December 10th & 11th Weekend Forecast........
The forecast for this weekend shows a glaringly busy day on Saturday, somewhat slower, with glittery wrapping paper all over the place on Sunday and then a final burst of the big goodbye late Sunday afternoon.
Big is heading out to a country far, far away (and it's not in fairy tale land) so we needed to have our family Christmas before he went.... it's important for us to be a family all year long, but especially during the holidays when we are so far from home and when one of us will be gone.
It's kind of nice having Christmas early ~ now Boy and I get to enjoy everything without the frenzy of all the holiday jazz that seems to happen! We now get to enjoy the rest of the season totally laying low and having fun with his new stuff!
The only problem is with our weekend plan......... my needles and yarn don't seem to be showing up in the forecast for the next two days. Bummer. That may be the only thing that might keep me sane. Or at least send me in the right direction.
I admit it... knitting isn't probably as important as I seem to be making it. It's not as necessary as it was - I don't have to knit socks and undies to stay warm, but it seems kind of necessary in my scheme of things! If I don't knit..... will my family survive? Will I become stressed that my family becomes a story on the front of the Post? It is of course NOT all about me.... I'm doing this for them!
While we all knit for different reasons, I think you may agree with me here! If I need to stay sane in a sea of chaos.... well...... I must (MUST) have yarn.
It's soothing and calming for starters. It's even kind of centering. I have to focus on the thing right in front of me and my ability to complete it (without making a huge mess of it!) I get to withdraw a little bit from whatever is happening around me and focus on just that one thing! I can be separate (a bit) from the 101 things happening at once around here. It's not escapism... it's sanity creeping in! Slow down! Take a minute! Chill out!
I've progressed to where I can knit AND carry on a conversation AND watch television. Ultimate multi-tasking! Go me! But I also get to just slow down and relax and make something. I can knit, center myself and still look like I'm part of the mess in the living room!
So I'm off to enjoy the weekend (at home) and while the boy's are plugged into that new video game, I think I will make a hat! A necessary thing to keep Big's ears warm while he is gone but also a necessary thing to keep me sane in the chaos!
Happy Knitting ~ Happy Christmas (early for us!)
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Plarn!
Just in case you are asked "paper or plastic" the next time you go to the grocery store... go for plastic! I know, I know... I know okay!? They are bad for the environment. BAD bad! Fill up the landfill and never (ever) become anything but a plastic bag!
I of course have reusable grocery bags and try to avoid that whole question........ but do you think I take them to the store EVERY time? Ha! I have the best intentions of ONLY using my reusable bags, but I'm not perfect. (Blew that one right outta the water didn't I?!) I often forget the bags at home and because I'm not about to take my purchases to my car one by one; picture this...... me & Boy walking out of the grocery store......toothpaste in one pocket, eggs under an arm, each potato and onion... where?!! LOL I'm lucky if I could get the kid to carry a bag let alone a single potato!!
Because I'm human, forgetful AND distracted, I have to carry stuff out of the store in the bag from the store. Sometimes. I admit it. I'm not environmentally friendly with my shopping bags. I'm working on it okay? I even tried to use only paper, but that bugs Boy. Bugs him bad. He's worried about all the trees that went into making those bags......... so in order to alleviate some stress at the checkout....... yeah.... I take plastic
BUT... because I don't want the bags to be in a landfill.............. I have aspirations (those are a lot like dreams - I think) I pile all those bags into my pantry closet and someday; yes! Someday I will be turning them all into something lovely!
So..... in an effort to create something out of something else... up cycle...... if you will.......... and probably (mostly) just another way to get out of dishes....... this post is about...... you guessed it.... (insert drum roll!) PLARN! Puh-lar-n. Plarn!
Fiber(ish) stuff made out of plastic bags and then made into something else! aka....Used to be grocery bags!!! .
Plarn! Transformed into this lovely purse by T. Matthews Fine Art. Cute huh? There is a free pattern for this little purse over at her blog... HERE
How? Cut the bags into strips, knot them into a long skein and start knitting, just as if with yarn.
Here is the link to where I found this at... HERE. It's on the www.craftgossip.com blog!
It's amazing the stuff you can find made out of plarn - if you just look! How about this?
An entire website of bags & totes for sale!
Kristin J has turned gently used plastic bags into hand knit eco-friendly totes and handbags! Which you can then purchase from HERE !
