So I was cleaning up my stash the other day (never a good thing for a knitter to say!) and besides realizing that I had too many half balls, or hideous brown fuzzballs that have been donated to my knitting cause ( I found one that might be dog hair. Which is a little creepy because I don't have a dog!). So after tossing the tangles in the trash and putting some of the smaller skeins in the yard sale pile (which wasn't many) I was left with these 20 or so odd balls with varying colours and sizes. Now the problem of what to do with them?
I've already made a scrap wrap with my smallest leftovers and have made far too many scrappy scarves than I could possibly use. I suppose I could make more toys, especially since I'm teaching a workshop at the Peterborough Public library the end of November on them (YAY! I never thought I would ever be able to teach anyone anything and here I am leading a workshop! WOOT!) So I guess for right now I should be accumulating a list of toys to work on using my odd balls. It could work, but then there is the ever-looming paranoia that I'll run out of a colour... meh, I suppose for some of them it doesn't really matter what colour they are! So here goes nothing, Rainbow elephants and purple frogs here I come!
(Sigh* I really have to get out more!)
Cheers,
Berlynn The Knitting Gypsy
Friday 27 July 2012
Sunday 15 July 2012
The continuing epic of the heartilly sweater
Its done! YIPIEE!!!! I finally finished it a few days ago and after trying it on, and doing some minor alterations (and some very unflattering photos of me wearing it) its ready and perfect! I strayed a little from diligently recording what I was doing as I was doing it and I feel its a little daft to test knit this pattern again, so I think this is a pattern I will pass on sharing. Its likely fraught with errors anyway.
I will however share photos when I wear it to the convention in August. I also decided to supplement the sweater with a crocheted, practical little shoulder bag with my leftover blue yarn which I will likely share the pattern for.
Since completing the (previously considered to be) never-ending sweater, I find I just can't stick to one project. I seem to be suffering from a touch of the knitting/crocheting ADD again, and just can't seem to pick it up again.
I recently started on a pair of honeycomb mittens for local children through my LYS, but making mittens makes me think of winter and that makes me depressed. I still have a shrug on the go, but I have to backtrack and pick up a stitch, so it stays unfinished for now. I started to crochet another bag, this one of Full Metal Alchemist theme, but I really don't think that I should start on something else right now. Besides I still have a white mokona without any ears or limbs that I still have to finish up as well!
I guess this is what happens when I spend more time at my sewing machine than my knitting needles, but oh well. Sometimes a change up is good; just not in the middle of so many unfinished projects I suppose.
Well for now I hope that I can get back to at least the shrug and stick with it, it'll be nice to use right now, so I'm going to tell myself to tough it out regardless!
Cheers,
Berlynn, the knitting (and otherwise crafty) gypsy.
I will however share photos when I wear it to the convention in August. I also decided to supplement the sweater with a crocheted, practical little shoulder bag with my leftover blue yarn which I will likely share the pattern for.
Since completing the (previously considered to be) never-ending sweater, I find I just can't stick to one project. I seem to be suffering from a touch of the knitting/crocheting ADD again, and just can't seem to pick it up again.
I recently started on a pair of honeycomb mittens for local children through my LYS, but making mittens makes me think of winter and that makes me depressed. I still have a shrug on the go, but I have to backtrack and pick up a stitch, so it stays unfinished for now. I started to crochet another bag, this one of Full Metal Alchemist theme, but I really don't think that I should start on something else right now. Besides I still have a white mokona without any ears or limbs that I still have to finish up as well!
I guess this is what happens when I spend more time at my sewing machine than my knitting needles, but oh well. Sometimes a change up is good; just not in the middle of so many unfinished projects I suppose.
Well for now I hope that I can get back to at least the shrug and stick with it, it'll be nice to use right now, so I'm going to tell myself to tough it out regardless!
Cheers,
Berlynn, the knitting (and otherwise crafty) gypsy.
Saturday 16 June 2012
MOKONA PATTERN!!!! (finally)
Finally after much testing and retesting, writing and rewriting (stupid laptop) of the Mokona pattern I feel confident enough to share the pattern; now that I'm positive its not riddled with mistakes.
So here it is, Enjoy!
