Happy Holidays!

Wow! We're in the middle of the Christmas holidays. December has been a crazy, INSANE month for me and I think I'll be happy when it's over. Christmas crept up and shocked me. I had a lot of things to finish up and get ready for these holidays so I've had no time for my usual things.

I hope all my yarnie friends had a great Christmas filled with great crafty gifts. Hope you all had time to spend with your friends and family, and to get some relaxation in amongst all the craziness. 

Wishing you all many blessings for the New Year. 

Busted!

Well, it's happened. :( I was looking at my budget and I've busted the yarn section. My stash isn't that huge and I don't buy a lot of expensive yarn, but I've spent way too much money on yarn. Going to have to knit from the stash for a while if I can help it. I don't think I need to buy any more yarn. I will just have to get creative with my choices in projects for the next few months.

Wish me luck!

The Matrix Collection

One of my favourite series of movies is The Matrix. I have a 10 disc set and watch them periodically. One day I was thinking "why not combine my love of The Matrix with my knitting?!?" What a genius idea! lol So I've started designing a few items.

First was the Trinity Cowl.

It was inspired by the character Trinity and I used the trinity stitch.

Second was The One Cowl.

It was inspired by the character Neo and features one never-ending cable.

Sorry for the bad pics. I haven't mastered professional photography yet. lol More projects will come soon but first I think I need to watch the movies again. ;)

Daytime Knit Time Group

I've been a part of a local-to-me knitting group on Ravelry for over a year now. The only time they seem to meet is Friday nights. Unfortunately for me, evenings aren't the best time. Who wants to pay for a babysitter to go to knit night? Or try to convince hubby that he can watch the kids when he needs to relax too?

So the other day, I asked if anyone was interested in joining up during the daytime for some knitting. I was so excited when two girls said they would like to. :D Today we met at my home. How wonderful to get a chance to sit and knit with some other women?!? I've never done that before. Our knitting time wasn't very long but it still felt worthwhile. My LYS offers space to come knit but it's hard to do that with a little boy in tow. I don't get a chance to get out to knit at night with the girls that go there. So this was the perfect opportunity for me. My son eventually shared his toys with another little boy and us women got to knit and chat.

Looking forward to meeting up with them again next week! :D

Do you knit with others or only on your own?

Yarn-filled Weekends

I do spend a lot of my "free" time knitting since it is one of my favourite things to do. But the weekends are the best. I seem to find extra time to knit. I don't have to go anywhere usually so that saves a lot of time and makes for more clicking of my needles. I don't take on any big tasks around the house either. I get pretty much all my cleaning done during the week that leaves just laundry on the weekends. A lot of people don't like doing laundry but it's one of those few tasks around here that a machine does the work for me. I put the first load in the washer, then knit till it's ready to go in the dryer. After the dryer, the getting back to knitting takes a little longer as there is now close to fold, but I'm back in the chair quite quickly.

So I'm glad it's Friday and sending you wishes for a yarn-filled weekend too. Happy crafting!

When I knit, I knit for...

When I knit, I knit for...

 
...my kids. My kids seem to love getting stuff I knit. Every Fall, they get a new hat to match their new snowsuit (because, of course, last year's doesn't fit). I've been making them toys too. Those are always a big hit! The odd time my daughter will ask for something else, or if I make something for myself, she would like one too.

 
...others. Over my many years of knitting, I've made items for dear people in my life. Lots of friends have received afghans, shawls, socks, hats, decorations, etc. Some have requested the knitted items. Others have enjoyed a yarn-y surprise.

...myself. Yes, I do knit for myself. I spend a lot of time crafting knitted items and deserve to have some to keep for myself. Most times it's something I need, like a hat to match my coat. Now and then, it's something just because I can knit or like the pattern, like a new shawl.

...design. I have realized that as much as I love to knit, I also love to design. I've been making up simple things so far but hope to expand my repertoire. It all started with my children's need for a winter hat and has blossomed so far into textured cowls.

Who do you knit for? 

Selling my patterns

I'm so excited! I opened up my own store on Ravelry!!! :D Okay, it isn't that exciting. ;) All I have there right now is my Shifty Dishcloth pattern, but I'm excited because I figured out how to do it. This is a big deal because it's a shift in the right direction (I hope).

My son will be going to school in the Fall and I've got to start making money. For the last 6 years, I've been home with the kids, but with our son going to school, hubby would like me to work and make a little extra cash, even if it is just for me. I don't really want to go to work outside the home as I don't think I'll be able to find a job that will fit around the kids' schedule. Daycare is just too expensive so when the kids are done for the day, I need to be done too.

The ideal situation would be to figure out a way to work from home. So, I'm going to try selling some of my patterns on Ravelry. Also thinking about starting a Facebook page to sell knit items as well. If I could work it out that way, I would be able to do things around the kids' schedule as well as take care of our home and the cooking as I have been doing.

