A nice animal rescue group sent me a free 2006 calendar. Plus I just ordered the new Peaches 2006 calendar from Lulu to benefit the CO HRS.
Still, what I REALLY want is this calendar thanks to Simone's mom:
DH is offended that he wasn't photographed for the calendar with Peaches. All money from the calendar goes to a Vancouver rabbit rescue group.
Still, what I REALLY want is this calendar thanks to Simone's mom:
DH is offended that he wasn't photographed for the calendar with Peaches. All money from the calendar goes to a Vancouver rabbit rescue group.
I'm waiting to do something with more complex charts until I get the charting software. I do want to include a rainbow project in the next booklet so here is a sock that is really easy to knit. The little bobbles on the top are knitted separately and attached to the picot hem. They're knit with size 2 dpns and a variety of sport weight wool from the stash.
I finished the gray socks and am now starting a pair of Fair Isle socks for the new booklet. I'm trying out Knitpick's new Palette yarn along with some Shetland from my stash. I think Shetland is becoming too expensive lately (it really isn't very soft) so perhaps Palette can pick up the slack.
Here are the colors I chose:
Here are the colors I chose:
Here are the updated web sites for color knitting for those who you already have the booklet. Some web sites left the planet and others just changed locations.
Actual Size Graph Paper at http://www.tata-tatao.to/knit/matrix/e-index.html prints out graph paper to your exact knitting gauge in a PDF file.
The Color Scheme Generator web site at http://wellstyled.com/tools/colorscheme2/index-en.html allows you to click on a color and then suggests analogous, monochromatic, and several different types of contrast color schemes.
Fair Isle 101: The Absolute Basics of the Two-Handed Fair Isle Technique at http://www.sheeweknits.com/fair_isle_101.htm is the best all-around online resource for stranded color knitting. Anne Featonby of the web knitting store She Ewe Knits offers an excellent tutorial with plenty of photos. She covers “picking” versus “throwing”, catching long floats, weaving in the yarns, and the different types of color knitting charts.
The Kick Back Two-Color Socks cyberclass at the Socknitters web site at http://www.socknitters.com/kickback/index.htm is an online class by knitter Judy Gibson with photos on the two-handed method of holding the yarns, Meg Swansen’s jogless jog technique, and weaving in long floats. If you like knitting socks this online pattern is a great first-time color project.
Sarah Peasley, at http://www.sarahpeasley.com/classes.htm is an experienced knitting teach who offers online Fair Isle and Continental knitting classes. She’s a talented knitter and can work with you via email to answer all of your questions.
Kim Salazar’s knitting blog has a terrific reference on using the Strickfingerhut at http://string-or-nothing.blog-city.com/read/578674.htm . She shows several different types and explains how she uses one for her stranded color knitting. Kim also shared her brilliant idea of using a flat cookie sheet and cut-up business card style magnets to hold several color pattern charts.
Stranded! at http://www.bonniefranz.com/Stranded.html is a newsletter devoted to stranded color knitting. The web site offers free patterns and the choice to subscribe to a printed or online version of the newsletter by knitwear designer Bonnie Franz.
Studies in Jogless Stripes at http://tiajudy.com/jog.htm shows one popular method of working jogless jogs and also details another helpful method developed by knitter Judy Gibson.
Two-Color Knitting Tip at http://tiajudy.com/2color.htm also at Judy Gibson’s web site has some great photos that show the difference between holding the background color above the foreground and holding the background color below.
Wiseneedle, An Online Resource for Knitters at http://www.wiseneedle.com is maintained by Kim Salazar. The Yarn Review Collection has a large database of yarns you can search to learn more about any yarn. This is an invaluable resource for yarn substitutions.
Actual Size Graph Paper at http://www.tata-tatao.to/knit/matrix/e-index.html prints out graph paper to your exact knitting gauge in a PDF file.
The Color Scheme Generator web site at http://wellstyled.com/tools/colorscheme2/index-en.html allows you to click on a color and then suggests analogous, monochromatic, and several different types of contrast color schemes.
Fair Isle 101: The Absolute Basics of the Two-Handed Fair Isle Technique at http://www.sheeweknits.com/fair_isle_101.htm is the best all-around online resource for stranded color knitting. Anne Featonby of the web knitting store She Ewe Knits offers an excellent tutorial with plenty of photos. She covers “picking” versus “throwing”, catching long floats, weaving in the yarns, and the different types of color knitting charts.
The Kick Back Two-Color Socks cyberclass at the Socknitters web site at http://www.socknitters.com/kickback/index.htm is an online class by knitter Judy Gibson with photos on the two-handed method of holding the yarns, Meg Swansen’s jogless jog technique, and weaving in long floats. If you like knitting socks this online pattern is a great first-time color project.
Sarah Peasley, at http://www.sarahpeasley.com/classes.htm is an experienced knitting teach who offers online Fair Isle and Continental knitting classes. She’s a talented knitter and can work with you via email to answer all of your questions.
Kim Salazar’s knitting blog has a terrific reference on using the Strickfingerhut at http://string-or-nothing.blog-city.com/read/578674.htm . She shows several different types and explains how she uses one for her stranded color knitting. Kim also shared her brilliant idea of using a flat cookie sheet and cut-up business card style magnets to hold several color pattern charts.