What you need:
-1 skien red heart supersaver or red heart with love worsted weight yarn in black or white.
-Bernat satin yarn in flamingo for the small details (any pink yarn would do)
-3.50mm dpns
-1 red or blue bead 1mm in diameter
-Cotton or polyfill
-yarn needle (you're gonna need it)
Pattern body:
CO 6 st across 3 DPN and join. (2 st per needle)
Round 1 and all odd rows: Knit to secure
Round 2:KFB all stitches (12sts)
Round 4:K1, KFB (18sts)
Round 6:K2, KFB (24sts)
Rounds 8, 10,12, 14 and 16: K3 KFB (70sts)
continue to Knit for 4 inches
Decrease rounds:
Round 1:K10, K2tog
Round 2 and all even numbered rows: Knit
Round 3:K9, K2tog
NOTE: This would be a good time to stop knitting and sew on the face, the bead and start to stuff the little guy. Continue to stuff until very firm before finishing up.
Round 5:K8,K2Tog
Round 7: K7,K2tog
Round 9: K6, K2tog
Round11:K5, K2tog
Round 13:K4, K2tog
Round 15:K3, K2tog
Round 17:K2, K2tog
Round 19:K1, K2tog
Round 20: Knit the last row and thread the tail through the loops and pull snuggly. tie off.
Tail: CO 3 st. and make an I-cord 1 inch in length. (for how to visit www.knittinghelp.com)
Arms (make 2):
CO 6 sts and divide over 3 DPNs (like with the body)
K1 row to secure
KFB all the sts (12 sts)
Continue to knit in the round until 2 inches in length. Cast off. Stuff and sew to body.
Ears (make 2):
CO 6 sts on a straight needle (or one DPN)
Row 1: K
Row 2: P
Row 3:KFB, K5
Row 4: PFB, K6
Row 5: K
Row 6: P
Row 7: K1, KFB, K6
Row 8:P1, PFB, P7
From row 9 on K one side and purl the other until 9 inches in length.
Cast off and sew on the top of the body (right beside the cast off end.)
Do the same in the pink yarn until 7 1/2 inches in length. sew to the other side of the ear piece.
Feet (make 2 again):
CO 6 sts and divide over 3 needles (again)
K1 row
KFB all sts.
Knit in the round until 3 inches in length. Stuff and thread yarn through the remaining stitches pull tight and tie.
Sew a little leftover pink yarn (4 satin sts) on just before the end of the foot (optional) and sew to either the bottom (for standing mokona) or to the bottom front (for a sitting one.).
And there you have it! Your very own adorable mokona!
If you have any questions at all feel free to ask me!
Happy knitting!
Berlynn
So here it is, Enjoy!
What you need:
-1 skien red heart supersaver or red heart with love worsted weight yarn in black or white.
-Bernat satin yarn in flamingo for the small details (any pink yarn would do)
-3.50mm dpns
-1 red or blue bead 1mm in diameter
-Cotton or polyfill
-yarn needle (you're gonna need it)
Pattern body:
CO 6 st across 3 DPN and join. (2 st per needle)
Round 1 and all odd rows: Knit to secure
Round 2:KFB all stitches (12sts)
Round 4:K1, KFB (18sts)
Round 6:K2, KFB (24sts)
Rounds 8, 10,12, 14 and 16: K3 KFB (70sts)
continue to Knit for 4 inches
Decrease rounds:
Round 1:K10, K2tog
Round 2 and all even numbered rows: Knit
Round 3:K9, K2tog
NOTE: This would be a good time to stop knitting and sew on the face, the bead and start to stuff the little guy. Continue to stuff until very firm before finishing up.
Round 5:K8,K2Tog
Round 7: K7,K2tog
Round 9: K6, K2tog
Round11:K5, K2tog
Round 13:K4, K2tog
Round 15:K3, K2tog
Round 17:K2, K2tog
Round 19:K1, K2tog
Round 20: Knit the last row and thread the tail through the loops and pull snuggly. tie off.
Tail: CO 3 st. and make an I-cord 1 inch in length. (for how to visit www.knittinghelp.com)
Arms (make 2):
CO 6 sts and divide over 3 DPNs (like with the body)
K1 row to secure
KFB all the sts (12 sts)
Continue to knit in the round until 2 inches in length. Cast off. Stuff and sew to body.
