The Treadmill Knitter

E-Book Spoilers

2012-10-04T08:52:00.003-04:00

The fabulous fall weather has my needles afire! I'll apologize a little for so much time in between blog posts, but my reason is just that knitting has taken over the majority of my free time ~ which is not a bad thing! Unfortunately, knitting on the treadmill lately has been non-existent. We just finished construction of a new room in the basement, and with all of the tools, construction supplies and debris the poor treadmill is covered with 'stuff' and I can hardly even get to it. On the upside, my daughter has moved into the new bedroom, and one of my sons will soon be taking over her old room when I get the carpets shampooed and walls repainted~hopefully by the weekend. I believe peace will soon come to the residence! Then I'll also be able to get The Underground Studio back in order as well. I haven't worked down there in months, which means yarn and needles have invaded the upstairs in a huge way! It will be nice to get things back to normal... if there really is such a thing :p

As I said, the needles have been working at a furious pace! Since my last post, I've knit a hat, cowl, pair of socks, pair of mittens, 3/4 of a cardigan, and started another mitten design! Super productive! I've been working with a fabulous bunch of test knitters over on Ravelry, and a new collection of designs featuring the wonderful yarns of The Unique Sheep will be releasing very soon! Most of them will release individually for a limited time, then they will all be incorporated into an e-book. I cannot thank the ladies who have tested for me over the last month enough! They have turned out some fabulous items!

Here's a peek at a few of the projects from the book that I have finished:

The mittens are done, just not photographed yet

On the health side of things, we are still doing pretty well with the paleo/primal lifestyle. I made some awesome pumpkin muffins last night, just right for fall. We are finishing up the veggies that are left in the garden~still some tomatoes, carrots, green bell peppers, broccoli and onions left. I even planted some more lettuce in one of my patio pots so we will continue to have fresh lettuce for another month or so. I also reused some of my petunia hanging pots to plant herbs for winter. The petunias didn't fair well this summer with the drought, but the pots will work well hanging in the kitchen window thru the winter. I planted basil, parsley and chives, which will be wonderful to have for the holidays. I have taken all of my oregano, thyme and sage from the herb garden and dried it to use thru the winter... not as good as fresh, but at least I know where it came from :-) I put a nice Angus roast in the crock pot this morning along with herbs and onions from the garden for dinner tonight and I'll make some steamed carrots & broccoli to go with it. Perfect comfort food! At first, making this change to paleo/primal was difficult, mostly because we ate out of boxes majority of the time and the extra prep time of primal foods was a pain. As we stuck to it, it became easier everyday and now is almost second nature. I am so happy we did this! We still occasionally will have things that are not in the plan, we strive for 80/20, and I'm happy with that for now. Someday maybe more....

Remember to live well, eat healthy, be happy and knit a lot! Have a great day everyone!

Fall Retreat

2012-09-01T15:58:00.001-04:00

Fall is rapidly approaching here in NY. The leaves are changing and some are even falling already, and the kids will be back to school next week. The nights are cooler now and sock knitting season has surely started!

I am working on a new sock pattern that is inspired by a knitting retreat I attended last weekend in Andrews, NC. It was held at a beautiful estate, Hawkesdene House, hidden away in the mountains. It couldn't be in a more serene setting for knitting, along a stream, complete with its own llama. A pavilion with a fireplace, couches and rockers in the corner, was the perfect setting for wine & cheese hors d'vours, dinner and dessert each night. The sound of the fountain between the house and pavilion added to the comfort of the evenings. Breakfasts and lunch were served in the house, in a comfortable buffet style, where we all sat and laughed and chatted in the dining areas. Polar Bear the cat was a welcomed guest by the fire, he surely added a touch of home.

Some of us stayed in the cabins, some in the main house. We each had roommates, which was great for me as I didn't know anyone when I arrived. The cabin I stayed in was very cozy with a fireplace in the living room, two luxurious bedrooms and 4 Adirondack style chairs and a swing on the screened in front porch. It had a full kitchen along with a washer & dryer. It couldn't have been a more perfect set up!

We attended classes during the day on Saturday and another Sunday morning before we left. We learned how to dye yarn, roving and silk hankies, new stitch techniques and even needle felting on Saturday. Sunday we learned how to make our own yarn with the silk hankies we dyed the day before, then were given a great pattern to make with our newly created silk yarn. It was quite a surprise to find how many of us had more in common than just knitting. Many of us also make jewelry, sew, and spin. The best surprise of all was to realize just about all of us are Whovians! One even brought her Bigger on the Inside Shawl adorned with multiple TARDIS'. Yes, I must make one! A big bunch of Trekkies and SG-1 fans too... I couldn't have found a group more fitting than this, I had such a wonderful time!

Laura & Kelly from The Unique Sheep did a fabulous job putting this all together for us! I've been purchasing their hand painted yarns for the last couple of years and it was a joy to finally be able to meet them in person.

