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) 

Things I Buy for my Store

Sometimes I like to show you the things that I buy for use in my business. Last year I joined 'Knit it Now'. I enjoyed being a member & I did learn some things. I consider myself a fairly good MK now, but there are still many things I can learn. I always keep my antenna up for new ideas or projects.  & I am always on the lookout for things that can help me produce.  This is a cord knitter that I bought from 'Knit it Now'. (I won't say anything about the $$$.)

I use I cord for the ties in my diaper covers & I thought this would be a good addition to the tools that I use. I have always disliked knitting I cord on the machine. It was the one thing that I hated to do. This cord knitter is all metal & I understand it was made in the '40's. I tried to knit a worsted weight I cord with all 6 needles in, but that wouldn't work well. (Sue advises against worsted weight yarns.) Soooo, I took out 2 needles & tried again with 4 needles in. That worked beautifully. I use a little yarn spray with the machine & it doesn't have a problem with knitting the heavier yarns & makes great ties for my covers. I actually went back & bought another one for a lighter weight yarn & a 6 needles I cord, because changing needles with this machine is a hassle. I thought it better to just have a different machine for each weight of yarn. 

If you decide to buy one of these, keep in mind that it requires 'Tender Loving Care'!! Never force the machine, keep it lubed & it will give you wonderful service. I have had mine for over a year now & it works like new. But, I have seen several on Ebay that are just the remnants of a working machine that has obviously been mistreated.  I have had several of the plastic versions & this one is so much better.

Knit Picks & Spilly Jane

I don't know how many of you get the "Knit Picks" catalog or follow 'Spilly Jane's' blog. I do both. Knit Picks yarn is mostly for hand knitters & spinners, but of course you may use their yarns on the bulky or mid-gauge machine. They have sport weight yarns that can be used on the standard gauge sometimes. You can find 'Spilly Jane's' blog in my favorites.

When I was looking through my Knit Picks catalog I was pleasantly surprised to see a couple of pages devoted to Spilly Jane's mittens. She knits the most beautiful mittens that she designs herself. She is a bit quirky & I love reading her blog as she thinks things that I never do & I find them very enlightening. Here is a picture of some of her mittens. So beautiful!!

Have a look at her blog. I think you will like it. 


Hope Valentines Day was all that you hoped for!!

Working On Orders

I am busy working on orders. I have been doing very well after a slow start this season. I am amazed at all the babies out there!!! So Many & so cute!! Here are some current photos of my recent order for a baby girl. 

I just have sooo much fun making these that it is a crime that I get paid for them. LOL 

I have 5 more orders to go. I am catching up after my internet being down for so long. I had to go to the library with my laptop & write down all the info rather than print it. It was such a mess. Sometimes I drove over there & didn't even go in, but just sat in the parking lot & hooked up to their Wi-Fi. But I am back online now & having a great time. 

Sometimes I buy yarn for my covers on Ebay if I see a good buy. I haven't bought any yarn for my stash this year, just wool for my covers. While scoping around Ebay I found this little pin cushion for $10. It was so cute that I had to buy it. I did need a new one. My last one came from Walmart, the kind that looks like the little tomato.  

Hopefully I will get all my orders out in a timely fashion, & be back on top of everything again. I was so stressed while being unable to get online that it has taken a toll on me. Being off line for almost a month can do that to you, esp. if you are stressing over your online business., not to mention all the blogs I follow. &, I don't want to be nasty but the computers at the library seem to have lots of germs. LOL I had one cold after anther the whole time I was using their computers.