Knitting News Cast Web Site

The Knitting News Cast web site is back up and running at:
http://www.knittingnewscast.com

The Wrist Warmer Knitting Pattern Generator has been updated. You can create a custom wrist warmer pattern based on your needle size, yarn, and gauge.

Another popular page on the site is about free ear flap hat knitting patterns. With the especially cold weather here in the US, this is a great time to knit one.

Finally, I have moved the knitting news to a new blog at http://knittingnewscast.com/blog. I hope to be uploading some new posts soon.

For now, happy knitting!

Hat Recipent

 

Had birthday brunch with my brother, his girlfriend, and my mom on Sunday. I gave Brian one of the hats I knitted. It looks great on him!

And I love this picture that Amber took of us.

Hats, Hats, Hats

 

One of my friends asked me to knit them a beanie style hat a month or so ago.



And that got me started on a hat kntting streak. So over the last month and half, I've been knitting hats. Most of the them have been the Pro Bono hat pattern by Angelina Fagan.





I really like this pattern because it is an easy K2P2 one using chunky yarn. I also used worsted weight yarn for several of the hats and just increased the cast on to 88 stitches. I may make a few more but I either need to decrease the needle size and/or the number of cast on stitches. They are a perfect size for my head but I've had several women with not so much hair as I try them on and they fit but could be a bit more snug.

I also knitted a Robin's Egg Blue Hat by Rachel Iufer using Malabrigo Chunky Yarn.




Finally, I knitted The Amanda's Hat(pdf) by Gina House.



I like the stitch pattern so much and I had just enough yarn so I made a cowl too.

One For You And One For Me

As promised, here are the current WIPs. I cast on both of these about 2 weeks ago, although I had to rip out the wrap and start again this past weekend because it was too small. I knew I needed to do it but I made my knitting group tell me too so that I didn't feel so bad!

 

Name: One Row Handspun Scarf by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee
Yarn: Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted in Cognac (#158)
Needle Size: US 7 / 4.5 mm

Instead of 26 stitches, I cast on 30. The stitch pattern is easy to remember and makes this knit a great project to take to knit night and other places where I'm easily distracted.

The zigzag of the darker color through the scarf makes it more interesting, I think.

This will be a gift for Xmas. Although, I love the feel of this yarn and may have a hard time letting it go.

This next one is for me!

 

 

Name: Every Way Wrap by by Okmin Park in Interweave Knits, Fall 2009
Yarn: Cascade Yarns 220 Wool in Blue (#7816)
Needle:

The cable chart was printed incorrectly. Here is the correct one. (You can also see a picture of the completed wrap from the magazine on this page. It is the picture on the right.)

I think this one is going to take a while to knit. I just started the 3rd pattern repeat out of 18 and I may need to go longer since I'm tall. Hopefully, I won't run out of yarn.

Sunset

Okay, I know I'm going a bit crazy with the posts today. But here is the incredible sunset we had last night:



Awesome!

Actual Knitting Content

The summer has been busy, busy, busy. Between Storm games (go LJ!), geocaching, and hanging out with friends, I haven't gotten much knitting done. The only time I was knitting was once a week at knit night and I didn't make it every week.

However, last week I did get a couple of projects finished and started a couple more (I'll post about those soon...promise).

Here's the FOs:
Daisy from Going Straight - A New Generation of Knitted Hats (don't worry...this going straight as in knitting with straight needles!)
Yarn: Louisa Harding Nautical Cotton = 2.5 skeins



I knitted an extra pattern repeat because my gauge was smaller and I have a pretty big head because of all the curls.

Slinky Ribs by Wendy Bernard from Custom Knits
Yarn: Custom Blend of Bamboo and Cotton from Yarnia
Needles: US 1



The original pattern had a deeper scooped neckline and also some buttons. I wanted to be able to wear mine without having to have a camisole or t-shirt on underneath.

Up next: Xmas gift scarf and a wrap for me (plus lots more Xmas knitting)

Saddened

Three things literal saved my life last year during the deepest days of despair after the break up of my marriage: my pets (who was going to take care of them if I left the car running in the garage), AA (which gave me a host of friends and a sponsor who held me up when I couldn't make it on my own) and Susan Eliliot (who's website I found the week I found out that my ex was having an online affair and was leaving me because of it).

Susan's husband died today and even though I don't even know her personally, I feel so much for her because of her loss of the man who finally was the "one".

Rest In Peace, Michael.