Stranded! at http://www.bonniefranz.com/Stranded.html is a newsletter devoted to stranded color knitting. The web site offers free patterns and the choice to subscribe to a printed or online version of the newsletter by knitwear designer Bonnie Franz.
Studies in Jogless Stripes at http://tiajudy.com/jog.htm shows one popular method of working jogless jogs and also details another helpful method developed by knitter Judy Gibson.
Two-Color Knitting Tip at http://tiajudy.com/2color.htm also at Judy Gibson’s web site has some great photos that show the difference between holding the background color above the foreground and holding the background color below.
Wiseneedle, An Online Resource for Knitters at http://www.wiseneedle.com is maintained by Kim Salazar. The Yarn Review Collection has a large database of yarns you can search to learn more about any yarn. This is an invaluable resource for yarn substitutions.
Stranded Color Knitting has moved to a new publisher. If you go to my Knitting in Color page at Lulu you can now purchase it as a book for the same price of $8.99 or as an ebook .PDF download for a mere $3.76 so that is a money-saving option for international knitters . Lulu's shipping is less expensive than the previous publisher so you'll be saving a bit of money and they have free Super Saver Shipping for orders over $25 if you'd like to order a few copies. You can also rate and review Stranded Color Knitting online at that site so if you'd like to take a few minutes to offer your opinion of the booklet, I'd greatly appreciate it.
Please note that Lulu does not take returns (unless the product is damaged in shipping) or allow order cancellations as they begin printing immediately. As before, 100% of the booklet's earnings to the shelter for abandoned and abused pet rabbits at the Colorado House Rabbit Society. CO HRS is an all-volunteer 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. The book's info web page that includes some photos from the book and many reviews remains at http://home.earthlink.net/~nanetteblanchard/id5.html
When I transferred the booklet to the new publisher, I also updated it slightly. There are some changes in the recommended web sites section of the booklet's Bibliography. I'll post the list of web site changes here tomorrow for those of you who already own the booklet so you can print it out and keep it with your copy.
This will be a busy week as DH is only working two days. Instead of waiting forever to show you the socks I'll just show you one and you'll have to trust that I finish the 2nd.
I love this idea of taking a photo and reproducing the colors. I don't even think the patterns need to be duplicated - you just have to remember to use the colors in the amounts and sequence from the original photo to get the same effect. I'm planning to look through a bunch of catalogs and magazines tonight so I can start a file with color ideas for future knitting projects.
Please note that Lulu does not take returns (unless the product is damaged in shipping) or allow order cancellations as they begin printing immediately. As before, 100% of the booklet's earnings to the shelter for abandoned and abused pet rabbits at the Colorado House Rabbit Society. CO HRS is an all-volunteer 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. The book's info web page that includes some photos from the book and many reviews remains at http://home.earthlink.net/~nanetteblanchard/id5.html
When I transferred the booklet to the new publisher, I also updated it slightly. There are some changes in the recommended web sites section of the booklet's Bibliography. I'll post the list of web site changes here tomorrow for those of you who already own the booklet so you can print it out and keep it with your copy.
This will be a busy week as DH is only working two days. Instead of waiting forever to show you the socks I'll just show you one and you'll have to trust that I finish the 2nd.
I love this idea of taking a photo and reproducing the colors. I don't even think the patterns need to be duplicated - you just have to remember to use the colors in the amounts and sequence from the original photo to get the same effect. I'm planning to look through a bunch of catalogs and magazines tonight so I can start a file with color ideas for future knitting projects.
I found an online publisher that prints in color. I have been thinking of doing a small book of color knitting patterns, also to benefit the CO HRS, but refused to do it if I couldn't do the charts in color. Lulu will do this for free (they print when people pay for the items) and if any of you have ever thought about selling your own knitting patterns, this might be a simple way as they do smaller items like brochures. Lulu also does ebook .PDF downloads very inexpensively.
I am hoping to do a small color booklet that includes several fun patterns including this:
and these:
and this:
I donated the hats to the Albuquerque Rescue Mission so I'll have to knit them again. I wanted to make some more rabbit finger puppets to bring with me to DH's work Christmas party for the treatment foster care kids. I doubt this booklet will be finished before Christmas and I'm not sure I can keep this one under $10 (printing in color is significantly more expensive) but I promise to try.
I am hoping to do a small color booklet that includes several fun patterns including this:
and these:
and this:
I donated the hats to the Albuquerque Rescue Mission so I'll have to knit them again. I wanted to make some more rabbit finger puppets to bring with me to DH's work Christmas party for the treatment foster care kids. I doubt this booklet will be finished before Christmas and I'm not sure I can keep this one under $10 (printing in color is significantly more expensive) but I promise to try.
Have you ever noticed that EVERY TIME I promise a new project on a certain day that I never finish it in time. I guess I should keep my mouth shut. As you guessed the socks aren't yet done and I'm not saying when they will be finished. I made the heel on the second sock a totally different color and didn't even notice it until much later. sigh
I do have a quick update on Phoenix the rabbit who is recovering well from being set on fire. Fortunately they caught the person who did it and charged him with a felony. I received an update from his foster mom after sending them a contribution to help with his veterinary bills. Thanks so much to those of you who wrote the District Attorney - it really helped! You can get updates on his progress HERE - warning some sad photos.