A huge thanks go out to Phil and Rob, the owners of the Hawkesdene House, for making our stay so friendly and comfortable! The food they prepared was impeccable and the service they provided over the entire weekend was second to none. They always were ready and willing to chat about the house, paintings, gardens and animals that lived there, and they always had the coffee on (which is so important to most of us knitters)! I look forward to many more retreats there!

My First Video Blog!

2012-04-10T14:41:00.009-04:00

I did a video blog this time! See it HERE!

Just wanted to also bring the lacey sock pattern back up to the top of the blog to remind everyone it's time to knit some summer socks!! Here it is over on Ravelry.

Have a great day everyone!!!

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Stitch Red

2012-03-28T07:40:00.005-04:00

More good news! I have finished up the paperwork and am now partnered with Stitch Red! There are a whole group of companies that are committed to fighting heart disease in women. Each company is generously donating a percentage of their profits from the sale of Stitch Red products to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) in support of The Heart Truth®. Here is some info about Stitch Red & The Heart Truth from their blog:

'Stitch Red is supported by a majority of manufacturers and vendors in the Needlearts industry who are creating unique Stitch Red products for which a percentage of gross profits will benefit the FNIH in support of The Heart Truth^®, a national awareness campaign for women about heart disease, sponsored by the NHLBI. Additionally, Jimmy Beans Wool has written a book, Knit Red, which features 30 celebrity designers sharing patterns and personal stories and will be released in June of 2012. Stitch Red Knit Nights are being hosted by Jimmy Beans Wool and other local yarn stores across the country. A percentage of gross profits from Knit Red and Stitch Red Knit Nights will also benefit FNIH in support of The Heart Truth^®. '

'The Heart Truth^® is a national awareness campaign for women about heart disease and is sponsored by the NHLBI, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Through the campaign, the NHLBI leads the nation in a landmark heart health awareness movement that is being embraced by millions who share the common goal of better heart health for all women. The centerpiece of The Heart Truth is the Red Dress, which was introduced as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness in 2002 by the NHLBI. The Red Dress^® reminds women of the need to protect their heart health, and inspires them to take action.'

You too can get involved~what a great campaign! Each month of 2012 you'll be seeing a design specifically done for Stitch Red from me. I'll post info here, and you will have links to the products on Stitch Red's site. Show your support and stitch something red today!!

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$15 off your $100 Tools Order with Code APRILSAVINGS 4/4-4/14

A New Logo & More Modular Knitting

2012-03-26T09:51:00.001-04:00

Very exciting~my new logo is done! It is absolutely fabulous!

Before working out today I have been cooking :-) I made some wonderful rosemary & garlic crackers and some homemade roasted red pepper hummus. We are in the process of switching the way we eat to Paleo/Primal, and I've been testing out some of the awesome recipes from The Prime Pursuit blog. So far, so good! Fingers crossed that the family continues to be positive, it's been working well for the last week or so~ my little way of getting the whole family to be more healthy! Cutting out all of the processed foods from our diets is challenging, but so worth it.

So, for knitting today, there are a few projects on needles (of course). I am working on a modular knitting shawl made with Noro:

Well, it doesn't want to rotate the proper way, but you get the idea! I think it looks pretty cool the way the yarn changes on almost all of the blocks!

My current Stitch Red design project is a lace shawl ~ no spoilers tho! I do have to say it is quite lovely!! Please go visit their site, check out all of the wonderful products they have. There are beautiful yarns as well as patterns, tools and notions.

Make your day a yarn filled one!!

Socks & Modular Knitting

2012-03-14T10:29:00.002-04:00

Just finished up today's treadmill workout :-) the project of the day is a pair of bed socks for my son who just had surgery a couple weeks ago.

I got about 4 inches done in 2 miles, which isn't half bad. I have slowly been able to increase my walking speed over time (without falling and hurting myself...or, heaven forbid, breaking a needle!) ~ today's speed 24 minute mile. Not a fast speed at all, but when you factor in the use of 5 double pointed needles simultaneously while walking... whose going to set a land speed record? Not me, that's for sure!

I am always on the quest to try new knitting techniques, and this time I decided to try modular knitting. It's not half bad, keeps my interest even though the pattern I am working on is just garter stitch. For those not familiar with modular knitting, it is where a larger knit piece is created from a series of unit pieces which are joined to a previous unit as they are knit. It is usually done in garter stitch, although other stitch patterns are used. Confused yet? I'd be, if I hadn't already tried it... :-) Here is my piece a few days ago, it has since grown significantly, but I haven't bothered to take another picture yet....