These are exciting times!

Christmas presents - to make or not to make

Lots of crafters seem to debate whether to make Christmas gifts or not. I'm never sure either. lol For most of my friends, I tend to give them a tin of goodies I make each year. It's a lovely little something that doesn't cost too much but let's them know they are important to me. Last year, I added in little Angels I knitted for a few people. I found the pattern a little too late to make as many as I would have liked.

Now this year, I wasn't sure what to do again. I've decided to make a few toys for the kids in my life (my own and their cousins). But do I make anything else? I still don't know. I think it will end up on how much time I've got between now and then. I have some Christmas Hot Pads that I've designed that I want to try out and have a few friends who will test knit them for me as well.

As I'm getting into this knitting adventure, I've realized that I should be planning these things farther ahead. So far I've been just designing and knitting as things come up. But I need to get better at this so that I'm working ahead and have things ready intime for what comes up.

How about you? Are you crafting presents? Are you done yet? Do you think you've made your list too long?

Click-i-ty, click....

Sorry fellow crafters! I've got major click-i-ty, clicking going on but it hasn't been on the computer. It's been on my needles. This is good, of course, because that means my WIPs are getting to be less. But it's bad because I haven't been writing to you. :(

This is such a busy time of year around here. Holidays, birthdays, and preparations for both, along with sickness keeps my time filled. I definitely look forward to January when things slow down and it's just normal routine again. So please forgive my absence from the Web. I do think of you often and hope to figure out how to get here more often.

Here are my two cuties from Halloween night. 

The biker costume cost me $1.00 for the doorag, the rest of the items I had around the house already. The black cat was also another cheap costume. I had to buy the headband and belt to which I attacked ears and tail that I designed and knitted up. Facepaint sticks for the goatee and whiskers cost $2.00. In reality, priceless! The kids loved their costumes and so did the ones handing out the candy because my darlings came home loaded with treats.

More knitting fun to come soon. Some FOs need to be blocked and pics taken. ;)
 

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving

Wow! October already. Here we are at Thanksgiving in Canada. Thought I would share with you what I'm thankful for. :)

NeoKnitter is thankful for:

• my husband who continues to learn and grow and change for the better as we share our lives together
• my kids who continue to surprise me every day and are a real joy in my life
• friends and family who are a positive influence on me and support me in so many ways
• yarn and needles that help me relax and enjoy some quiet times
• for each of you who stops in here to read what I have to say and share in the projects I'm making as well as my life

I'm sure there is more that I'm thankful for but this is good for now. :) Hope all of you have as many and more blessings as I. Happy Thanksgiving!

Frustrated!!!

I am frustrated!!! :( I've been working away on the first sleeve of my sweater. I tried it on and I think it's too tight. Not sure what I'm going to do.... I think it's going to mean ripping it back some and adjusting where the decreases are. Oi! The work..... :P So I'm going to work on my shawl instead. Hopefully I'll feel like it this weekend. Wish me luck!

WIP it. WIP it good!

That's what I'm trying to do. I've got a load of WIPs that I would like to have off the needles before Nerd Wars starts again next month. There's also Christmas presents to start thinking of so the less WIPs the better.

I've got:

some Steeler-inspired fingerless mitts

my sweater

a shawl (sorry, no pic. seriously need to take one....)

and a pair of socks for Tookie

Here's hoping I get them done before the end of September....

Stuff for a baby

I made a couple of things for a baby that's coming in October. A few of us are mailing a surprise down to the mom-to-be. :) Hope she will like the surprise.

Here's my contribution....

 

Happy Birthday to Me

I can't believe it, but it's my birthday today. I don't really feel any different. I'm not feeling any older than yesterday. I don't think my hair is any more grey than the day before. The kids will still drive me crazy. The same things as yesterday have to be done again. The world still rolls on like every other day.

But I can make it special for me. So far it's been relaxing. The kids are getting along and being pretty good. We're going out for lunch with a dear friend of mine. And I'm sure to sit and knit some later. Must make sure to pick up the needles that have a project on for me. ;)

Here's to today and the next year. May it be a good one.

And LittleBlackDuck, if you read this, happy birthday to you too! ;)

Making Baby... Knits

Alright, before anyone gets excited... we are NOT having any more babies. LOL We have a daughter and a son, and that is enough for us. The reason I'm talking baby knits is I've been doing up some things for babies lately.

I forgot how fun it was to craft little things for wee ones. For each of my kids, I knitted a white blanket for them while I was pregnant with them. Afterwards I've mostly just made them hats for the winter months. I was never into making sweaters, and booties, and pants, and bibs, and... When they were small, I figured they would grow out of them too fast so why bother? A blanket was good and way more practical. Sometimes I wish I had more small things for my darlings but then I also didn't have much time for knitting then. I was happy to get a hat made before it got too cold or they outgrew it.

