star buttons make good things better

I will be super ready this winter. Yet another piece to keep my neck warm. Another simple pattern. Cast on 25sts. *k2tog, yo *repeat across, knit last stitch. Next row, knit across. Repeat these 2 rows until you reach your desired length. I placed some white star buttons along the edge of one side. With all of the holes in this scarf, it makes it easy to adjust it to any look.

a swirly you actually want

New project! It's a scarf and a hood. You'll never have to choose again between the two. Made of 100% cotton instead of acrylic so that it won't be around for thousands of generations to come, even after it's lost its ability to be useful. I love the pink, yellow and orange colours. Also, the yellow and orange worked perfectly for this project so that they swirl around and around. This was a very quick project that only took about a week for me to complete. (I'm a slow knitter.) Knit in the round so that all I did was knit almost the whole thing. The ends are done in K2, P2 across. A great project for beginners or those like me who want something quick and brainless to do. I think I might have to make another one of these some other time.

neck or bum? you decide where it goes

It's my sister's birthday soon so I made her another present. She's always been open to my unusual projects. This particular one wasn't actually my idea but something that I saw on another website and thought it was a great idea. I made up my own pattern but it's very simple. I just knit a square and then did a row of k2tog, yo repeated across. This created the separations between the squares. The cardboard tube was just another square done in brown yarn then sewed together.

I just hope that she doesn't see this post for a couple of days. No one seems to look at this blog for updates so I'm sure that she won't notice. I might put a link to my blog on my profile page on facebook after I hand over her present. I think some people will look at it then.

bag lady

My work has organized an Earth Day competition where any employee can create a useful project out of items that would normally have been thrown away. Customers in our store on that day will vote on their favourite piece. Naturally, I have decided that I am going to win. I present to you my bag made of bags.

Now, I must admit that I didn't invent the idea of knitting with plastic bags. I found this idea on Flickr.com a while ago and have just been waiting for the right time to do this. All you do is take a plastic bag and cut it into strips so that you end up with a circle. Looping these strips creates a long chain that you can knit with.


I also took some plastic ties from some milk bags and wrapped yarn around them to make flowers for my bag of bags. I know the yarn isn't something that would have been thrown away but the rules are that the project must be made of at least 75% materials that would normally have been garbage. Therefore, I am exercising my right to use yarn as decoration.

The bag turned out pretty well, I just hope that the judges agree with me. What am I saying, of course they will. And if they don't, I will simply rig the contest in my favour.

*Update*
This bag won me first prize! Everyone loved the idea and appreciated the effort I put into it. I even had a lady approach me about a week later asking for instructions on how to make it, I told her to look at my blog.

shh...illegal knitting

I want to make it very clear that this isn't something that I do every day at work. I had lunch at my desk and after I finished eating, I decided to do a little experimentation. Introducing, knitting with office supplies!

I took two pencils and wrapped large elastic bands around the top of them to stop my stitches from falling off. Then I painted the ends with white-out so I wouldn't get lead everywhere. Unfortunately, white-out isn't as durable as I thought it would be and it chipped off. I would probably advice using tape or just snapping off the lead bit.

And look...
It actually worked, sort of. I don't think that these will become my new knitting needles, but it was fun for a while. Oh, in case you're wondering, the 'yarn' is some string that we keep around at work in case we need to tie anything up when we go to shows.

word spreads

So of course after I knit the leg warmers for my sister, one of her friends is asking for a pair. I thought I should put this pattern up seeing as I've now done two pairs and I may need to remind myself what I did in case I want to make this again.

Lazy Leg Warmers
4mm needles

Cast on 46sts
Row 1: K2, P2, K2 (continue across)
Row 2: P2, K2, P2 (continue across)
Repeat rows 1 and 2 nine more times each.
Row 11: K across
Row 12: P across
Repeat rows 11 and 12 for approx 65-80 rows

Ending:
Row 1: K across
Row 2: K2, P2, K2 (continue across)
Row 3: P2, K2, P2 (continue across)
Row 4: K2, P2, K2 (continue across)
Repeat rows 3 and 4 three more times
Cast Off

Other than that, all I did was change the colours of yarn I used to make patterns. Check out my computer layout:

directions can be helpful

Ok, so I tried to knit my first sock ever and it was looking great... at first. I didn't have the right size of double ended needles so I though I would just use a few less stitches. Well, it all worked out until I had to work on the heel. Apparently, it is important to follow directions exactly every once in a while. At least I know what I am doing now.



While I'm waiting to get a new pair of double-ended needles, I've started another project. Meet my grasshopper coloured shawl done in feather and fan. I was so excited when I discovered feather and fan online. It makes it look like I actually know how to knit well. The only problem, I need more yarn. I only have one ball of this colour and I have a sneaky feeling that I'm going to run out half way through. I think I'll pick some up sometime this week.

It's also my birthday today! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

done, done, done

Finally, my beautiful green scarf is finished. I'm so happy with the way it turned out.