Ears (make 2):
CO 6 sts on a straight needle (or one DPN)
Row 1: K
Row 2: P
Row 3:KFB, K5
Row 4: PFB, K6
Row 5: K
Row 6: P
Row 7: K1, KFB, K6
Row 8:P1, PFB, P7
From row 9 on K one side and purl the other until 9 inches in length.
Cast off and sew on the top of the body (right beside the cast off end.)
Do the same in the pink yarn until 7 1/2 inches in length. sew to the other side of the ear piece.
Feet (make 2 again):
CO 6 sts and divide over 3 needles (again)
K1 row
KFB all sts.
Knit in the round until 3 inches in length. Stuff and thread yarn through the remaining stitches pull tight and tie.
Sew a little leftover pink yarn (4 satin sts) on just before the end of the foot (optional) and sew to either the bottom (for standing mokona) or to the bottom front (for a sitting one.).
And there you have it! Your very own adorable mokona!
If you have any questions at all feel free to ask me!
Happy knitting!
Berlynn
Happy WWKIP day!
What an awesome event this was! Every knitter in the city of Peterborough came out to knit in the sunshine and get a tan (or burn as is my ritual now for 2 years in a row.). I went to help out The Pridie Collection with carrying supplies and also to show off Mokona the Sequel (a white one), which was well near done for the torso. I would have brought the Heartilly sweater, but it was way too much to deal with. However, I'm proud to update that it now has the starting of armholes! HOORAY for being in the home stretch! Also proof that I can stick to one large project and see it through (curse you knitting A.D.D!) Anyways, there was so much to see and so much yarn to resist the urge to buy (*drools* Indigodragonfly silk and cashmere), which was a real test of my willpower as a recovering Shopoholic. I was really amazed by the turnout which was not limited to just knitters, but to every facet of the fibre arts there could possibly be.
I saw someone working a drop spindle, there were machine knitters and crocheters. It was awesome!
Now, hopefully (fingers crossed) I'll be able to post the Mokona pattern soon, I was planning on doing it this weekend, but my laptop has decided to go comatose on me and I doubt its ever going to snap out of it. Its had a good run, but I really hope I can recover my files. I had some really amazing short stories on there that in hindsight I probably should have backed up. But as my Grandpa used to say "If foresight was as good as hindsight we'd be better off by a damned sight." and I've learned my lesson well.
So, now its back to deciphering my chicken scratch to bring the Mokona to you.
Cheers
Berlynn The Knitting Gypsy
I saw someone working a drop spindle, there were machine knitters and crocheters. It was awesome!
Now, hopefully (fingers crossed) I'll be able to post the Mokona pattern soon, I was planning on doing it this weekend, but my laptop has decided to go comatose on me and I doubt its ever going to snap out of it. Its had a good run, but I really hope I can recover my files. I had some really amazing short stories on there that in hindsight I probably should have backed up. But as my Grandpa used to say "If foresight was as good as hindsight we'd be better off by a damned sight." and I've learned my lesson well.
So, now its back to deciphering my chicken scratch to bring the Mokona to you.
Cheers
Berlynn The Knitting Gypsy
Monday 28 May 2012
The call of the wild
It has been so lovely out here! The sun is shining, birds are singing and I've been spending more and more time outdoors, especially now that my allergies are now going away! YIPIEEEEE!!!!! So now comes the time of year when I take my crafting outside, and yearn to go away from civilization. Right now my ideal getaway would be me and Dear Hubby away from the noise of cities and towns quietly camping in Algonquin park or something similar. No computers, no tv, no video games and nobody asking for favours. I would love to just bug out for a little while and concentrate on my knitting (my heartilly sweater, aka the neverending sweater is still in progress and the deadline is looming over me, and beginning to really stress me out!) or crochet (that's right, the knitting gypsy now swings both ways! Thanks to my wonderful sensei Christina, owner of the Pridie Collection in Peterborough.) in the quiet sanctity of the outdoors. I was really inspired by my ecotourism class at the college to get outside and be more adventurous, even if I haven't tent camped since I was 15. An experience ruined by sharing a tent with my kid sister who kick-boxes in her sleep. I've pretty much been strictly a vardo/ hotel kind of girl since then. Anyways, I found myself wandering around outdoors stores more so than my LYS lately, and so now I've been planning this great camping trip, which hopefully will come to fruition soon. For now I'll just keep dreaming of the wild while I keep going on the never ending sweater.
