Detail - Zig-Zag Bag before felting

Another finished project and some knitting that was just plain fun! There is something thoroughly satisfying about knitting with really big needles on occasion. Especially if your usual bent is sock yarn on size (US) 1’s or 0’s.

Baby Zig Bag, before felting

My Niece had a birthday recently and I wanted to make something for her that was fun, even quirky, and practical too. This little felted bag (pattern by LynnH of ColorJoy!) seemed the ideal project. Made with a lovely teal color of Shepherd’s Wool Worsted and a skein of hand dyed (by me, of course!) Cascade 220, it felted consistently and without an excess of fuzz.  I failed to include anything in the above photo to show scale but the bag, before felting measured about 21″ wide.

Teal Felted Baby Zig Bag

After all the knitting comes the brave bit. I tossed it into the washer and dryer. Since I have a front loader it took three times but the end result was a fabulous sized small purse. I photographed it with my wallet, phone, and iTouch for scale. They all fit perfectly and now I want one of these bags too. It’s a good thing I have more yarn, yes?

the perfect little felted bag

I hope she likes it as much as I did making it 

On another subject, for those who have wondered… Yes, I’m still using my AeroGardens constantly. One is always herbs

Herbs in the AeroGarden

and one is always salad stuff. I like having fresh salad greens I pick myself when the ground is covered in snow!

Salad greens in my AeroGarden

I think salad is on the menu for tonight!

Deb H

Knitting socks for the Fairy Folk is just silly fun – but I really like to do it! And I’m sure their tiny little feet appreciate it too  ;o)

Tofutsie Fairy Sock

I had included a free pattern for my easy Fairy Sock in the December 2009 PHAT Fibers box with a note that for more detailed instructions, they were to go to a certain web page. To all the PHAT Fiber box recipients who tried this, I apologize profusely!!! I could not figure out how to make a private page. I have published it here, under my “Free Patterns” section (see side bar) and made it accessible to all my Blog readers instead.

Enjoy!!

Deb H

PS – I’ve got the whole private page thing figured out now (I think), but hugs to everyone anyway 

Ocean Sock

I’ve been trying to get myself out of the Holiday “lolli-gag” mode and back to productive time spending 

As such, I have succumbed to the cracking of the whip and scheduled classes to teach at Heritage Spinning & Weaving. You can also see my class schedule on my “I Teach” page.

Want to learn to knit socks?

Rivendell Sock

Being crazy busy does not rule out all knitting. It just means I’m teetering on the brink of crazy. But that’s not news to my inner circle – busy or not. So I’ve still managed to finish a pair of socks and aren’t they just tooo lovely?

Rivendell - cuff

When The Eclectic Sole by Janel Laidman came into the shop (had to have been last spring?) I could not stop looking at it.

The Eclectic Sole by Janel Laidman

The cover was tantalizing, the title  a tease, and the patterns are an adventurous delight (anybody want to hire me to write Ad Copy? 

Published by Rustling Leaf Press, it has 96 pages of full color, very well photographed socks, techniques, color charts, and discussions of swatching , yarns, WPI (bravo Janel!), color, needles, and some basics. In the back are some photos and instructions for the cast-ons and stitches she uses in her patterns. All very clear and understandable. What I like about her book is that she did not spend a lot of her precious book pages on these things by going into a lot of detail. She used the bulk of the pages on her great patterns. So, while I would not recomend it to a brand new knitter, or maybe even a first time sock knitter, I don’t believe that is her target. Janel has found the happy medium; these are fresh, beautiful and interesting, with opportunities to learn for the sock knitter who is bored with “basic” but not as mind-bending as Cat Bordhi’s New Pathways.

Since I wear Burkies, I ribbed all the way to the tip of the toe.

Back to the socks… I sucumbed and the book followed me home. It stayed in the kennel (book shelf with all my other “pet” books) until late summer when I could not ignore it’s soft mewling anymore. I took it off the shelf and it popped open to the sock that had to be made first. I confess, as geeky as this is, I’m a Lord of the Rings fan, have been since Jr. High. The first socks from this book had to be Rivendell.

