New Runner's Cuff Pattern to benefit American Cancer Society

Runner's Cuff Pattern

A needle knit pattern

This pattern is designed for a distance runner. Being a marathoner myself, I can never seem to get enough pockets to carry everything. This cuff will carry two GU packets within easy reach and without any pockets or zippers to deal with. Just grab and (keep) going!

I designed this pattern to help me raise money to fight cancer.  I am running the Philadelphia Half Marathon on November 23 for the American Cancer Society DetermiNation running team.

ALL proceeds from this pattern will go towards my fund raising efforts - minus the little bit Paypal takes out. 

I have a lofty goal of $1000.00 dollars to raise by November 23rd, 2014!

Runner's Cuff pattern
$4.00
PDF download

If you'd like to just donate directly to my fund raising page, please go here:

http://main.acsevents.org/goto/lisa_sawyer

And click Donate!

Thank you!

My first finished WIP for 2013

 

My first finished WIP for 2013 has arrived. As previously mentioned, this sweater has been in my work-in-progress pile since 2009. It's my first ever recycled yarn project (made from an unraveled Goodwill sweater). I love the result and it'll be a great layering piece for work when Spring rolls around.

Stats on this sweater:
Yarn: Recycled 50% Linen and 50% Cotton
Needles: Size 4
Pattern: Ropes and Picots from 2008 Winter Interweave Knits (Ravelry link)
Alterations: The original pattern is made using a Tweed wool and is pictured on a model with about 2 inches of positive ease. I wanted a more tailored look so I went with only about a 1/2 inch positive ease. The Springy nature of the yarn led me to shorten the sleeves and for now I'm leaving the snaps off of it because I think it looks pretty good without any closure on the front. When knitting the sleeves I skipped all of the increasing and cast on the full amount for the top of the arm. I just made sure to knit enough rows to have the sleeve hit my elbow when complete.

This pattern was pretty easy to follow. The only hard part was the finishing work. The instructions are vague on seeming and I got confused when trying to fit the sleeve into the odd arm hole shaping. This might be a product of my inexperience with saddle shoulders. Also, there is next to zero instructions on how to fit the fronts to the shoulder shaping. I studied the pictures in the magazine (only 2!) and finagled it into place. I think I got it right and it fits and drapes really well so I guess I did it pretty well. The neck and front picot edging also takes a long time to complete. This sweater is not for the anti-finishing folks. Patience is required!

Overall I can't wait to wear this to work once the weather warms up.

WIP since 2009

Finally finishing my Ropes and Picots cardigan that I started in 2009. I was getting the urge to make myself a sweater and realized I already have one almost done. Granted it's the middle of winter and this is a spring sweater...but, I vowed to finish it before starting anything new. I started knitting on it again last Friday and finished 99% of the knitting on it this morning. It's currently blocking right now.

All that's left is seaming and creating the picot edge that runs up both fronts and the neck edge. Haven't finished a sweater for myself in quite some time...can't wait to model finished product.

Latest FO

Pattern: Basic Vest Pattern by Ann Bud in the Knitters Handy Little Book of Patterns

Yarn: Knitpicks - Wool of the Andes

Needles: Size 8

Fit: 38" w, 1.5 inches of positive ease.

Notes: It took me several tries to get the neck band done. First time I miscalculated the mid point for the point of the v neck reduction, Second time I picked up along the edge of the second shoulder seem (since the pattern states to sew the second seem after the neck band).  Third time was the charm.

FO: Blackrose Socks

Pattern: Blackrose Socks from Knitty.com
Size: Small (since my gauge was a little loose)
Yarn: Miss Babs Yummy Superwash Sock & Baby Yarn
Colorway: Love Letters from the Woolgirl sock club December 2010
Needles: Size 2 Circulars
Notes: Didn't change a thing about the pattern. Easy to follow and pretty results. If I make this pattern again I wont use such a variegated yarn.

Miri Bag

My latest finished project is a handbag I made using left overs. You saw my last project (Puzzle Ball) for my niece Miriam. I had lots of leftovers from that toy. Since I don't usually use acrylic yarn I was scratching my head over what to do.

I wanted to use three colors but I didn't want to use plain stripes. The bag is made using Linen Stitch. I love the look of this stitch but hate actually doing it. A small bag is all I could muster.

