Spool Knitting with Wire

This morning in my inbox was an email newsletter from Beading Daily all about spool knitting jewelry with wire. Makes me want to give it a shot since I've been into wire knitting jewelry lately. I don't have a suitable spool knitter though...hmm.

Here's a link to the article: How to Wire Spool Knit in 7 Easy Steps

As seen on...

..Craft! I don't think I've ever seen a cozy pattern that I actually ever wanted to make...but THIS I really want to try. I'm sure it's even easily made on the looms.

They are knit cell phone cozies! I love the green one.

I don't know...maybe too hard for me to resist.

A whole month?

..and then some. What the heck have I been doing...?


Well, besides being super busy at work...I've been knitting like a fiend on the Mystery Stole 3. Yes, others have been done forever...but I'm slowly plugging away at the last clue. Not because it's hard or anything. I got to the last clue and then work and life got in the way. But, now I'm about 20ish rows from the end. Yippee! I can't wait to be done.

As you can see from the above close up of the wing, it's going to need a good solid blocking. But I love the wing part. I've seen a bunch of finished stoles on the web and in the group and I can't believe how gorgeous they look on. The asymmetric design really looks great. Striking and different - that's what I wanted! I will be buying the pattern once I'm finished just to give some monetary support to a talented designer.

I've also recently purchased a whole slew of knitting mags. I was in a no magazine slump for a while...I hadn't been to a book store in months and was in need of some knitting inspiration. I'd heard so much about the Tilted Duster sweater in the new fall Interweave Knits so I went in search of a copy. The new Vogue Collectors addition and the new Knit Simple mags just somehow found their way into my cart... I'm so inspired now! Here's a little sampling of what I want to make from each:

The Tilted Duster from IK, of course. The front and...

...the back

This simple one from Knit simple is enticing.
I love the yarn, the color, and the simple design.

And this one is from Vogue. Somewhere between sweater and shawl. I love it!

There is also some greatness in the new fall issue of Knitty. But I'll leave my favorites for another post. See yah!

You know you're busy when...

You miss the new issue of Knitty! Among my favorites in this spring issue: Ester, Isabella, Palette, and Leaf. I really have to knit more!

Spring fever and more must-make's

I love reading the craftzine blog. I always come away with at least 1 thing that I want to make. Well, today I found 2. They are now on my "Things I want to Make" list:

#1 - Knitted Espadrilles made from recycled flip flops. If I had some old flip flops I'd make these RIGHT THIS SECOND!

Thank you, Ms. Casey, for sharing your pattern!

I see from her bio that she's a fellow Mainer, too. I will need to add her blog to my blog fav's, stat!

#2 - The second must-make is the rag rug. This is a no brainer...since even though we just moved and got rid of a bunch of old clothing, I'm sure I can find something to cut up. And, we still need some rugs in the new apartment.

Even though I don't crochet that much, this looks like an easy enough project. Can't wait to give it a whirl.

Thank you, Vintage Chica! Your tutorial is wonderful!

Adding to my "to-make" list

While I'm still finishing up the Bed of Roses shawl I'm making for myself...I'm already adding to my "to-make" list. I was surfing on the Craftzine blog (one of my fav's!) and came across this posting for a new free pattern on the Berroco site. Well...I'm officially adding both of these bags to my to pile.

The new one posted on Craftzine I have never seen. I've been wanting to try a felting project again and this one looks super easy and I love the outcome. This other one on the right I had seen before and liked but never book marked the link. Now I've bookmarked it and it's in my to-make folder.

This Brea bag looks just about the size I like my bags. And it's also a good cabling project...something else I'd like to do again. Stay tuned for one of these on a future blogger post!

Inspiring knitting finds and an FO

I was poking around the web tonight and found some inspiring knitting and craft related finds. One of which is on my new favorite blog: Craftzine. I just picked up the new Craft magazine at the book store last weekend. The magazine has some great stuff in it. But the blog that goes along with the new mag has a lot of inspiring crafty posts. While browsing it tonight (they post a lot!), I found a link about the upcoming knit holiday stamps from the USPS. Now this, to me, is very exciting. Too bad they don't come out 'til 2007 :(

This post reminded me of Zia Sara over at American in Italy. I thought it was hers until I clicked on it. I love all of those cute hats. Sara's stuff can be found on loomknit.com here.

The last of my inspiring finds: a free PDF of knitted scarves from knitpicks.com. I was thumbing through my copy of this months Vogue Knitting magazine and saw an ad for them. To download this simple collection (most of which can be converted for loom knitting), go to http://www.knitpicks.com/245. My favorite of the collections is the Waves Scarf (on the left) - it has this subtle cabling all over. Beautiful!

Ohhh, I almost forgot. I finished this sock this week for my brother's Christmas gift. This sock is made from such fine yarn I thought I'd never finish. Of course the foot of the intended wearer is a size 11, so that doesn't help! I like the color a lot. Tweedy Blue! (Which you can't see in this crumby pic, sorry! I'll post more tomorrow when the sun is up!) I think he'll like them too. Since a pair of knit socks is all he asked for from me, they better be good! Only one more pair of socks (at least) to go for Christmas gifts. Then its on to other items. I like to finish the socks first. That helps stave off the 2nd sock grumbles...you know. Where you knit one sock and then start grumbling and never start the second.

Anyway...sorry for the crumby picture. Maybe I should wait til the sun is UP before snapping pictures of FO's.

On (and off) the bookshelf

I woke up this morning, and I found the second snow of the season on the ground here in Boulder. Greg and I went out for drinks and some dinner in Denver with some friends and just made it home before the storm began. The snow is always nicer when you don't have to drive in it!

Although the view off my back porch isn't spectacular, I thought the snow this morning was beautiful. The unusually wet snow (for this area) was weighing down all the tree limbs and sticking to everything. I couldn't help but take a picture.


As I took the Waves shawl off the loom this morning, I realized I hadn't shared my latest vintage knitting magazines with you all. This was a few weeks back now that I found them. Greg and I were rummaging around in our local thrift store and I found them hiding on an empty bookshelf in the corner. At only 10 cents a piece, I just couldn't leave them there. This Fisherman's sweaters from the 1960's is my favorite of the lot. It has great cabled sweater patterns AND the best hairstyles :)


The pattern I want to make out of it is a little cardigan. It's close fitting, 3/4 sleeved, and simple bobbles, and Aran work. Classic enough to still be in style and stay in style.This will be great for fall and spring weather - not too warm.

Really, though...the smirk on the model's face seals it! And the hair which wouldn't even fit in my photo is a nice touch.


The other two I got are good too. There is one from Reynolds that is all "Icelandic" patterns. This stuff I have never tried so it'll be in my more advanced "will try in the future" pile. I've done two color work but never anything so intricate. The other one is a later magazine from the 1970's. I usually don't like these, but this one had some nice ones in it. The cover is garish and the pictures are cheesier then most - but nice patterns inside.

I also just got a new Knit Simple magazine in the mail. As I looked through it this morning with my morning tea I found some great things to add to my "to knit" list.

Above: Simple scarf but I think it's beautiful. Looks warm, too!

Above: Nice close fitting pullover with bell sleeves and collar. Simple but beautiful!

Above: Again, simple but beautiful and comfy looking ribbed cardigan.