Graceful blending from the ornate rib to the leaf pattern

I had yarn in my stash from the sale bin in almost the same colorway as the socks in the book; a soft blend of pastels – appropriate for an Elvish design. The pattern was just challenging enough to keep me interested and excited. It would have been perfect except for the yarn. I used Maizy from Crystal Palace Yarns and I have to say, it’s not my cup o’ tea. 82% corn fiber and 18% elastic, it was too stretchy and too wimpy. I usually knit socks on a size “0″ or “1″ needle to get gauge but had to use a size “3″ with this stuff that was like knitting with limp rubber bands. I like the finished product but it was less than ideal to knit with. I also learned, the hard way, that you do not steam socks with elastic in them – it melts! The socks are fine, undamaged and look great but if you rub your hand over the surface (outside only, thank goodness), it has a scratchy feel that the melted elastic gives it. Yes, I should have known better – I guess I was on automatic pilot when I blocked these. Oy!

The cuff again

For the next pair, I will return to my beloved wool sock yarn.

But which pair next, Nordic Lights or Migration? Decisions, decisions…

As always, you can see more of my favorite books, that I highly recommend, by visiting My Book Store (there is a link in the sidebar under Pages). This is an aStore or Amazon store that only lists books I choose.

Deb H

Does this mean that every Saturday I’ll write a book review? Ha! I should be so disciplined. It really means that I’m doing one of the many book reviews I’ve been intending (on which I am way behind) and that it just happens to be a Saturday and the book title was too long for the post title. Clear as mud?

Because I am a book junkie, a sock knitting junkie, and teach the occasional sock knitting class, I am frequently asked about my opinions of sock books. I always approach new sock knitting books with caution. Does the world really need another one, it seems there have been so many lately. But being a woman of infinite opinions, I’m always happy to share them

Today’s Special;

“Knitting More Circles Around Socks: Two at a Time, Toe Up or Cuff Down ” by Antje Gillingham

If  “Knitting Circles Around Socks: Knit Two at a Time on Circular Needles” by Antje Gillingham, can be classified as SKOC (Sock Knitting on Circulars) 101, then her new book “Knitting More Circles Around Socks: Two at a Time, Toe Up or Cuff Down” would be SKOC 201.

“More” is a stand alone book that does not require you to have purchased the first book. It has all the same good basic sock information and how too start instructions as the first book; terminology, measuring for fit, gauge swatching, and a handy size chart that gives you all the needed measurements for each standard shoe size – ideal for gift knitting!

The text is littered with good, clear hand drawn illustrations for all techniques needed in this book in the Knitting Basics section. Many of the techniques are different from the first book as different techniques are used in this collection of patterns.

The Sock Basics section is new and a very good primer to read before starting your first sock pattern. Read it! Your sock knitting experience will be sweeter for it (that goes for any knitting book), and this is a fabulous addition.

The Basic Woman’s Cuff Down Sock pattern (the first pattern in the book) is the same as in her first book. Her photo illustrations of casting-on and setting up for two-at-a-time is very good and she gives lots of great tips for cast-on success.

All that is in the first 28 pages. Now, the really good stuff (more?) starts. There are three more cuff-down socks that are inventive. I love bobbles, slips are new to me but (now) on my “must try” list. The third is a basic sock for kids; wonderful as it covers infant to age 12. There are eight patterns for toe-up socks (my own personal favorite). Again, her techniques are well illustrated with photographs. Another good kid’s basic pattern is added and the following are all fresh designs and a just a wee bit more challenging than those in her first book. The information you need is all there and very understandable without being “dumbed down”.

As a fanatical two-at-a-time on one (or two) needle sock knitter for the last few years, I have to say “I’m impressed”. Job well done Antje, just don’t ask me to pronounce your name.

Deb H