Bag Stats:
Pattern: My own design
Yarn: Lion Brand Vanna's Choice Solids & Heathers
Colorways: Grey Marble, Dark Grey Heather, Dusty Green
Needle: Size 8 Denise Circulars
Finished measurements (minus handles): 9.5” wide x 8.5” tall x 2” deep
Handles: Bag Boutique Purse Handles, 5.5” wide x 4.5” tall

A few more pictures....

Happy Birthday Miriam!

My only niece, Miriam, is turning 1 on March 2nd. My brother's family lives in Philadelphia so I can't make it down for her party but I definitely wanted to make her something to send. I have a whole set of favorited patterns for Miriam in my Ravelry queue. I needed something quick and I felt like making her a toy.

I decided on the free Braided Ball pattern. I had 3 different skeins of Vanna's Choice acrylic yarn that was given to me at my office secret snowman exchange this past Christmas. I never buy acrylic yarn, so having some on hand for a toy is too perfect. Easy washability is key.


The stats on this project:
Pattern: Gevlochten Bal / Braided Ball (originally written in German then translated) by Marleen Harto
Yarn: Lion Brand Vanna's Choice Solids & Heathers
Colorways: Grey Marble, Dark Grey Heather, Dusty Green
Needle: Size 8 Denise Circulars
Construction Option: 6, 20 stitch strips. 2 in each color.

It's made using 6 separate strips of stockinette. Mine is made using 2 strips in each color. The pattern designer gives tips on the easiest way to make your first one...I went with the easiest construction and knitting directions. You can make them using more strips and less colors which makes it harder to put together. I didn't have any issues with my construction so next time I'll be a bit more adventurous. I think it would be fun to use self-striping sock yarn. When putting mine together I used locking stitch markers on my strips before sewing all the ends.

Miriam's ball is 5.5inches in diameter. Soft and squishy and perfect for baby hands to grab and hold. I hope she likes it!

Finished! Lace Rib Socks

Second pair of socks for 2011 are complete. A simple lace ribbed pair out of a book I've owned for years. The book (Favorite Socks by IK) is a great book. I've made several patterns out of it even though I wanted it for only one pattern. I'm now even making another pattern out of it as we speak. The yarn comes from my Woolgirl Sock club from June 2010.

Stats for these socks:
Pattern: Go With The Flow Socks by Evelyn A. Clark from the book Favorite Socks by Interweave Knits
Yarn: Knitted Wit Superwash Merino Fingering
Colorway: Two Roads
Needles: Size 2 Knitpicks circulars
Notes:
I made these pretty much as the pattern states except

• Only worked 18 repeats for the leg
• I did not shift stitches as the pattern told me to for the heel and foot because I didn’t read close enough. I realized the socks aren’t symmetrical if you don’t shift the stitches. So I’m making the pair a mirror image of each other to compensate for my oversight. On the second sock I moved the pattern around my circular needles by two, so that the purls would end on the needle instead of begin like the first sock. Now, when the socks are on, the rib pattern will look correct going across the tops of the feet.

FO Friday: Vegas by Storm

First finished object of 2011 are my Vegas by Storm socks. Started January 8th and finished last Sunday, January 16th. Cast on while on a plane to Vegas and finished a couple days after getting home.

Stats on these:
Pattern: Storm by Kbomb (Ravelry link)
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Lightweight
Colourway: The Skein With No Name - a RSC shipment yarn for 2010
Needles: size 2US knit picks circulars
Notes: I don't like the heel construction on the pattern. It's written as a heel flap with short row turning. If I make these again I'll probably change the heel to a more traditional heel flap and turn method. They fit fine but it's a little awkward to make.

Another WIP spotlight

Second in my spotlight on my WIPS for 2011 is my "Recycled Ropes & Picots" cardigan. The last progress I made on this was October of 2009. It's a fun project and I'm excited to have it finished some day soon.

 

I Haven't much more progress then what is shown above. The two fronts shown in this picture are finished and I have about 5 inches of both sleeves done. While the pattern calls for full length sleeves, I'm making mine 1/2 length. Partly because mine is a summer weight yarn, partly because I'm afraid I'll run out of yarn, and partly just because I'm more partial to shorter sleeves on sweaters and shirts. This is my first recycled yarn project so I'm worried I didn't estimate the amount of yarn correctly. I think that may be way it's languishing in my WIP pile...fear of failure.

