Success

Well, so far so good. As you can see ( hard with black I know) in the below photo the dreaded ladder has disappeared.
Doing an actual swatch and using smaller needles and maybe even adding the extra dpn into the mix has really helped. I like the way the hat is turning out and the lack of ladders is great.
Initially adding another needle to the mix was awkward but as time went by it became easier. I found that the more rows you add the easier it is using dpn. The first row or so I always feel like I am going to stab myself with a needle pointing right at me. Now back to more knitting and hopefully this project will be completed before next week.

Bags and New Stitches

So the bag that everyone is working on, well let's just say it is not working for me. :) Of course after consulting with Ana on the Purl Stitch, I realized that I was doing it completely wrong. :) I am happy that Ana is getting so good at knitting because now I can consult with her about things. You can also go to Knitting Help, they have some good videos on all this kind of stuff.
Because I started getting so frustrated with that bag, I started a new bag. It has cables in it. I did not want to use cable needles so I found some videos on You Tube explaining how to do that. On the next video I found, the begginning is just explaining the different kind of needles and what not, but once you get into a minute of the video it gives some clear illustration on how to knit without the cables. It was fairly easy. I am on row 8, but I have had to put it on the back burner for a few days since I am getting ready for VBS!
So the new bag I am working on is free pattern. With this pattern, I recommend using a lighter yarn. I am using black and having a hard time seeing. Maybe I just need to get my eyes checked. :) Once I finish a few more rows I will post some pictures of it. I have several more patterns that I want to try and I have lots of yarn to use up!

~Heidi~

Fresh Start

Ok, I have been very frustrated with the way this baby hat is going. I am using a pattern from an easy baby knits book (I can't remember the source). The pattern calls for the use of size 7 needles, casting on 62 stitches (for ages 0-6m) and I should get 5 stitches to the inch. Do I bother knitting a gauge swatch? Of course not! This is a simple hat knit in the round who cares if the gauge is not perfect. Besides, I despise math why spend time giving myself a headache.

Well I have had an epiphany sitting here not working on the hat. What if my gauge is off. What if the needles are too big and one of the reasons the ladders are so huge is because the stitches themselves are too big and I am only making the matter worse. So what do I do? I knit a gauge swatch with a needle size 2 sizes smaller. I don't have the right gauge, I actually have 6 stitches to the inch, but I like the way the yarn looks on these smaller needles. Using the handy calculations numberless knitting books have given me regarding gauge and swatching I was able to deduced that I needed 12.8 inches diameter for this hat size. I rounded it up to 13 inches and multiplied it by the 6 stitches per inch (spi) and came up with needing to cast on 78 stitches.

I will now go forth and see if my calculations will work or if this hat will be a crazy size in either extreme.

Baby Hat Cnt.

Well, so far the baby hat is not going well. I have recast and ripped it back several times. How many I am not sure it keeps getting bigger in my mind the more I think about it. I am doing the hat on dpn and am getting horrible ladders between the needles. I have read a bit on the internet trying to figure out how to prevent this. The main thing is tension and to hold your yarn tight on the first and second stitches of each needle. So far despite how tight I pull the yarn I am still getting big ladders, I sometimes wonder if I am knitting too tight with the rest of the stitches. I will have to do more research on the internet as I want to get this hat done this week. Any suggestions are welcome.

Baby Hat

Of course now I am finished one project I must quickly move onto the next one. This is the first row of a baby hat I am working on for some friends. Yes it is black but I will be adding something to the front of the hat to "liven" it up. The yarn I am using is from Unravel and by SWTC made from wool, silk and bamboo. It has a springy quality to it and is very soft. Great for little ones.

The original pattern called for the use of size 7 16inch circular needles. I was finding it hard to stretch the amount of 64 stitches around that size, I am currently working in the gauge so perhaps the yarn is too thin and that was why. Any way, switching the yarn to the dpn has made the knitting much easier. I hope it turns out. :)

Done Part 2

Before the handles are added. I couldn't help myself, this is the most complex project I have done yet, I had to take lots of pictures.

The handles were added using double thread of yarn and a backstitch. I wanted to make sure they wouldn't fall off.

The completed bag. Please ignore the orange stitch holders. I need to buy some super glue to secure the live stitches in place so they don't fall off. I will be gluing both ends of the needle to make sure they are secure. Also I don't think I will line the bag after all. I kind of like the pattern on the inside as well.

Done

The loose pieces before I had started to sew and a close up of the stitch pattern.
Bottom seam done using one thread of yarn. I used a double thread of yarn on the sides and handles and wish I had done that for the bottom as well.
Sides all sewn up, just need to add the handles at this point.

I finished sewing up the sides and adding the handles this morning. After some frustration at being on a new computer (new setup) I was able to dl the pictures I had taken and can now post them. I deviated from the instructions a little by sewing 7 inches up the side rather than the 5 inches. This worked out well for my bag. I probably could have gotten away with sewing further up the side but I like the easy opening.