You start out knitting straight across your needle, but do a clever double decrease every other row, which creates a square in the end! When you get to the top right corner and are left with only one stitch after all of your decreasing, you pick up the stitches along the top, cast on some more and start the whole thing over again. You can see in the photo that my needle has a bunch of stitches on it already, but I'm not far enough into the square for it to have started to 'turn a corner' yet. It's a super easy technique once you get past the fear of trying it... Well worth it to learn~it will open up a whole new world of knitting to you! My suggestion to everyone out there is to challenge yourself to learn a new technique every couple months, and complete a project (not just a swatch). Whether you choose modular knitting, incorporating beads into knits , lace, entralac, fair isle... etc., it doesn't matter ~ find something you love the look of and learn it. There are tons of books on all techniques, and better yet, more free information here on the Internet than anyone could possibly ever use! YouTube is fantastic to browse through to actually see the techniques come to life by other knitters. You'll find all sorts of videos with people showing how to do just about anything. Do your due diligence though, watch several, you want to find the person who knits similarly to the way you do. I wouldn't suggest you try to learn a new technique from a thrower if you knit Continental style and vice versa.

I am still plugging away at April's Stitch Red pattern, but I did take a break from it this week and designed a pair of bed socks~in red of course. They have an interesting cable pattern that creates O's in a diagonal around the foot. Hard to see them do it in the photo, but they really do. The photos will get better when the pattern releases~which will be sometime soon, but I may save it until fall. Here are the Sanctuary Bed Socks (because every foot needs a sanctuary!):

Have a great day everyone! Stitch Red!!

Sweetheart Bag & Yoke Sweater

2012-03-06T23:17:00.002-05:00

Presenting March's Pattern: The Sweetheart Bag

The pattern is available for purchase on Ravelry here ~ The Sweetheart Bag
or if you are not a ravelry member ~

25% of the proceeds will be donated to The Heart Truth foundation for heart disease research.

Every knitter needs a great little project bag, and this one is perfect to hold your sock or other small project, but it’s size is easily adjusted with the size of the yarn you use! A beaded heart motif runs all the way around the bag, so it looks great coming and going. This bag is a quick project that can be easily completed in a weekend. Other uses for this great little bag include: gift bag, ditty bag and a little girls first purse!

It's been a busy February! Two sweaters and a bag designed, 2 of which have completed the test knitting process and the third is just getting started!
A child's yoke sweater in size 7-8 is now available on Ravelry as well here ~ Yoke Sweater I have had some wonderful test knitters for this sweater! Lots of available modifications to make it a versatile pattern for a boy or a girl. It has instructions for normal ribbing (for boys) and cabled ribbing (for girls) that can be lengthened to turtle neck length if desired. Sleeves are also easily shortened to 3/4 length for girls who prefer them that way. Here's a few shots of the tests ~ you can see how different they look with longer/shorter necklines and sleeves, as well as variations in the lengths of the colors in the yoke:

What a great job they did!

In February, my knitting group grew by 3 more! Very exciting to have new members, and especially one who is 12! Her and her mom are starting together, and I am happy to report, both have picked it up very quickly! Sometime in March I am going to go meet with one of the local church groups to teach them how to knit too, which warms my heart! I love to teach people how to knit :-) It is a wonderful skill to learn with so many possibilities.

I haven't had much opportunity to knit on my treadmill lately with all of the designing I am working on, I find myself at the computer more than anything~I love technology! But, one of my sons decided he didn't need that pesky appendix he had a week or so ago, and had to have it removed after it ruptured. That resulted in a 7 day hospital stay to be sure there was no infection. While staying with him, he had to get up and walk several times a day, so I knit mittens while we walked the halls of the peds unit. I got alot of strange looks, but way more "O my goodness you are walking and knitting!!" comments :-) (Thank goodness for sweatshirts with pockets for the skein!) After doing that, I think I can now confidently go walking outside on the sidewalks and knit now too.

Here's a sneak peek as what is up and coming for April's Stitch Red Design....

Knit On Everyone! Enjoy your week!

Cuddle Up Cowl

2012-02-12T21:42:00.000-05:00

It's been a busy week of working on new designs and with test knitters. A child's yoke sweater is coming beautifully with the 4 testers working on it. I finished up the the Shadow Cable Sock design, which is available out on Ravelry as well as in my Etsy shop.

Also worked thru is the Cuddle Up Cowl. For the last 2 months I have been focusing on doing a design a month to support Stitch Red. January was the Red Hot Mitts in one of my previous posts, and for February it is the Cuddle Up Cowl. The testers did a wonderful job and I just love the yarn choices they used. Below are to two that I did, one using The Unique Sheep's Super Wool Worsted in the Blue Jeans colorway, the other one is done in KnitPicks Full Circle in the Cardinal colorway~a perfect project to support Stitch Red. I'll be donating 25% of all sales of this pattern to The Heart Truth each month for the rest of the year. Go visit their page and read about their very important campaign. Keep your eyes out for March's design~sometime mid-month!

Here it is in Blue Jeans

Now in Cardinal:

Keep knitting ~ and remember to Stitch Red!

Lacey Ankle Socks

2012-02-06T16:12:00.003-05:00

Hot off the presses today... a new sock pattern!

