Shamrock Knits

Greener Pastures

I'm moving along on the Cozy V. I was getting sick of knitting the body ribbing, so I took a bring when I finished a ball of yarn. I completed one sleeve. I've gone back to the body now and have about 2 inches left to knit. Then I just need to knit the second sleeve and finish the neck band. Woo hoo, I'm on the home stretch!

I think part of my success this time is that I put on my buddha stitch marker for good luck. Monica had mentioned this about a year ago. She was having trouble with a project (hard to believe I know) and needed some good luck. The beads came from Knitche in Downers Grove (aka crazy bead store).

For the sock update, I've knit up to the point of turning the heel. I started and ripped out a couple of times because I wasn't paying attention to the short-rowing. Kathy says that she doesn't knit the heels until she has enough time in one sitting to complete both of them. I think I'll take her advise on that.

Christmas Gifts

When we had our knitting get together at Cathy's house, she had made a snowman beaded bracelet. I thought it was cute and asked her to get me some of the same beads so I could make some myself. I made a snowman bracelet for me and for my step-mother (gift) and the gingerbread bracelet for my mom (gift).

I gave the super bulky cable hat to my step-sister as a gift as well. I said I wasn't going to make gifts this year, but since they were all spontaneous ideas, it didn't have the same pressure, you know? I haven't knit anymore on my pullover sweater, so no news there. I'm just finishing up some small gifts for my knitting group and will post those later.

Here's what I got for Christmas this year. I got the wood needles for the Knit Picks Options, and a bunch of books. Happy me!

I also made a pair of these wrist warmers on the knitting machine. The pattern was perfect for them because it's a flat pattern that's mattress seamed. You don't knit this circular because while you're seaming, you skip a section for the thumb. I used leftover Simply Soft that I had in my stash. I knit these while watching (well, listening really) a Kevin Costner's Robin Hood. I only have a VCR in my craft room, so I have several movies that are "watched" over and over while I'm machine knitting. I don't have a radio or DVD player in my basement. I do have a travel DVD player, so maybe I'll figure out how to hook that up to the TV.

Blessed beading

While I was looking for a rosary bracelet for my niece's baptism, my mom fell in love with them. She asked if I'd make her a rosary bracelet for her birthday. The cross was already hers (in her birthstone). We went to Bead Heaven and decided on a pearl and gemstone combination. I really liked how it turned out. I put it together my friend Cathy's house (aka The Bead Queen). I had to add a couple more spacer beads and crimping beads than originally intended because it  was a little too short. My mom loves it though. A rosary bracelet is basically a regular bracelet with a cross and it has to have 10 major sections to it (the pearls). This makes one decade of the rosary.

The blue and white combination is my Project Spectrum piece for Feb/March. I'm not a fast knitter, so I'm going to try to keep up with it through other means as well. Enjoy.

Lucky Tools

Since I received the stitch markers for my birthday, I was inspired. I thought, "Hey, I'll make my own markers so that I can have shamrocks on them!". I didn't really need to learn a new craft, but I just know these markers will bring me luck in my knitting so that:

• I won't miss my place in the pattern.
• I won't get confused on which is the right side or wrong side.
• I won't start knitting at a different gauge in the middle of the project. (One can dream!)
• I won't, I won't, I won't!

Anyway, I took a class yesterday morning at Bead Heaven in Downers Grove. I looked through the charms to see if they had any shamrocks first before I decided to sign up for a class. I told them that I wanted to make stitch markers and they didn't know what they looked like. I thought that was a little strange since they're right next door to the Knitche. Since I was the only one in the class and don't wear earrings (supposed to be the class project), the teacher let me make my stitch markers. They're pretty much the same as earrings, just a different end to it. The teacher made some as well to hang up for the samples. Thanks again to my Thursday night group for inspiring me! Without further adieu, here are my lucky stitch markers!