlets, I am ready to learn to make an actual thumb on fingerless mitts.

Two Heats as One Dishcloth

I knitted this from the Knitting Calendar 2014. I used Lily Sugar n' Cream cotton and size US 7 10 inch straight needles. I like to knit dishclothes, it is a good way to practice new stitches. It is like doing big swatches.

Honeycomb Cable Dishcloth

This pattern is from the Knitting Calendar 2014. I used Lily Sugar n' Cream Cotton in yellow and size US 8 10 inch straight needles.