My goal for 2011 is to at least finish the sleeves on this bad boy....finishing in time to wear it in the spring or early fall would be fabulous.  So much to knit, so little time.

Vegas by Storm

I cast on for these socks on the plane to Vegas last week. I got through the leg of the first sock on the plane and the rest of that sock over the time in Vegas. The second sock was started in Vegas but didn't make it far since we had a red-eye flight back to Boston. First socks of 2011 is the Storm sock pattern designed by Kbomb on Ravelry.

25,463 yards

My last sock club from 2010 came this week. It's very nice - pretty color and nice extras...as Woolgirl always has. The patterns (a pair of socks and a small shawl) are super cute!

As much as I love getting sock packages every month, I've decided this year that I'm not signing up for either club. I had belonged to two: Woolgirl and Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock, but after last year they have started to pile up...literally...in my stash.

Time to do nothing but knit. The incoming has to slow down to nothing and I just need to knit. I know I don't have as much stash as a lot of knitters...but mine is too big for me. Time to whittle down.

I thought this would be a sad decision. I thought I'd be mourning the loss of my clubs (I probably will at some point) but right now it feels a little freeing. I don't have to worry about getting anything done at a certain time or not working on something I want to work on for fear of neglecting something I paid for and should be keeping up with. I'm following the Thrifty Knitters Sock Club on Ravelry where the group chooses two free patterns and the knitters choose a yarn from their stash to knit one of them with. I'm already 1/2 way through one of their selections for this month. One skein of sock yarn bites the dust and no more yarn is coming in!

So now, at the beginning of the year by yardage is at about 25,463 yards or just under 14.5 miles. Let's see where that is at the end of 2011.

Resolution for 2011

Happy New Year! 

Today is the first day of 2011 and I'm making a knitting resolution. I am surrounded by WIPs (works in progress). I used to be so good at finishing whatever I start, but over the last year or two I've sorta dropped the ball. Along with writing more on my knitting blog, I vow to finish all and make progress on the larger of the knitting WIPs.  I'll post a separate entry on each of my WIPs, giving them the justice they deserve. I still love them all, but for some reason or another I have stopped working on them.

First up in the WIP lineup is my sock yarn blanket. Now, to be fair to myself I always knew this was a never ending large project. I have a HUGE bag of sock yarn ends (leftovers from socks I've made over the years) and I couldn't bring myself to throw them away. 

This blanket was started in July of 2009. It's made using mitered squares of sock yarn on US size 3 needles. Each square is about 2 inches by 2 inches (25 stitches for each). They are set side by side, instead of on point like a lot of other blankets in this style and I'm making the larger blanket as segments.

Each segment is 6 x 6 squares or 12" x 12". I'm currently planning on making a baby size blanket that will be 40" square with sashing and a border. But, I have a feeling I wont be able to give this blanket away - and I have no use for a baby blanket personally...so it may end up becoming a larger lap blanket.

I currently have 2 segments done (two 12" x 12" squares) plus the first two rows of another square started. My goal for 2011 is to have 6 squares total completed by December 31, 2011. I think that's completely doable. With 6 squares that would put the blanket at about 2/3 done...a nice accomplishment for this project this year. Now I just have to plan out other projects around it.

Gearing up for 2011

My New Years Resolution is to write on this blog. Man it's been neglected! I've still been knitting, just somehow not blogging about everything. 2011 is the year of the knitting blog come back.

Christmas 2010 has come and gone. I surprisingly ended up making most gifts even though I didn't really try that hard. I cut back drastically and didn't stress about making too many things. What I did make, however, I wanted to be just right and exactly what people had asked for.

The real star of the show, however, is my little niece Miriam. She is almost 10 months old and 2010 was her first Christmas. I think she was really the only gift anyone in my family needed this year. It was good to see her. She lives in Philadelphia and rarely gets up to Maine and or Boston for that matter.

I have a few pictures of the knitted gifts I gifted this year. I wasn't as good about getting pictures of items with their owners as I usually am. I blame Miriam for stealing all the picture taking thunder...even my knitting can't compete with her cuteness.

I made my Dad a pair of "Waffle Stitch Mittens"

  

This shawl I gave to my Sister in Law - pattern is called "Adamas"

These "Slip Jig" socks I gave to my mom. One of only a few pairs I made this year.