But now I've got friends having babies and more time to knit so I've added a few baby items to my never ending WIP. (There are so many WIPs, I haven't even updated my list, just trying to knock them off.) I'm hoping to get better at writing down my patterns so that I will be able to publish some, or at least be able to knit them again. ;)

Do you do that? Do you loose patterns that you make up? I recently got a larger notebook so that I can write my patterns in it after I've knit something up. I usually make notes in a tiny little book (like what line I'm on) but it's really not enough space for writing out a pattern. Hopefully that will organize things a little bit more. And I'm working at typing them up more often too. I've got a great publishing program. Just need to use it.

For those that have been commenting on my blog, honestly, I didn't notice until today. I keep forgetting to check that email address the notes go to. I will try to be better at seeing them and responding when you do. Thank you for writing to me. And thank you for reading my blog. :)

My Latest Passion - Designing Knits

I have loved knitting for a long time. Some periods of time throughout my life, I've put down the needles to do other things, but they have always been there, waiting for me to have time again to pick them back up and knit again.

Not too long ago, I stumbled upon Ravelry, a website for yarn lovers of all kinds. Those who knit, crochet, weave, etc. gather on this website to share patterns, yarn, and unite other interests in beautiful projects as well as sharing their lives with other yarn-focused crafters. This group of crafters has renewed my passion for knitting and inspired me with a new one - designing my own knits.

I never thought of doing this before. I always figured some knitting gurus created patterns for me to follow. But I've realized lately that I can create my own. :) How exciting! I've started off with some small stuff and am learning different techniques as I go. Sometimes I look at other patterns to get some ideas of how I could start something or a way to do a stitch pattern. Sometimes I just make it up as I go. I've even been making up my own charts (by hand). I'm hoping that as I progress I'll be able to and brave enough to tackle larger projects.

I need to have a lot of patience for this. I've learned new cast on methods and practiced them multiple times till I think I've got it. And while the knitting goes on, I've decided to change things which means wripping it out and starting again or tinking back to the place where I need to make a change. A lot of times the projects have to get started again and again until I'm happy with it.

Lots of Ravelers design their own patterns and give them away or sell them on the website. Some day I hope to get to that point and be able to sell my own. It's getting it all written up with good pictures that slows down the process for me right now. I get the pattern written down by hand, knit up the item, take some pictures, and then get blocked by my own desire to craft more rather than typing it up.

Are you inspired to create your own designs? What would you make that you haven't been able to find? Do you think you could brave it and take an idea out of your head, scribble it on paper and create it on your needles? 

Summer Sweater KAL - July 16

Alright, I think I am starting to find some balance to my knitting. :) It feels much better. When I'm not working a little bit on all of them I find myself feeling overwhelmed by the projects that aren't getting any knitting time. So it's much better to be doing a little bit on all of them each week.

After getting a few more rows done the sleeve sts are off the needles and waiting till it will be there turn. Thinking I will be working on it again probably Wednesday and get further down the body section.

 

Summer Sweater KAL - July 10th

Another week and a little more knitting on my sweater.

Does this happen to you? You have some projects on the go, then you add a couple others, and next thing you know you've got more knitting than you can handle. This is what I feel like right now. I've got too many projects and not enough time to knit them all. So I've tried to pick a day or two a week to work on them. For my sweater, it's pretty much one day a week for now until I can get some other knitting items off my needles.

How are you doing on your knitting? Are you overwhelmed with too many on the go? Or are you a one project at a time knitter?

Summer Sweater KAL - July 1st

So I joined another KAL with luvinthemommyhood. It's a great group on Ravelry. I had such a fun time doing the Top KAL, I wanted to do another one with the group. And I'm having fun doing another Wendy Bernard pattern.

What I love about designs by Wendy is that they are top down creations. I find that it's easier to make it fit just right. You can try it on as you go along and adjust it as you go. Do you want it longer here and shorter there? Do you need a couple extra sts or do you need to get rid of a few more? It's all doable to get the perfect fit.

I'm working on the Indigo Playmate Cardigan in a lovely steel colour. The yarn is divine. Here's a couple pics of what I got done on my first night of knitting.

 

A Summer of Knitting

I don't know about you, but just because the weather is hot, it doesn't mean it's time to put down the needles. There are so many great little projects to do like critters and dishcloths that can go with you to the beach or poolside. If you're blessed with air conditioning in your home, the variety of projects never ends.

And, I'm still knitting. Been so busy knitting and sidetracked by my kids and husband that my writing has taking a place on the back burner. I have been thinking about writing but every time I go to write, I get distracted by something else.