If you are a member of Ravelry, you'll be able to download the pattern for free here. If you aren't a member~consider it! It is a wonderful group of knitters and crocheters who share yarn info, pattern info, tips and all sorts of things related to working with yarn. Don't let me leave out the spinners tho... :-) They are there too! There is alot to do on Ravelry, and lots of great people to meet!

I still have one more sock pattern in the works~just need it to be photographed properly and it will be ready to put up on Ravelry as well as my Etsy Shoppe. A beautiful pattern for shadow cable socks made with Knit Picks Chroma yarn..... you may have seen the spoiler in a past post.. :-) Also still being test knit is a Children's Yoke Sweater~so cute~ look for it to be out around mid month, it will also be available for purchase on Ravelry and in my Etsy Shoppe as well.

Knit On Everyone!

Spoiler Alert!

2012-02-01T16:07:00.000-05:00

Warm days at the begining of February make me want to go outside and start getting flower beds ready for spring! But I resisted and stayed inside and kept needles and yarn in hand. Here's a glimpse of something up and coming soon....

No more photo spoilers tho! I have pair of socks being test knit by some wonderful ladies on Ravelry as well as a sweater. Fingers are crossed to have the patterns ready for distribution within the month. The photo above is something that you can look forward to seeing available sometime in late March~it is quite an extensive piece :-) using my favorite yarn ever... Chroma in the Regency colorway. Two more sweater concepts are in my brain and partially processed thru the computer, just need to put the needles down and start typing to finish them up and have them sent for testing. Very busy, yet very exciting!

Haven't knit alot lately on the treadmill, finding myself more on the laptop or the Kindle Fire researching stitches or patterns or techniques. Think I just may treat myself to a nice walk tonight with some good music in the background....

Keep on knitting :-)

A Perfect Day for Knitting

2012-01-27T15:43:00.001-05:00

Our weather here in Northern New York has been so strange this winter! Mostly been in the 30's and 40's all of December and January, with just a few days of snow. It was raining this morning when I got up, and by 9am the snow was all gone. But...

It's snowing pretty good outside this afternoon making wonderful knitting weather! I've been enjoying a full day of knitting with my group, couldn't ask for a better time :-) I love having the girls here and bouncing ideas for new designs off of them. They are giving me ideas for items they would like to have ~ which is very helpful than just going with what I like.
We are all working on different projects~ sweaters, bags and mitts, which is really great seeing each others work. I am working on a design for a childs sweater, and have sent a pattern this morning to my test knitter for a pair of socks. I am hoping that both will be able to be finalized and posted to Ravelry by the end of next week :-) Stay tuned!

A Little Designing Going on

2012-01-25T20:02:00.001-05:00

The boys are playing Stratego, my daughter is at the movies, the house is quiet except for the tv, so I figure it is a good opportunity to put a new sweater design together. My littlest, Treydan, is due for a new sweater so I am going to whip one up for him. I just got some beautiful Wool of the Andes Tweed in the Barn Door Heather colorway.

I just love the feel of this yarn, and am hoping that the sweater will go rather quickly as it is knit from the top down. I am going to try a yoke sweater, hoping it will come out good! He loves when I knit him things so even if I don't like how it comes out, I know he will love it :-) Little boys are so cute!

1/26/12 Update

Here is a sneak peek of what I finished last night:

Red Hot Baby Cabled Mitts

2012-01-20T20:08:00.004-05:00

Finished Sizes: Women’s Small (Medium, Large)
Yarn: Knit Picks Full Circle, one skein, 100% wool, worsted weight 220yds/100gr.
Needles: US size 7 (4.5mm)
Notions: Tapestry needle
Note: Slip all stitches, including YOs, with the yarn in back, purlwise (tip to tip without changing the stitch mount).

Cast on 36 (40, 44)
Row 1-3: *P2, K2; repeat from *to end
Row 4: (RS) P2 *K2tog do not slide stitches from needle, insert right needle into first stitch on left needle, K1, slide all stitches off left needle; repeat from * to end.
Repeat Rows 1-4 two more times ending on Row 1 (WS row).
Row 14: P2tog, *K2, P2; repeat from * to last two sts, K2tog. 34 (38, 42) sts
Row 15: (WS) *K1, YO, Sl 1; repeat from * to end.~Be careful not to lose your yarn over when you turn to start next row
Row 16: (RS) K1, *Sl YO st, K2; repeat from * to end, K1.
Row 17: *YO, Sl1, Knit YO and next st tog; repeat from * to end.
Row 18: *K2, Sl YO st; repeat from * to end.
Row 19: *Knit YO and next st tog, YO, Sl1; repeat from * to end.
Row 20-31: Repeat Rows 16-19, 3 times.
Row 32: *Knit st and YO tog, K1; repeat from * to end.
Row 33: P2tog, purl across to last 2 sts, P2tog. 32 (36, 40) sts
Row 34: Knit across
Row 35: Purl across
Row 36: Knit across
Row 37: (WS) *K1, YO, Sl 1; repeat from * to end.
Row 38: (RS) K1, *Sl YO st, K2; repeat from * to end, K1.
Row 39: *YO, Sl1, Knit YO and next st tog; repeat from * to end.
Row 40: *K2, Sl YO st; repeat from * to end.
Row 41: *Knit YO and next st tog, YO, Sl1; repeat from * to end.
Rows 42-44: Repeat Rows 38-40
Row 45: (WS)*Purl stitch and YO tog, P1, Knit st and YO tog, K1 repeat from *to end.
Row 46: *P2, K2; repeat from * to end.
Row 47: *P2, K2; repeat from * to end.
Row 48: (RS) P2 *K2tog do not slide stitches from needle, insert right needle into first stitch on left needle, K1, slide all stitches off left needle, P2; repeat from * to end.