Today's photo of Peaches has her looking a bit peeved at Jack the cat for some unknown reason. When her ears go back like that it either means she's annoyed or she's fascinated.
I do have a quick update on Phoenix the rabbit who is recovering well from being set on fire. Fortunately they caught the person who did it and charged him with a felony. I received an update from his foster mom after sending them a contribution to help with his veterinary bills. Thanks so much to those of you who wrote the District Attorney - it really helped! You can get updates on his progress HERE - warning some sad photos.
Today's photo of Peaches has her looking a bit peeved at Jack the cat for some unknown reason. When her ears go back like that it either means she's annoyed or she's fascinated.
First I couldn't update the blog for some reason for the past day and then I found out Cafepress has a new affiliates program. If someone recommends my book Stranded Color Knitting and it results in a sale, they get 20% of profits that would have otherwise gone to rabbit rescue. I decided to opt out of that as I think it is selling well enough otherwise.
I should have the second pair of gray socks tomorrow. My next project is going to be a pair of fair isle socks, self-designed, in Shetland wool. I have always wanted to try socks in Shetland wool and I seem to be becoming more comfortable with working without a pattern.
Monica asked in the comments how I hold the yarns when stranded color knitting. I am a two-handed color knitter and I tension the yarns through the fingers on each hand. I am getting better at changing from one dpn to the other without losing the tensioned yarns between fingers as well. Here's a photo (this and many other photos of ways to hold the yarns in color knitting from my book Stranded Color Knitting) that shows how I knit with two colors.
I should have the second pair of gray socks tomorrow. My next project is going to be a pair of fair isle socks, self-designed, in Shetland wool. I have always wanted to try socks in Shetland wool and I seem to be becoming more comfortable with working without a pattern.
Monica asked in the comments how I hold the yarns when stranded color knitting. I am a two-handed color knitter and I tension the yarns through the fingers on each hand. I am getting better at changing from one dpn to the other without losing the tensioned yarns between fingers as well. Here's a photo (this and many other photos of ways to hold the yarns in color knitting from my book Stranded Color Knitting) that shows how I knit with two colors.
Here are the first pair of socks. I adjusted the scan a bit to try to get the right colors. I used 60 stitches, size 3 dpns and Norwegian sport wool. This yarn from Elann a few years back has a fatal flaw - it is superwash and excessively slippery. I used reverse duplicate stitch over 4-5 stitches AND knotted each of a billion yarn ends but I do still expect the yarn ends to come loose over time. I'll wash them very gingerly. To get the right gauge to match the original socks you'd need 68 stitches and probably fingering weight wool. I only had the right colors in sport weight though so I couldn't fit as many patterns.
For patterns I just looked at the original and did those except for the large zig zag which I did because I didn't want to have to consult any charts. It is actually easier for me to knit from looking at a knitted item than reading a chart. I did heel stitch because narrower heels fit my skinny foot better. The top fold was simply a row of purl stitch and then I knitted in the hem. I added some pom poms but I'm going to take them out because they won't survive in this slippery wool.
One of my knitting goals this year was to try to knit something inspired by just a photo. I'm always looking for some inspiration for different color combos. I finally found the perfect socks for inspiration in the current Eddie Bauer catalog. Aren't these lovely? They're only $14 which is probably cheaper than my yarn costs and they even have a rubber sole.
I'll make up some patterns as I go along using sport weight yarn. I hate the way short row heels fit so I won't do that. I do like the pompom ties around the cuff so I will do that. The colors of these socks are much more vibrant in the catalog.
Next week I'll show you the yarn colors I chose for both pairs in Norwegian sport wool and Brown Sheep Nature Spun sport weight.
I'll make up some patterns as I go along using sport weight yarn. I hate the way short row heels fit so I won't do that. I do like the pompom ties around the cuff so I will do that. The colors of these socks are much more vibrant in the catalog.
Next week I'll show you the yarn colors I chose for both pairs in Norwegian sport wool and Brown Sheep Nature Spun sport weight.
The mitten design project is over. I've come to the conclusion that I'm done with my holiday knitting earlier than I expected. I have 9 pairs of mittens, 2 pairs of gloves, 2 scarves, 2 lace washcloths, 4 hats, 2 pairs of socks and 1 stuffed animal to give away. I'm also going to make some chocolate candy for everyone.
If I don't have to do any knitting for anyone else, I guess I'll make myself some socks.
If I don't have to do any knitting for anyone else, I guess I'll make myself some socks.
Even though it is a beautiful sunny fall day, Peaches the rabbit is wondering why everything is so dark today.
I have to confess she's not the brightest bulb in the chandelier.
I have to confess she's not the brightest bulb in the chandelier.
Amazing how much easier it is to see without an oatmeal container on your head.
I finally had to cut the bottom out of the oatmeal container so she'd stop doing it. She just loves sticking her head into things and under blankets. Go figure.
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