But I'm putting it back on the agenda. Hopefully I can get into a better routine that's more balanced and allows me to do all the things I want to do, not just the things I have to do.

Got a few things on the list of knitting projects and will probably add a few more. ;) I'm playing in Nerd Wars again on Team Writer and have enjoyed the first Round of this tournament. Also working on a dissertation project this time. Need to find more time to work on that. I joined a Sweater KAL and started knitting my second Wendy Bernard pattern. My daughter asked me why I was knitting a sweater when it is so hot in the Summer. I explained that Summer was the perfect time to knit things like socks and sweaters since you can have them completed by the time you need them in the Fall. She said she was afraid her feet were going to get cold and wondered if I could knit her some socks. Time for another trip to the yarn shop. ;) Also working on a few other things to send to friends. Better hurry those up so I can get them in the mail.

Off to do something with the monkeys now that it is officially Summer Break. Hope you enjoy your day. Hugs.

Schedule for my Projects

I feel like I'm missing some of my projects. lol Seriously! Not sure if I have too many on my plate or what, but I keep thinking I'm forgetting about ones I should be working on. So I'm putting together a rough schedule so I can keep track of what I've got to work on and what's coming up, as well as ideas for new ones. Fun, fun!

And here's a peek at a couple buddies I made to help me cheer on the Flyers during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

 

Happy Easter!

I have been such a slacker when it comes to this blog. Been so busy having fun in Nerd Wars, I've forgotten to share all about it. lol So following is some of the fun from the last two months....

February

  
March

 

And a Happy Easter to all of you!
Here is a basket full of Bunny Nuggets....

 

February Nerd Wars - Project 1

For my first Nerd Wars project I made a couple of elephants. They turned out so cute!

 

Nerd Wars Tournament

I'm adding more fun to my knitting. :) I've joined Nerd Wars for their 4th Tournament.

I'm excited to be a part of Team Writer. It's about all things Castle. There are challenges to pick from each month for the next three months that you need to relate to your nerdery through your crafting. I'm anticipating lots of fun. Should find out in the morning what the first challenges will be. Can't wait!!! :D

"The Finder" Finish Challenge Update 2

January is flying by. Not sure where it's going. At least I am getting some knitting done.

It's been a battle and challenge for me lately. My kids continue to get sick (it's that stage in life, I guess). Lately it's been my son (2 years old) who has been ill. After a low fever for 4 days that changed into a cold, my arms have been full with my son rather than my knitting. I still have been getting some things accomplished though.

I got my Bones Hat done.

 

 I got a couple squares done.

And here's my Steelers Hat.

"The Finder" Finish Challenge update

So yesterday I got all my projects organized, along with whatever rest of the stash is around it. (I have two stashes - one in the basement and one on the main floor where I do all my knitting.)

Today I pulled out one project (my nephew's afghan) and got started. Figured it might be best to begin with the one that's got the most to do. Besides it irritates me that I'm still not finished the afghan. Really hoping to get it completed soon!

Oh, and to add to the work load, I joined another couple of groups on Ravelry and some competitions. Like I didn't already have enough knitting to do. lol I'll be doing some hats and some to-be-announced projects. Hopefully I can keep up with all these things....

ETA: Pics will be coming soon. Sorry I haven't been posting any lately.

"The Finder" Finish Challenge

So as you know I'm a HUGE Bones fan. Unfortunately it's going on hiatus again. :P In the mean time (until April, yes I said April), The Finder will be taking it's place. It's a spinoff from Bones and I did see one episode last year and liked it.

Some of my Ravelry buddies are joining me in a The Finder Finish Challenge. I thought it would give us all a chance to work on some of our UFOs before we start our Traveling Woman KAL in April when Bones returns. Looking forward to getting some knitting done that I've avoided. We're posting on the thread what we need to do and how we progress as the months go on. Should be a good time. :)

Happy Knit Year!

Hope everyone enjoyed there New Year celebrations. Hubby and I didn't do much. Didn't even stay up too late. Felt like a regular night around here other than watching the ball drop on the TV.

So a new year brings new knitting projects... at least I hope so. I'm making a Knit Resolution to get as many as my UFO's completed soon. By the end of January would be nice but I think that's pushing it. My other Knit Resolution is to find some new projects to try. I have been thinking about making a stuffed cat for my son. He loves the show Toopy and Binoo, especially Binoo. I think I should be able to make a Binoo. I've already found some stuffed animal patterns online and I think I can edit them enough to make one look like Binoo. Also have an afghan plan in the works for my daughter. She has a favourite hockey team and a favourite football team. I think I should be able to do squares up in the two themes and sew them together back to back. Still need to work it all out but it's coming together in my head so far.

Any Knit Resolutions for you? Hope 2012 is a great Knit Year for all of us. :)