She does have some lovely stuff!
Hmmm.... I could just order from her... and avoid the question of plastic and/or paper yet again!
I of course have reusable grocery bags and try to avoid that whole question........ but do you think I take them to the store EVERY time? Ha! I have the best intentions of ONLY using my reusable bags, but I'm not perfect. (Blew that one right outta the water didn't I?!) I often forget the bags at home and because I'm not about to take my purchases to my car one by one; picture this...... me & Boy walking out of the grocery store......toothpaste in one pocket, eggs under an arm, each potato and onion... where?!! LOL I'm lucky if I could get the kid to carry a bag let alone a single potato!!
Because I'm human, forgetful AND distracted, I have to carry stuff out of the store in the bag from the store. Sometimes. I admit it. I'm not environmentally friendly with my shopping bags. I'm working on it okay? I even tried to use only paper, but that bugs Boy. Bugs him bad. He's worried about all the trees that went into making those bags......... so in order to alleviate some stress at the checkout....... yeah.... I take plastic
BUT... because I don't want the bags to be in a landfill.............. I have aspirations (those are a lot like dreams - I think) I pile all those bags into my pantry closet and someday; yes! Someday I will be turning them all into something lovely!
So..... in an effort to create something out of something else... up cycle...... if you will.......... and probably (mostly) just another way to get out of dishes....... this post is about...... you guessed it.... (insert drum roll!) PLARN! Puh-lar-n. Plarn!
Fiber(ish) stuff made out of plastic bags and then made into something else! aka....Used to be grocery bags!!! .
Plarn! Transformed into this lovely purse by T. Matthews Fine Art. Cute huh? There is a free pattern for this little purse over at her blog... HEREI've crocheted bags out of plarn before, but we all know how well crochet and I get along....
This little number is knit!!! Blue plastic bags turned into yarn and then made into an adorable dress!
This little number is knit!!! Blue plastic bags turned into yarn and then made into an adorable dress!
Here is the link to where I found this at... HERE. It's on the www.craftgossip.com blog!
It's amazing the stuff you can find made out of plarn - if you just look! How about this?
An entire website of bags & totes for sale!
She does have some lovely stuff!
Hmmm.... I could just order from her... and avoid the question of plastic and/or paper yet again!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
I probably shouldn't show you this......
Because I totally want to be the one to win this!
But just because I'm nice I think maybe I should share! Yep. I'm nice like that!
How would you like to have your very own copy of this awesome book? The Ultimate Stitch Dictionary from the Editors of Vogue Knitting Magazine!!!!
***You can find the original post and place to leave your comment HERE at www.craftgossip.com
This is the Volume 6 – Edgings edition.
More than 200 edgings organized by ribs, texture, cables, lace, color, unusual and crochet. There are patterns for knitters and crocheters of all skill levels, arranged from easiest to most challenging.
Easy to follow written instructions as well as charts. Full color photography of a sample swatch for each pattern.
Also includes abbreviations and conversion chart, guide to doing yarn overs and multiple yarn overs, and a glossary.
This book is full color and hard cover, a really cool book!
Leave me a comment, but hurry, giveaway ends next Friday, December 9, 2011
*** don't leave a comment here on Schi~Schu Knits but over at the Craft Gossip site! HERE
But just because I'm nice I think maybe I should share! Yep. I'm nice like that!
How would you like to have your very own copy of this awesome book? The Ultimate Stitch Dictionary from the Editors of Vogue Knitting Magazine!!!!
***You can find the original post and place to leave your comment HERE at www.craftgossip.com
This is the Volume 6 – Edgings edition.
More than 200 edgings organized by ribs, texture, cables, lace, color, unusual and crochet. There are patterns for knitters and crocheters of all skill levels, arranged from easiest to most challenging.
Easy to follow written instructions as well as charts. Full color photography of a sample swatch for each pattern.
Also includes abbreviations and conversion chart, guide to doing yarn overs and multiple yarn overs, and a glossary.
This book is full color and hard cover, a really cool book!
Leave me a comment, but hurry, giveaway ends next Friday, December 9, 2011
*** don't leave a comment here on Schi~Schu Knits but over at the Craft Gossip site! HERE
Me & Crochet
Okay so crochet looks easy. It's just taking little loops of yarn (yum yarn!) and looping it over itself and through itself and around a hook. One hook.