Pictures

Finally some pictures to post of more of my knitting. The below pictures are of a pair of socks I knit from a pattern used at Unravel in Las Cruces. I love that store, I go every time I visit family. The socks are now finished and I have made a second pair, they are so comfy and warm I love it. I can't remember the color but it is a green blend from Berroco and I believe was made from alpaca wool.
These are a pair of arm warmers I made for Rachael for Christmas. Unfortunately they were not done in time but they were fun to stitch up and were actually done before I started on the socks in the above pictures. I learned how to use dpn on this project. The pattern is from Blue Sky Alpacas (once again purchased at Unravel) and I will be making more of these. I also used the melange from Blue Sky for this project in Licorice the cream is a cashmere but I don't remember the name or brand.

Second Side Complete

Well as you can tell from the header I am making progress in the needle bag. I have just completed the second side. I finished it up with the size 15 needles and then slipped the stitches to the size 15 needle I wanted to use for the purse. I wanted to make sure that once the purse was sewn together the needles would be pointing in the same direction rather than opposite directions they would have if I had left it. I am casting on for the first of 2 handles and then it is just sewing it up. I think I would like to put a dark blue lining inside the purse to prevent anything slipping through. My gauge was not exact (each side actually measures 9.5 inches rather than the 9 inches in the pattern) and I am worried since it isn't knit tightly something might get lost.

Also when I go to finish this purse I don't think I will steam it to block it. The yarn is made of mostly acrylic and I am nervous about applying heat to what is essentially plastic. I have also read that with acrylic you don't really need to block, it won't change the yarn like it would with wool. If anyone has any thoughts on this I would love to know. I have taken photos and I will take more but I need my DM to set up my camera to dl to the computer.

So excited to finish so I can start on my next project. It's official, I am not going to work on my own hat but rather a baby hat for a co-worker of my DM, I have been falling to sleep thinking about it. A sign of the truly addicted.

Progress Report

I have continued knitting the needle bag over the past few days. So far I have completed on side and am half way through the second part. I love the colour and the pattern but am realizing that the yarn I chose isn't very firm, I am afraid I will have a floppy bag when it is all said and done. I also have pictures of mine and Rachael's progress and will post them once I have them downloaded.

Sadly, I am already thinking about my next knitting project. It is a problem I have, I will be working away on one item and my mind will keep thinking about the next one. :) My sister-in-law Rachael tells me to start on something else for myself (I tend to give my knitting away, I can't help it) but I have this baby hat for some friends that has been on my mind and I am anxious to start. I should be working on this, and I can't wait until I have completed the hat for myself but there are so many other things I want to do to. I think I am addicted to knitting. The odd thing with being addicted to knitting is now I want to try other crafts out, things like embroidery, sewing and beading. Things I never wanted to do before suddenly seem so fun. This crafting thing, once you start it is hard to rein it in. :) I suppose there are worse things to be addicted to.

That Darn Knitting Needle Bag

Ok, I officially now know how to knit that bramble/blackberry/popcorn stitch. After several frustrating restarts since my last post and watching this video I can do the stitch. I believe it is Portuguese but she knits very clearly so you don't need to understand the words. I had not read the instructions through properly (big mistake) and was trying to repeat row 3 in the same pattern as row 1, it starts different so the stitch kept looking sloppy. I have now officially started this project and it seems to be knitting up fast with the large yarn and needles. Lots of fun as well.

Knitting Needle Knittng Bag stitch

Well the baby blanket is complete allowing me to start on the needle bag. I am running into the same issue as before. I keep coming up with 1 stitch at the end of the row instead of the 2 stitches it says I should have in the pattern. The pattern says to cast on 80 stitches, I have confirmed I did this several times before I start knitting. Part of the instructions is to knit the first two stitches and the last two stitches. Why oh why do I end up with one stitch left rather than the two.

In other news I have found a website here with a comprehensive explanation on how to do the blackberry stitch. It finally makes sense! Just scroll down. Things still look a bit messy but I am hoping the further I get the more the pattern will come out clearly.

The yarn I am using for this project is Bernat Alpaca in Sky. It is very soft and has just a little bit of fuzz to it. Not something I would be using with a dark coat as it sheds. I originally wanted to do this in wool but I have decided to make this one with less expensive materials and upgrade if I like how it turns out.

Knitting Needle Bag cnt

Well I have not made any progress on my bag. I am still working away on a baby blanket for a niece and am making myself finish it before any other projects. Also the yarn I had originally chosen for it is much too dark, it doesn't show off the pattern very well. I have decided I will use that yarn for a scarf.

Rachael has agreed to try knitting the bag as well and found some great yarn on sale at Michael's, I am very jealous she found such nice yarn. I will be visiting her this weekend and will be on the hunt for yarn better suited than my first choice.

In other news, I have so many other projects I want to start and knit. I keep telling myself one pattern at a time otherwise I will never get any done. :P I have been reading several knitting blogs and the authors are working on spinning their own yarn. I think I have found something else I want to try. Oh dear.