Now that Christmas is over with I am starting a large project for myself. This is a yearly tradition with me...finish all my gifts then knit a gift for me. This year I immediately cast on for a large and complicated cabled sweater pattern that I've been wanting to make for over a year. I already had all the yarn for it and it's been waiting.  I have been intimidated by the sweater for quite some time. It's a Vogue Knitting pattern (that in itself is intimidating enough) but it's also a coat sized sweater designed my Norah Gaughan. While her patterns are usually well written, they also have "interesting" construction and complicated patterning. Put all that together and I feel like I can't do it.

Pictured at the left is the start of the back. I have the two bottom pieces done (back left and right) and I have joined them and about half way through the top decreases. It looks odd already and can't imagine that all the pieces are going to go together well. This back piece looks tiny but matches the specs from the magazine. I guess we'll see!

I plan on blogging about this entire sweater making ordeal. I'm planning on a challenge so it should be interesting :) Stay tuned for updates. My Ravelry project page is here: http://ravel.me/sawyerlm/3cc (and it should be accessible to all). The pattern is available on the Vogue site.

Latest Socks

Just finished the latest sock club package from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. I haven't been keeping up with the sock club packages this year due to the 10 Shawls in 2010 challenge. I've made 9 shawls this year and only 2 pairs of socks!

Project info:
Yarn: Socks that Rock, Lightweight
Colorway: Firecracker
Pattern: My Heart Beets for You by Ann Hansen
Needles: Size 1 circular
Modifications: Knit one extra repeat on the leg (7 total chart repeats) and decreased to 32 stitches on the toe and then decreased every round to 16 stitches before binding off.

10 for 2010 Challenge

I've joined a year long challenge on Ravelry where the challenge is to make 10 shawls in 2010. It's a very active group and the shawls being made are so pretty to look through. I love making lace and have a HUGE stash to knit through. Perfect combo.

My first shawl for this challenge is:
Pattern: Multnomah (PDF link to Designer's site)
Designer: Kate Flagg of Hello Knitty
Yarn: Premier Yarns Serenity Sock Weight in Lavendar Topaz colorway
Yards: 460 yrds (2 skeins)  
Needles: Size 5 Addi Turbo circs

Knitting for my new niece

My first niece is due to be born in March. And while I already have a baby blanket all made, there are plenty of other things I want to make her. My brother and sister-in-law have requested a few things...but a baby girl is so fun to knit for I'm planning on making lots and lots more.

The first thing I cast on for was a sweater. I found the cutest baby girl cardigan on Ravelry. It's free and couldn't resist the cuteness...The pattern is Modified Drops Eyelet Baby Cardigan (ravelry link).

I have plenty of fingering weight in my stash. This is Knit Picks Gloss in Cosmos colorway. It's been lingering in my stash for quite a while and even was trying to be several other things before this sweater. I think it's perfect for this :)

The sweater is about 75% done. I only have the two sleeves left. As I said...super cute:

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

First FO of 2010

My mom gifted me this yarn last year in a Valentine's Day package. It works surprising well with this pattern "Uptown Boot Socks" that I got out of my Interweave Knits Favorite Socks book. These were my over the Christmas holiday knitting project while at home. They took exactly a week to make. Very easy pattern - after getting the gist of the cabling, I only looked at it for the heel and toe directions. Well written and very straight forward.

Stats on these:
Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Sockin' Sox
Colorway: #006 - a pretty teal/blue/green variegated
Needles: Size 2 Harmony Circulars
Size Made: Medium

Here's some more pics...

Vacation Knitting

I have plenty of sock yarn I have to knit through and I need mittens. On the new Knitty there is a pattern for mittens made from sock yarn...perfect. The pattern is called Ailbe - very detailed cable pattern on the back. Since I enjoyed making the Shedir cap (also a Knitty pattern) for a swap partner so much I thought these mittens were perfect. So far I've finished the first mitten. I didn't bring the correct needle size for the cuff of the second mitten with me on vacation. I have to wait til I get home to knit the mate. I love my mitten #1 and can't wait to get the other one done.

The yarn is from the November shipment of Rockin Sock Club. Gorgeous yarn and it works great with the pattern.






While I'm waiting to continue my mittens I moved on to a pair of socks from my Favorite Socks book. It's an easy pair of cabled socks that I've been meaning to make for a while. The pattern is easy and very pretty. The yarn is Plymouth Yarn Sockin' Sox that I had in my stash. Slightly variegated but looks great with the tiny cables. I have one finished and the other one on the needles.