Happy Travels,
Berlynn The Knitting (and crocheting) Gypsy
Happy Travels,
Berlynn The Knitting (and crocheting) Gypsy
Wednesday 18 April 2012
Into the wild
Yay! I finally got out of town! I went to the cottage for a late celebration of Ostara, but I now feel 100% better after being out in nature! It was exactly what I needed to re-center myself and sort out exactly what my priorities are. I even finished my hooded scarf while I was up there; it's so nice and cozy!
Anyways I started making up some washcloths to accompany my handmade herbal soaps that will be sold at a few local businesses this summer, just to make them look a little cuter I think. I still haven't picked up the heartilly sweater in a little while, but I have a new plan of attack for finishing it with a minimal of weight and yarn, so I'll have to see how that pans out. I'm still confident it will be done for Fanexpo in August, despite my avoiding-like-the-plague attitude toward working on it.
And I've decided to go forth with publishing the cute little Mokona I designed, so within a couple of days the Mokona pattern will be made available here.
until then, Cheers
Berlynn, The Knitting Gypsy
Anyways I started making up some washcloths to accompany my handmade herbal soaps that will be sold at a few local businesses this summer, just to make them look a little cuter I think. I still haven't picked up the heartilly sweater in a little while, but I have a new plan of attack for finishing it with a minimal of weight and yarn, so I'll have to see how that pans out. I'm still confident it will be done for Fanexpo in August, despite my avoiding-like-the-plague attitude toward working on it.
And I've decided to go forth with publishing the cute little Mokona I designed, so within a couple of days the Mokona pattern will be made available here.
until then, Cheers
Berlynn, The Knitting Gypsy
Wednesday 28 March 2012
Lazier than a well-fed house cat
Ok, I know its been awhile, I just haven't really knit much in the last little while, let alone really have much to write about. It seems I've gotten lazy when it comes to knitting. I start something, I put it aside and then instead gnaw through a book (by the way, just finished One for the Money by Janet Evanovich after YEARS of it being in my "to read" drawer, and now I can't wait to see the movie when it comes out on DVD). I guess its all part of the restlessness that my gypsy spirit experiences every spring; the weather gets nicer and I get really restless and want to get the hell out of town. I guess that restless attitude is showing my knitting as well. I'm still in the process of the epic Heartilly Sweater, half way done the back and nearly ran out of yarn, so I raided the Zellers liquidation sale (not that good of a deal as of yet.). I've been working on a cabled scarf with a hood and actually got MOST of it done. Just the hood to go, so much for it being ready for St. Patty's day as I'd planned however.
lets see what else... half way through an afghan, and a march patch for a monthly patch KAL I started back in October, and for reasons unknown I started a baby sweater. I suppose for practice shaping necklines and stuff for bigger sweaters.
Which reminds me, I'm proud to announce that I've FINALLY worn my husband down in letting me make him a sweater! YAY!!!!! I love the way Irish aran looks on men, so I'm making him a storm gray aran cabled sweater using red heart ecoways. Start date to be decided though; probably after this cluster of unfinished projects clear out.
Well bye for now, hopefully I can travel again soon, before this rut drives me up a tree.
Berlynn, The Knitting (yet currently stationary) Gypsy
lets see what else... half way through an afghan, and a march patch for a monthly patch KAL I started back in October, and for reasons unknown I started a baby sweater. I suppose for practice shaping necklines and stuff for bigger sweaters.
Which reminds me, I'm proud to announce that I've FINALLY worn my husband down in letting me make him a sweater! YAY!!!!! I love the way Irish aran looks on men, so I'm making him a storm gray aran cabled sweater using red heart ecoways. Start date to be decided though; probably after this cluster of unfinished projects clear out.
Well bye for now, hopefully I can travel again soon, before this rut drives me up a tree.
Berlynn, The Knitting (yet currently stationary) Gypsy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)