Row 49: *P2, K2; repeat from * to end.

Row 50: *P2, K2; repeat from * to end.

BO in pattern(WS). Seam up the side leaving an opening for the thumb at the stockinette section-increase or decrease the opening size to fit your hand

Downloadable PDF is available on Ravelry here.

For personal use only. Sale of this pattern or its finished products are prohibited.

20 Below Felted Mittens & a TARDIS

2012-01-16T16:39:00.000-05:00

While waiting to pick up my daughter at work Saturday night, I notice on my dashboard that it is -6 degrees!! Oh my word!! By the time I got home it was -10F!! Even though it was midnight, I decided that for a change I was going to knit myself some mittens! I did a quick once over of the stash and a couple skeins of Berroco Peruvia Quick caught my eye. I wound up one on the swift and set to knitting. My mitten go to pattern is Lion Brand's Easy-KnitMittens, so I cast on, knit a couple rows of knitting and decided that I needed felted mittens instead of the normal kind. I ripped it out, grabbed a larger (size 11) pair of needles and cast on the largest size in the pattern. I knit 4 inches of rib. When working the 9 rows of stockinette stitch above the ribbing, I decided that I was going to add alittle bit of a dash of flair (LOL) and do a row of fair isle. So on rows 4 and 6 I did every other stitch in red Wool of the Andes. Obviously the measurements in the pattern are not going to work out for felting-unless you want them for a doll….. and having knit these mittens about a gazillion times, I decided that after separating the stitches from the thumb gusset, I would knit 6 rows stockinette, then start the top decreasing, since that is generally what I do (6 rows) when I am making the mittens normally. When I knit the last decrease row on the top shaping, I switched back to the red for the purl row and the K2tog row, to make the top design~same with the thumb. One mitten took a whole skein and 3 hours to knit. I had it hand felted within about 30 minutes in the sink. Since the ribbing on the cuff is not stretchy after felting, as I was shaping the mitten to dry, I put my hands inside the cuff and stretched outward to form a bell shape below the wrist. I am going to hand sew in a piece of elastic at the wrist which will make a nice ruffle. By Sunday morning, it was -24F!!! I surely needed these and I am certain they are going to keep me warm when it gets to 20 below again :-)

Here is what they looked like before felting

Here is after

I also recently had to show how much of a true Dr. Who geek I am by knitting myself a TARDIS kindle fire case J It’s a free pattern by AmericanWitch out on ravelry, and took me less than a day to finish. Oh yeah, you gotta do it.

Doll Clothes

2011-07-07T15:18:00.000-04:00

So I have been pondering what projects will work best for me while walking on the treadmill... Small, not too complicated ones are the best, so I don't have to keep referring to a pattern too much (it is hard to read while walking and knitting...) I decided I'd try a few items of doll clothing for the 18" style doll (like American Girl) So far, so good on the patterns~I tried several patterns not walking and they are going to be perfect little projects! I have done a bikini, a hat and a skirt so far and I am pretty confident with them and it is on the agenda for the day to do some walking and knitting! Here are what they look like so far....

For sale in my etsy shop here

I'll be sure to post some more pictures of new items~as soon as I get off the computer and back on the treadmill!! Come back soon!!

Make time for your yarn today!!

