Neckwarmers Anyone?

Let's warm some necks! Here are two quick and easy patterns I had been wanting to try. Both made in no time at all!

Machine Knit Neckwarmer

I was inspired by Wool Winder's Not Just A Neckwarmer.

I made this one on my Bond/ISM machine for a really quick knit.
Just close cast on an uneven number of stitches and knit a stockinette rectangle big enough to go around your head, not too snug.
Then just convert every other stitch for a 1x1 rib and sew up the seam and you have a neckwarmer. So easy!


It makes a nice head band too!

Simple Speedy Cowl

Crochet Pattern: Simple Speedy Cowl by Melissa Mall



I crocheted mine with Caron's Dazzleaire - so soft and warm!

Mitts, Mittens, Mittenz

Did you think I forgot about knitting mittenz? Although it is not officially Mittenz Blitz season, I already started adding them to my knitting queue.

Happy First Pair of Mittenz

Yarn: Red Heart's Mexicana rescued from the thrift shop.
Pattern: Bev's 2 Needle Mittens

Hybrid Mittens

Yarn: Red Heart
Pattern: None - this is one of my experiments!
I knit the body and thumb on the Bond/ISM and hand knit the ribbing, mitten tip and thumb tip by hand.
The seam is on the palm side, near the thumb.
I'm not really sure if I like this method of construction; there was too much seaming going on but at least they turned out ok.

Back to the lab....

Rainy Days Make For Lots of Knitting FO's

Finally some knitting pics!

Socks

These are knit with 2 strands of Lion Brand Magic Stripes. I was inspired by Lizzie and all those beautiful socks she knits. I also taught myself a new toe finish - the star toe.


Here's another pair based on the CIC sock pattern.
Yarn: Lion Brand Woolease.

I think I like making smaller socks!

Ugg Booties or Suede Booties

Whatever you want to call them, these are based on this pattern.
Suede Booties by Candi Jensen

So again I did not follow the pattern for the booties exactly. I modified the cuff part by adding some ribbing with a smaller needle.

Dandy Little Booties

Pattern: A Dandy Little Bootie
Somehow I made a mistake - I have garter ridges and there is not supposed to be any. Must make more and re-read the pattern!

Fair Isle Slippers

This used to be a free pattern awhile back, but not anymore.
It is now in the Bernat Great Gift Ideas #530181 booklet.

2 Strand Slippers

The above pair of slippers was based on Dilys Sutherland's Three Strand Slipper pattern. I knit them from the toe up and used 2 strands of knitting worsted.





Here's another tweedy pair from the same pattern as above. I guess I really like this pattern!

Slipping Along Here

Another quick knit are these slippers by Kathy North.

Pattern: Ballet Slippers
On Ravlery:


I used size 8 needles and worked a couple more decrease rounds because I wanted a taller/warmer top. So mine are not really "ballet" type slippers, just plain 'ole slippers.

Finished off 2 pairs of socks - need to take pictures.

On the needles right now:
1. Bond/ISM scarf
2. Ugg Booties

And can you believe that I only have 2 projects? I need to dig into that WIP pile and rescue some orphans!

Hat Request

Just in time for Valentine's Day - a Dead Hearts Hat! My 2nd daughter requested a black hat with pink hearts, so when I found this pattern on Ravelry, I knew she would love it - and she did!


Pattern: Dead Heart by String or Nothing


I used worsted wt yarn and modified the stitch count to 96 to work with my gauge of 4sts/1".


Feetz

More "Ugly Duckling" slippers! I kept these beauties for myself!



More slipper and sock projects to post about later.

Books

I've been reading a little more these days. We have been out in back pruning fruit trees, so I come in and shower and lay down to rest.
Good time to read!

I'm trying really hard to read all the books I have in my actual "to read" bookshelf here at home. I think I have about 192!
Sometimes it's hard because I start reading a particular author and want to read more of the same, so I request them from my library. Some of the books I have were given to me by my MIL and they may be part of a series and so I need to get the first book of that series.

Right now I am reading Brimstone by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.
Their first book, also a movie, was The Relic. Very scary book!

I just finished, Step On A Crack, by James Patterson, another one of my favorite authors.

And it is taking me forever to listen to Vulcan's Soul - Trioligy Book 1.
It's only 304 pages, so I can only surmise that I am not in the mood for Star Trek, but I'll finish listening.

Doubled Up Hat

I like to try knitting simple things lots of different ways. I've made doubled up hats on my Innovations Knitting Machine and with my Bond/ISM.

The Innovation only has 44 needles and the gauge is 3sts/1 inch so even if the hats do stretch, they will not ever fit a large adult head.

I can make bigger hats on the Bond/ISM, but then there is that seam to sew up.

So I decided to hand knit a Doubled Up Hat. I started by casting on 6 sts and then increasing and knitting one row, until I had 64 sts.

With a gauge of about 3st/1", I had a larger stretchier hat.
One can use up those little itty bits of yarn because all you do is knot it in the back several times since the ties will be hidden inside the tube.
Then I decreased back down to 6 sts.

Looks like a blimp, doesn't it?

Side A Folded Up

Side B Folded Up

Conclusion? I can knit up hats really fast on either machine, but if I want to have a little creative fun, I think I like this hand knit method.
It's also relaxing just to knit, knit, knit while watching those Tivo'd shows!