Not Much to Say

Not much going on with me right now, other than filling orders. I do have some plans though. I am going to do a tutorial on 'Short Row Increases' with multiple stitches.  I have to work out the math for it, first. I am not much of a math whiz but this is just simple arithmetic so it shouldn't be too much trouble. I will show the process while I do it.

 

A4A has set July 31 for the due date so if anyone is knitting for them keep that in mind. I have knitted 3 pair of socks along with the sweater that I am making. All I need to do with it is knit the other sleeve & sew it up. I am hoping to get some mittens made too.

 

Why does it always seem like I am going 90 miles an hour?? I have so many things going on that I wonder if I am really enjoying myself as much as I could be. It seems to be that I have forgotten how to have fun. Everything I do is a different version of some type of work. I love my store & when it slows down I am worried that it won't pick up again. Then, when I am getting tons of orders I work myself to the bone just to keep up with it, & worry that I will get behind. Right now I am spending about 4 hours a day on the machine for my covers., plus another couple of hours making up. I don't have time to volunteer anymore & miss it. My DH suggested PMS, but I guess the look on my face stopped that conversation from continuing. LOL  

 

 

Charity Sweater for A4A

I have been working on my child's sweater for A4A. I decided that the Caramel was too boring for a little girl & thought that adding some color would be a good idea. I am using the Burnt Orange for the front, then the back & sleeves are to be Caramel. I can knit one of these up pretty quick, but had a couple of orders come in so had to finish those up before I can get to the sweater.

 

 

I know that the sweater looks really long in the picture, but I make all my charity sweaters hip length to keep tummy's warm. The neckband is short rowed & grafted onto the body of the sweater. As busy as I have been with my store this may be the only charity sweater that I get finished for the program. I do want to get some mittens knitted & felted before I ship this off.

 

Now....for the aggravating part. I sewed one shoulder together on the machine, then did the neckband. After that, I sewed the other shoulder. When I took the sweater off the machine I realized that I had dropped a stitch on the shoulder. I did repair it but that is the kind of thing that sends me up the walls. I walk around the house muttering to myself for days after I do something like that. Probably no one but me will ever know, but things like that can ruin my whole day.

 

 

 



Summer is Here(almost)

The sun is out & the weather is turning warmer. I'm looking forward to summer. Here in the Pacific Northwest it doesn't usually get up in the 80's or above. The last couple of summers it has been much warmer than normal. It looks like this one is going to be hotter too.

 

 

I have picked this color for my Afghans for Afghans sweater. This campaign they are asking for 100% wool sweaters, hats, mittens, or vests for girls ages 7-16. They prefer that you don't use a light colored yarn as they get dirty so fast. In a country with no hot water or washing machines dark colors are much better. I am making a size 10 drop shoulder with grafted sleeves & neckband.

 

My store has been very busy this year, with covers. Still not quite what it was before the recession, but getting there. My tee shirts are still not selling though. I didn't sell my heat press as I am hoping that sales would improve eventually. I have 300 infant & toddler tee shirts that I bought while they were selling out & then sales flat lined almost over night. Fortunately I have small grandkids that can wear some of them.   

 

 

 

Hand Tooled Wood Products for Machine Knitters

Tom has some beautiful Machine Knitting tables on his blog. (Knitting Machine Table Woodworks)Sometimes I am stunned by the wonderful product that our MK'ers come up with. They are gorgeous & practical too. There is a style for every knitter!! I have contacted the man that is making them to find out if he might be interested in making some tool boxes also.
 

 

 

 Several years ago I bought this toolbox from the father of a MKer. I wanted to get another one but was unable to for one reason or another. The only complaint that I have is that the CO combs that set in the slots in the back of the box are separated by dowels rather than a piece that goes all the way down to the bottom of the box, & as a result, the combs tip over & the teeth on the combs get tangled up together & bend. I have sent this picture to the builder of the tables & asked him if he would be interested in producing toolboxes for us, & he seemed to be. I am waiting to hear back. Isn't is wonderful to be apart of such a great community?? of Machine Knitters & their spouses??

 

 

 

 

Our World is Sooo Much Smaller Now!!

Our world is sooo much smaller now. With the advent of the internet we can touch so many lives that we we're unable too, just a short generation ago.

 

 

I have been selling my wool covers for 10 years now. I get orders from all around the globe. Several years ago I had an order for wool longies  to ship to Australia. The seasons there are the reverse of ours. Since then, around this time every year, I start getting orders from there. It started out with just the one order & has blossomed to 8-10 each year. The Mom's are using them as pajamas, in the bigger sizes, rather than wool covers, to keep the kids warm at night.

 

 

 

 

I don't know how many of you crochet. It is also something that I enjoy doing. I am making coasters. Just a small project while I watch TV in the evenings, but useful when I can get the family to use them. LOL I will post some pictures when I get a few made.

 

 

 

Knitting for Friendship House

My shop is sooo busy that I can't find the time to do much else. I did get to do some charity knitting. I am making a slip stitch sweater in the yarn Vellon. It is a soft fuzzy yarn made by Millor. Millor  yarns have been discontinued, but you can still get some of them from Knitcraft. Since they are closing them out they are selling inexpensively. An 8-9 oz cone is going for $4.50. I decided to make a slip stitch because I haven't made any in that style for quite a while. It is pattern

#333 in the Brother Stitch World catalog. I have finished the front & back so far.

 

 

It's kinda hard to see the pattern, but it is a zig-zag that goes horizontality across the sweater. I am making it on my Brother 965i. It will be a cut & sew neck with grafted neckband & long sleeves. It is another pullover.

 

I don't have much Vellon in my stash. Maybe 10-15 cones. I used it a lot for baby sweaters & buntings. I always felt that babies would enjoy the soft fuzzy feel of it. ;-)

 

 

I have heard that Mike Becker at 'Distinctive Knits' is selling a new yarn spray. I haven't been over there to try it yet, but that is good news. I use yarn spray lots with my wool covers to make machine knitting the worsted weight wool easier & to  run through the machine better, along with wax & humidifier. When Lori-Lyn spray was discontinued I hogged up(??) all the cans I could find. I was sure that someone would come out with another version of it, but was worried about how long it would take.

 

 

 



Baby Doll Clothes for Real Babies!!

When I was selling baby clothes in my store I often made the sample to fit my baby doll that I used for my model. Most of the pictures have been deleted because I quit making them & concentrated on my wool diaper covers. They were a lot of fun to make & I did make some for friends & relatives, & also sold a few.  Here is a picture of a set. I would embroider the customers choice of baby design on the front of the pullover. 

The set was designed using the Knitware Programs. The pants are ribbed leggings, the sweater a raglan pullover & the hat was knit straight up with no decreases. I knitted eyelets in the hat to thread the knitted I-cord through & tightened it up to form a top not on the hat. With a cute baby embroidery design on the front of the sweater this was such a cute set. It was knitted from Bramwell DK I think but don't remember for sure. (I still have my baby doll, named Cindy Sue, by my little g'son)