This Week, Knit-Wise...

So this has been a strange and wonderful week.  I've so much to do but I've enjoyed it a bunch!  I enjoy cooking to a degree just not all the time.  I had the cooking party about two weeks ago so it got my creative kitchen juices flowing.  Mostly I've gone back to things I used to do all the time like making homemade salad dressing instead of buying.  I like it better for sure.  I usually stick to the perimeter of the store where the whole foods are, avoiding the center aisle where the processed food is.  There are some things there I still need like cleaners, cat food and oatmeal, etc. 

Also, my mom has worn out the cotton slippers I made her for her birthday last year so I made her some new ones.  I decided to use a different thread so that the slippers would last longer.  One with more or all acrylic.  You see, its Texas and wool can only really used about 4 days out of the year.  So this yarn is beautiful and only 20% wool.  I saw this adorable pattern in a magazine.  I should have known there was going to be Yarn Violations when the 3rd line of the pattern was incorrect.  But trudge on I did, finding additional errors.  Now you're wondering did she make a swatch, the answer is "yes!"

Needless to say that first slipper was a nightmare and is now rolled up, the cat plays with it, we call it her "rat." She loves this thing.

So I dragged out my Mon Petit Violon patterns and selected the suitable pattern.  Here's where it went wrong:  So without a gauge and thinking that 2 strands of DK would be more than enough to work the pattern which required worsted, I proceeded.  It didn't come out quite like the pattern, in fact the slippers were small.  Huh?  should have been slightly too big, right?  Slightly too big would have helped me finish the pattern which called for stitching the top section over the toes together. I couldn't do this or the slippers would have been too small to wear.  Well, they are slightly tight for me without the top stitching so they will fit my mom.  I also think these will last much better than the cotton one but they may not be as cool.  I may have to resort to making her two pair per year.

Next up, I needed to knit something so I selected a specialty stitch cowl pattern that I had bought on Ravelry (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/phydeaux-twist-cowl) which turned out really great, It was so easy, I finished it in one evening and then added a crochet chain around the edge and a button the next evening.  I can't wait to wear this!!!

So the last thing I tried this week was lace knitting.  I bought one of those "teach yourself" books.  Its really pretty good.  I made a very pretty bookmark but I can't show it to you because I think Sassy the cat has it but second, I tried a bulky weight yarn scarf.  This is still in process but it is going quite well.  I did learn from the book to periodically lay in a "lifeline." Of course, I didn't at first, not until I made an error and then dropped stitches.  It was too tricky for me to correct...at least not without spending forever on it.  So I pulled back to a neater row.  Now, I'm putting the lifeline in every 10 to 15 rows.

Considering its not blocked yet, it doesn't look too bad.  Its certainly a great way to learn. 

When I write my next blog, I have one more thing to tell you about.  Its really exciting but it will need its own blog entry. 

So for all you Americans out there, Happy Independence Day!!! If you are reading this then you live in a country that is free.  So lets remember those who are not so fortunate with our prayers and/or donations to UNICEF, Red Cross, Save the children or whatever charity speaks to your heart.  God bless us all.