Not two sticks like knitting. How hard can it be?
Um.......It's gotta be harder to handle two sticks.... right?
I've crocheted stuff before. Really I have. I try to follow the directions and I end up with some sort of weird thing....... like a hat that could work as a propane tank cover.
* Not a propane tank like the one for your gas grill, but one of those big kind that sit in your yard and heat your entire house. Yeah. That big.
Luckily I stop before I actually make it that big, but I can totally see where I could end up. Sigh.
If I don't follow directions ~which believe it or not folks......... is verrrry hard for me to do (another big loud sigh here!) I actually can make stuff. I guess I just can't treble crochet the right way, or count in the round.... I just have to do whatever makes it look okay. Hmmmm.
I've tried to sit and follow directions...... really.... honest........ yes, Ms. V I have! But... I've truly found that if I just get a picture in my head of what it's supposed to look like and then insert hook into yarn here and there randomly......... tada! It may work. May.
How small are heads anyway? A bigger hat probably is warmer..... right?
I've spent a lot of time in front of my computer lately looking at crocheted stuff. Dreamy. Lacy (lacey?) flouncy and oh so lovely.
Knitting is cool! Don't get me wrong! I am totally not going to stop knitting........... it's just that the elusive crochet is drawing me to it.
I will do it!
I will be able to follow a crochet pattern and
(here's the kicker!) have it turn out like the pattern and the picture show it should be!
I will!!
In the meantime....
I'm going to continue to work on my Christmas knitting projects, peruse the Internet for crochet tutorials, hound my friend V for directions and practice, practice, practice!
Here is just one of the crochet things I'm dreaming I can make...
Won't this look great in a yard... over one of those ugly propane tanks? Hmmmmmm.... dreamy, dreamy, dreamy!Here's a challenge for some of you crocheters out there....
watch the video!
I think that race is on for some Beanies for Bravery! The people on the FB page have listed their completion times for these hats... wow!
I can actually make these! I really can!
I've sent two to the address on the FB/blog page and am sending hubs with a couple when he deploys next week!
Monday, December 5, 2011
Yarn Wreath
I've found my next yarn project!
Thanks Christen!
Thanks Christen!
It's not knitted or crocheted, but it may fill my need to create something with yarn today!
I have red and dark green yarn in the yarn condo so now I'm heading out to buy some styrofoam balls and a lighter green.
I'm planning on wrapping the styrofoam balls with the yarn (less yarn & less wrapping to make a cool yarn ball!) and then gluing them onto a cardboard circle!
I can't wait to see how this is going to work!
Now I just gotta find that coupon for the craft store!
Friday, December 2, 2011
I'm on a Roll......
Now that I've finally gotten over my inability to start something new........ I'm totally heading in the opposite direction. Which may or may not be a good thing.
Definitely interesting.... that's for sure!
I've decided to knit a neck warmer for my Dad, aka Parental Unit #1. He likes to walk outside every day and in Detroit the weather gets a bit nippy! We are trying to go super simple this year for Christmas and make things rather than buying stuff. Hopefully it will mean more and with my Dad... yeah... it will!
Besides.... this pattern is really simple and doesn't take a whole lot of time to knit up. Unless...... you change something and then you may end up kicking yourself......
Using #8, 16 inch circular needle (Addi Turbo OF COURSE!) cast on 116 stitches with worsted weight yarn. I'm using Cascade 220 in black. ~I have no idea what his favorite color is so black it is!
It's either me (my eyes) or just because the yarn is black, but I find myself needing more light to see what I'm doing. Grrrrr. I totally thought that aging thing would pass me by..........
Anyway.... cast on #116 stitches (or in my case I forgot to count and ended up with 120) and knit 2, purl 2, all the way around and around and around and around! You need about 9 inches total for a nice neck warmer ~which ends up to be almost the entire skein of yarn. (220 yds)
It's a totally mindless, endless pattern, but I can take it anywhere with me and work on it! I've worked on it while waiting in the pharmacy, while waiting in the car and actually while standing in line waiting to pick up the kid! *I can't walk & chew gum but I can knit and stand!*
As I was saying.... it's mindless......... it's kind of boring.......
so... why not pump it up a notch? Um........ yeah........