Pam

Brioche

2011-06-16T22:47:00.000-04:00

Seems all I have done for the last few days is bark and burp! Nope, it is not what you think! I have been learning brioche over the last few months and have finally decided on a pattern that is super challenging for me as a brioche beginner. I purchased a book Knitting Brioche by Nancy Marchant to learn how to do this technique, and it is wonderful! I surely reccommend it to anyone who wants to learn brioche and understand it. It is wonderfully explained (using terms like "barking" and "burping") and the photos of how to do the stitches are perfect! There are many patterns in the book for you to do as well ranging from fingerless gloves (my first brioche project) to scarves and even sweaters. The patterns are easy to follow, but they are challenging to do. Your mind is constantly whirring around the pattern. Brioche is certainly not for the person who likes to mindlessly knit~there is too much going on! I have chosen a pattern for a neck piece...kinda like a big collar... that is done in 4 color brioche. Lemme tell ya, it looks beautiful, but WOW you almost don't want to put it down for the chance that you might forget where you are in the pattern! For all of you sticky note users... yep, I am using them! 2 in this pattern as a matter of fact! When you have 4 strands of yarn hanging off of either end of the needles... you have to stay on top of what row you are on to know which side to start on when you pick it up again!
I don't want to scare anyone away from learning brioche by any means! The basics are really NOT hard! And the end results are amazing! If you want something striped and stretchy and thick~this is the way to go! You also don't have to use more than one color, one color brioche is wonderful too! There are many patterns you can make in the stitching, just like in regular knitting. Nancy shows tons of them in this book!! TIP: If you are a continental knitter, learning the flow of brioche is quite easy. If you are a 'thrower'... you will probably want to throw the needles at first...but trust me, you will get the hang of it!!!
So if you are bored with what you have been knitting lately, run to the bookstore (or order it online) and get this book. Be sure to read it right from the beginning, don't open to a pattern and dive in if you have never done brioche before. You will swear alittle at first, but once you get the hang of it, you will do every project in the book!
Here is a photo of neck piece so far... I have only just about 20 rows done in this photo, I'll be sure to update the blog with my progress. The pink and white side(bottom of photo) is the front, the purple and green side (top of photo) is the back.

Knit On!!

Not much on needles!!

2011-06-12T16:22:00.000-04:00

It is hard to believe that I haven't posted for months! Things have been busy in my world with a 2 week vacation to Charlotte NC, a soon to graduate high school senior, setting up in a new (to me)camper at the camp ground, a crashed laptop and so much more it is hard to put it down in words!

I don't have much to speak about in terms of knitting projects, even though my knitting group is meeting every week! I did finish a summer sweater a few weeks ago. A spidery tank top from an 2009 Interweave Knits magazine. Also have a beautiful pair of fingerless gloves almost finished. The pattern is Pistachio Fingerless Mitts by Fiddle Knits Designs (Erica Jackofsky) and the yarn I am using is Pashmi by The Unique Sheep. Once they are finished, I'll get up a few photos :-) Check out Erica's site Fiddle Knit Designs to find this pattern and tons of others~they are fabulous!

In May, I received my first shipment of yarn and tea from The Unique Sheep's Sip n Stitch Club. Beautiful yarn and very tasty tea!! They even threw in a mug! If you are a knitter, do join this club next year! I believe sign ups are in January each year. They also have other clubs to join as well as KALs, their yarns are wonderful and patterns are super nice too!

I have got to get back on my treadmill!! Construction of a new room in our basement have my gym area (and yarn stash) in total disarray! Hoping it will be back on track soon, the construction is almost complete. If I don't hurry up and get back on it, I am going to have to relearn how to knit while walking! :-)

Have a yarn filled day everyone!!

Spa Sets

2011-03-23T04:39:00.000-04:00

Well I officially have Spa Sets in my Etsy shop now! Finally I got enough wash cloths done, (because it is Nascar season again~I'm knitting on the treadmill while watching the race and wash cloths are perfect for that!) and the soap & candles arrived, so all that was left to do was photos. Sunday was photo shoot day (my first in a very long time!) and I was able to get everything listed on Monday morning~what a great start to the week! I even had one of the four sets sell on Tuesday evening! I have never really been taken with doing wash cloths, thought they were kinda boring, but I am finding that they are actually quite a fantastic way of testing out new stitch patterns and not just having a bunch of useless swatches laying around!

This is the Spa Set that sold~a brioche style washcloth, a 2 oz. vanilla candle (handmade by Delightful Scents) and a 5.75 oz. bar of sea salt & goats milk soap (handmade by Lomah Acres) that is scented with peppermint and euculyptus. Total pampering for the senses!!

I also listed a hand knit cowl made of handspun yarn from Alpaca Meadows. It is called Blue Suede Shoes and has the most interesting texture! One big button holds it around the neck and can be adjusted to about any size due to the the loose knit fabric~there is no need for a button hole. I think it came out pretty well for not using any kind of pattern.

A while back... I think maybe even fall for crying out loud... I knit this beret out of Noro Silk Garden yarn. I came across it the other day, and decided that with all of its colors, it would be perfect for spring evenings, so I finally put it out on etsy as well.

Below are some photos of a fingerless glove that I decided to try using an interesting and versatile stitch called brioche. It is challenging to knit, but is awesome because it certainly makes you pay attention to what you are doing and gives the knitter more of an idea of exactlly what the yarn creates with every row. I got this pattern from a new book I purchased, Knitting Brioche by Nancy Merchant. I know I am going to be making lots more of these for Christmas gifts! Since brioche is 'double knitting', they are very thick and warm~even with no fingers. If you are thinking of learning brioche, get this book~Nancy has a knack for explaining everything so it is easy to understand, which is crucial in learning!!