I've added a pattern. An Intarsia, color work thing that is driving me absolutely ape!
I don't like how my ends look inside, I feel like it's not working right, I want it to be over! Mostly so I can look at it and say....... "Hey! That's not so bad!" Ha... bet that won't happen!
So I started with this. A big ol' print out of something PU #1 (Parental Unit #1) enjoys.......
Transferred it to graph paper. Totally ignoring that it may be (maybe?) too big....
Figured out where the middle of my neck warmer was going to be and started knitting. Following the graph/chart I add an orange stitch where the graph says too......keeping in the k2, p2 pattern. This is what I've got so far. Plus a whole lot of aggravation.
I admit it. I'm a pattern follower and a direction follower. I don't often go off the path.......but I did okay!? I did.
I'm not sure it's really going to look like the initial design ~but that's OK, it's a copyrighted design and I could probably get into trouble if it was exactly like the original. Good reasoning huh? Ha.
I am just over halfway done with adding the design. I have 3 more rows before I start decreasing to make the top part of it. Grrrrrrr.
Now I'm wondering just whose idea it was to add color work to MY knitting anyway...........
Definitely interesting.... that's for sure!
I've decided to knit a neck warmer for my Dad, aka Parental Unit #1. He likes to walk outside every day and in Detroit the weather gets a bit nippy! We are trying to go super simple this year for Christmas and make things rather than buying stuff. Hopefully it will mean more and with my Dad... yeah... it will!
Besides.... this pattern is really simple and doesn't take a whole lot of time to knit up. Unless...... you change something and then you may end up kicking yourself......
Using #8, 16 inch circular needle (Addi Turbo OF COURSE!) cast on 116 stitches with worsted weight yarn. I'm using Cascade 220 in black. ~I have no idea what his favorite color is so black it is!
It's either me (my eyes) or just because the yarn is black, but I find myself needing more light to see what I'm doing. Grrrrr. I totally thought that aging thing would pass me by..........
Anyway.... cast on #116 stitches (or in my case I forgot to count and ended up with 120) and knit 2, purl 2, all the way around and around and around and around! You need about 9 inches total for a nice neck warmer ~which ends up to be almost the entire skein of yarn. (220 yds)
It's a totally mindless, endless pattern, but I can take it anywhere with me and work on it! I've worked on it while waiting in the pharmacy, while waiting in the car and actually while standing in line waiting to pick up the kid! *I can't walk & chew gum but I can knit and stand!*
As I was saying.... it's mindless......... it's kind of boring.......
so... why not pump it up a notch? Um........ yeah........
I've added a pattern. An Intarsia, color work thing that is driving me absolutely ape!
I don't like how my ends look inside, I feel like it's not working right, I want it to be over! Mostly so I can look at it and say....... "Hey! That's not so bad!" Ha... bet that won't happen!
So I started with this. A big ol' print out of something PU #1 (Parental Unit #1) enjoys.......
Transferred it to graph paper. Totally ignoring that it may be (maybe?) too big....
I admit it. I'm a pattern follower and a direction follower. I don't often go off the path.......but I did okay!? I did.
I'm not sure it's really going to look like the initial design ~but that's OK, it's a copyrighted design and I could probably get into trouble if it was exactly like the original. Good reasoning huh? Ha.
I am just over halfway done with adding the design. I have 3 more rows before I start decreasing to make the top part of it. Grrrrrrr.
Now I'm wondering just whose idea it was to add color work to MY knitting anyway...........
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Just Need Buttons... and a Baby!
The Moody (Blue) Sweater and matching Baby Bottoms
Two little buttons. That's it & I will be done! All except for waiting for Baby Jax to be put into said bottoms & sweater!
See the button holes? Just waiting for buttons to be attached to the straps..............These patterns are really super simple. www.knittingpureandsimple.com has them as easy downloads! The sweater is a free pattern and the bottoms are available through a link to patternfish. For some reason Knitting Pure and Simple has changed their sales to Patternfish.
I think the bottoms pattern was $6.50 which isn't too bad, especially since I definitely am going to be making these again! AND both patterns are written for multiple sizes!! Just what every Grandma Schi-Schu needs!
I will definitely make this sweater and the bottoms as a pair again! Super duper easy and really didn't take that long! The poor thing has been sitting around in my knitting basket (pile) longer waiting for completion than they took to knit up!
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