Some other neat things I have on needles are a bag that I will be felting made of Chroma (my fav~see past posts) as well as a lacey beach bag made of cotton for summer down at camp. I have a lacey tank top on needles as well, the pattern is so super simple that it is about half done already, but due to its simplicity... I am bored with it... so there it sits of course! Photos of those to come in the following weeks.

Have an awesome week everyone!! Keep Knitting!!

Busy Weeks

2011-03-04T10:48:00.001-05:00

Well it has been a busy couple of weeks! I finished the test scarf~it came out great! Here is a shot of it almost done~haven't taken another shot yet. It is made with Lion Brand Amazing yarn, which is pretty decent to work with, but I am not a big fan of acrylic blends, so I'll probably not use what I have left. The colors are nice tho :-) If you are on Ravelry, here is a Link to the pattern. It is available for free!

After the scarf I made some wash cloths (6) out of CotLin by KnitPicks. Here are a couple of them:

Then I got an order for a baby hat for a shower that is this weekend :-) Good thing they knit up quick! This one is made from KnitPicks Imagination in the colorway of Looking Glass. This yarn is absolutely amazingly soft~made from merino, alpaca and nylon.

In the midst of all of the forementioned projects, I have been working on this beauty! A feather and fan patterned scarf made from yet another KnitPicks yarn Chroma a wool and nylon blended fingering weight knit with big needles so it goes soooo fast! It is around 60" long so far, going to go another 20 inches or so then bind it off. I am on the third color repeat of the yarn. Stunning stuff that Chroma!!

Planning to finish this scarf up today and cast on rectangular shawl. Will probably use another color way of Chroma because it is so wonderful to work with, but I did get a new shipment of hand painted yarn from The Unique Sheep that is absolutely amazing, but I am not sure what I want to make out of it yet :-)

Our Wednesday Night Knitting Group has been going fantastic! Last week we had a new member come to learn how to knit :-) Awesome! We have 4 more that will be joining us within the next few weeks too. We will be up to 9 then, which is a great size! The mixture of new knitters and experienced ones will be great for all of us. If anyone is interested in joining in just contact me and I'll give you the details.

It is also almost time to start thinking about moving out to camp for the season! Ahhh to spend the late spring thru early fall on Lake Ontario... what a joy! April 15th comes quicker that I really anticipated! Have to put together all of the yarn I want to take, and get all of the dishes out of totes and washed up, sleeping bags need to go to the cleaners to get freshened up too. Can't wait to sit in the sun and knit or walk down to the beach to enjoy the water. May even take my cat this year, but the dog stays home for sure! :-) I am putting in a little veggie garden this year and his big feet don't need to be in it all of the time!

Have a lovely day~keep knitting!!

Great News!

2011-02-22T11:31:00.001-05:00

I got the email today that another designer is letting me test knit! Yeah!!! This one is a scarf that is knit on the bias. I have never tried this before so that will be a wonderful challenge for me. I'll be sure to post pictures in the next few days.

Next good news is that I was featured in another blog this week! You can read it here: Monday Feb, 21 2011 Blog What a wonderful surprize!

I also finished a sock yesterday that I named Daytona 500. The pattern and the colors go round and round the body of the sock ~ just like the cars in the 500. Plus I was knitting it during the race :-) It is just a pattern that I came up with using the Socks a la Carte book, combining cuffs, bodies, heels and toes from the book. I used Luxe Light Fingering weight sock yarn that is hand painted by The Unique Sheep They have the most luxurious yarns! Give thier yarns a try, you won't be disappointed!! It was with their yarn that was used for the last test knit sock as well.

These are for me this time, my little piggies need some pampering :-)

Here is a close up while still on the needles

And here is the finished first sock~wish it was better quality. The second one is already on the needles!!

So all in all, the week has started off quite well!! I am very much looking forward to getting back on the treadmill with needles and yarn again with this new test scarf! Socks are too hard to do while walking so far, but I am bound and determined to get the hang of it!!

Have a fabulous day and don't forget to knit!!

On My Needles

2011-02-03T13:26:00.000-05:00

Well, here is what is on my needles today:

Wish the picture was alittle better, but whatever, you all know I am not the best with the camera! The mittens are made with 100% baby llama yarn from Peru. They are so soft and warm! Love this pattern with the cable up the back of the hand~it is one of my favorites! Also working on a hat while I walk on the treadmill, I'll get a pic up of that one soon!!
Have a yarn filled day!!

Test Knitting

2011-01-29T15:18:00.000-05:00

Well I have been super busy test knitting a sock for a designer. Very cool! Can't share yet as the pattern has not been released. But I will say that I am having a blast with it.
More exciting news from the Underground Studio.... we had our first sale in the new etsy shop last night! I am very happy to announce that the Galapagos Hat has sold!

So after the sock is done, I am going to get busy on a hat to replace this one. It will be different tho, as I want to keep the items unique. I recently purchased some scrumptous yarn from KnitPicks ~ this one is Capra. I have used it in the past, and just love it! Capra is 85% merino wool, 15% cashmere~making it super soft and wonderful to work with! I'll get some pictures up in a few days of the colors I have and how the hat is progressing. I'll even try to get another video up for your viewing pleasure LOL

Get on that treadmill and knit!! :-)

First Video

2011-01-22T11:27:00.000-05:00

So here is the first attempt at a video. It is kinda dark in my Underground Studio where the treadmill sits so it isn't the greatest quality. No laughing at how wide I have gotten either... that is why I bought the silly thing in the first place :->

The project that I am working on in the video is the very begining of a wool sock for my Aunt Shel. She saw one I did the other day and wanted me to make her a pair. I am using Lion Brand Yarn Fisherman's Wool, which is virgin wool that still has all of the natural oils still in it, in the colorway of Oak Tweed. I'll do the heel and toe in Nature's Brown, and it will be a calf high length. Not following a pattern, just winging it from my head. I hope they both match LOL I have tried the two at a time method, but find keeping track of where I am is just a little too taxing on my old brain.

It was alot of fun using the video editor program to add music and transitions to make it a "movie" hehe I'll try to get some better lighting over there so the next video will come out better. You know I couldn't get one of the boys to help hold the camera so it could zoom in on the knitting.... maybe I can con them with chocolate or something! Enjoy leave me a comment letting me know what you think!

Chroma Hat & Ruffled Cowl

2011-01-21T21:38:00.000-05:00

Two of the items I have been knitting on the treadmill are finished! These were both worked in the round with Knit Picks Chroma yarn in the galapagos colorway. I really love this new yarn, and the graduations of color are so wonderful!

Both are so soft ~ the yarn is 70% wool, 30% nylon. I really enjoy working with this yarn! The hat and the cowl are available for sale at Underground Studio over on etsy.

Unfortunately, no knitting got done today in the Underground Studio! I took the dog to the groomer while I went to the hair salon :-) Both Bear and I got new do's! After the groomer, Bear could barely walk, he is an old guy (7years) and not steady on his feet anyways, so I think he may have slipped while he was there. So off we went to the vet, and he got a shot of cortizone along with some steroids and antibiotics for a hot spot on his back end. He walked to the dining room when it was dinner time... grilled cheese is one of his favorites! Then he walked back and layed down in the living room. I took him outside with a sling to pee but all he wanted to do was lay down in the snow and eat the snow! He is such a trooper, no whining or anything~but you can see he isn't feeling tip top~but he sure looks beautiful!!

Hoping for some treadmill knitting tomorrow-and I do promise to get a video posted soon!

Introductions

2011-01-20T10:58:00.000-05:00

Since knitting while walking on a treadmill seems to be hilarious to my friends, and many don't even believe I do it, I figured it was time to blog it and let the world know~Yes, you can knit while walking on a treadmill. Here's my intro and how it all got started:

Hi! I am Pam, I knit. I knit all of the time. I learned to knit about 20 years ago, but in the last 3 years I have officially become obsessed with it. I am also the owner of Underground Studio, where I sell my knit items along with some jewelry and any other crafty thing I decide to make. Anyways, since I knit almost of the time now, my back end has gotten a little larger than I would prefer, so I bought a treadmill. Walking on a treadmill to work off my butt takes time away from knitting. This is bad, so I had to work it out somehow. Bear with me, I am new to blogging, hopefully this doesn't end up being the 'ravings of a nut' on here. But, you just never know!

I had heard of some people who would knit while they walked through the park, or at a mall, so I figured why not try it in the privacy of my own home (in case I fell on my face!) on the new treadmill. I started off on the slowest speed with a decent sized project~a hat that was on size 8 needles. Didn't figure that it would be smart to start with microneedles for a sock, or size 13's for a blanket. It worked! I could see my stitches easily and I was keeping an almost stumbling slow pace. So I kicked up the speed to the next level and voila! I was actually knitting and walking on a treadmill!

The delightful thing about walking and knitting is that there is rhythm with both. The faster you walk, the faster you knit. Don't attempt to run! You will not speed knit and you WILL fall and subsequently impale yourself with the needles!! Use a nice steady speed, and your knitting will follow a nice pace as well ~ and 911 will not need to be dialed....

I also have to suggest that if you are new to knitting, don't try this yet. Get your knitting down to second nature, then give it a try. I wouldn't try to knit lace or anything that you have to follow a pattern line by line, row by row. Hats work great because for the first 5-7 inches you don't have to read the pattern. A sweater isn't really ideal because it gets to have a little too much bulk to work with. I did try socks on two circular needles, it goes ok, but is a touch awkward when switching needles - but I definitely would NOT try it with DPN's! Your best choice is some mindless type of knitting especially something in the round that you don't have to purl~but purling isn't that hard either.

As soon as I figure out all of this blog stuff, I'll try to get a few pictures or even a video of 'treadmill knitting'. Come back again soon!