Of Blocking, modifying, and Coconut oil

Hi All!

Hope everyone is doing well, and as well as can be expected with some of this wild winter weather we are experiencing.  Even though I live in Las Vegas, it doesn't mean I don't feel  your pain.

Onward to my knitting:
It's coming along, and I am learning new things as time goes by.
The number one thing I've learned is blocking.   Who knew?
The patterns I have perused do not call for blocking the finished items.   I found out quite by accident from my interactions with more experienced knitters and crocheters alike, what it's about and how to do it.  Damn!  I wish I knew about this before I started my listings on Etsy.. which I will post about in just a couple minutes..

I was not happy with the end results of my daughter in law's armwarmers.. oh, yes.. they will be cute on her, but I was not impressed with the quality of my work, nor was I happy with the yarn.. I hope blocking solves that problem.

Same goes for the child's hat I made on the fly with modifications to the existing pattern I use for slouchy beanies..

Here goes:  After washing and drying the items, whoa.. I was not too happy with the results.. So I am experimenting with blocking to fix the issues I have with the end results.   I think they will turn out just fine..

I swished them in warm water with a little detergent, and rinsed them out well.   I then placed them on a towel, and rolled it up and stepped on it to squeeze out any water.  Onward to another towel.
The hat and armwarmers where then gently stretched out to their permanent shapes and pinned down onto a dry towel on the bed.   It will be a couple of days before they are good and dry..
Here are the pics;

My current project now consists of modifying a pattern from which  I made gloves for Connie, remember those cute green fingerless gloves made from the pattern from the Crochet Dude?   Well, a very loved friend of mine liked that pattern, but she has tiny hands too.. I made her a different pair for Christmas but they are a little big for her especially up around the base of her fingers..  What to do?   I figured out to decrease the number of stitches to make them smaller, and tried the finished on myself, as our hands are almost the same size width-wise.. they fit me perfectly, and I hope they fit Melanie the same way:   here are the pics of my work in progress:

I will block them. of course, to make them prettier..
I am happy with the way they turned out so far..

The one thing I absolutely love (besides knitting) is using coconut oil.. oh, I use it in my hair, I cook with it, I will even eat it out of the jar.. it has so many uses.   Keep in mind, sometimes I am a snob about food.. so I only buy the Organic Virgin Coconut Oil from Trader Joes.    It's sooo good!   It's so good until you forget about it being in the pan while doing the prep work on the chicken.. A tale of the danger of having a memory like a sieve:   Coconut oil has a high heat point.. while this is a good thing.. but when you forget, and get in a hurry.. and take the pan off the burner, be careful!   Here's what happened to my rug the other night:

Yikes!!! I'm so glad I did not have children or pets underfoot, and glad that I was wearing shoes that night.. Keep your thinking cap on and slow down!

About Etsy:  I am wondering what to do, since my stuff is not selling like I hoped it would.  Granted, I know I'm a novice in the knitting and crocheting world, and still have lots to learn.  On the other hand, I've learned quite a bit on my own, as Google is my best friend =)     I'm at a crossroads:

1.  Should I continue and try to sell the things I've already listed?
2.  Donate the items to charity?
3.  Give them away as gifts?

Either way you slice it, I think I need to do two or four things:

1.  Improve my skill level and use up the existing yarn from my stash.   (When I started this endeavor, I wanted to keep my items as hypoallergenic as possible).

2.  Try again with yarns with  nicer fiber blends which includes wools, alpaca, silks, and or bamboo and cottons.   I really want to try the Noro yarns, as they are so beautiful.

3.  Expand my offerings?

4.  Or specialize in one or two things?

If you see something you like, or have suggestions, feel free to post them on my facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/CrazyCozyChick

Onward, I say!
I wish you all the best.. and will see you next time.

Hi all,

I've been busy as usual with knitting projects, neglecting the housework, husband and doggies as usual.. thank all the Gods of this Universe that they still love me..

I have been contemplating creating pattern instructions.. this is kind of a complicated thing for me, as sometimes I "knit on the fly"  and make stuff up as I go along.. this is great.. if only I would remember long enough to stop and write it all down..

However, there are a couple of patterns and I want to give credit where credit is due for some of my creations..  Here is a blog I am inspired and entertained by:  Crazy Aunt Purl.  I found this while searching for an easy to knit slouchy beanie hat.   I have modified this pattern somewhat, and found that using No. 6, 16 inch circulars work great for the ribbing, and then just transfer the rest of the work on No 8, 47 inch circulars, then the hat has a nicer drape.   I am looking forward to trying this on No 10 circulars to use up my stash of bulkier yarns I have on hand.   I plan on keeping the ribbing using the No 6 circulars as it gives a good snuggy fit.

Here is the basis of my hat patterns: http://www.crazyauntpurl.com/archives/2011/06/  

The instructions are located in the June 5, 2011 entry.   She has other cute hat patterns there too, which  I have not tried out.. since this one hat is my favorite.

Another individual I want to give kudos to is Drew Emborsky, " The Crochet Dude"   Here is the link to his pattern:

http://www.premieryarns.com/App_Themes/premieryarns.com/pdfs/P00151.pdf

Moving along to another note:  Here is what I've been up to:
I am making this one up as I go along, as my daughter-in-law requested something different with her armwarmers.  The finished length will be 14" long, and will have a simple k1, p1 ribbing at the bottom and top.. with an opening for her thumbs.. (like a button hole)

She has the tiniest little hands ever.. I used my favorite cast on method.  I will post the video in just a sec.

A tip I read from Crazy Aunt Purl's blog.. Cast on an extra stitch, and then when you are ready to join the round, knit two stitches together ( I use both the tail and the working yarn, and wrap both around my right needle for a couple of stitches to anchor it more securely, then drop the tail, and continue using the working yarn)   It will create a more even edge and nicer finish.

 Here is the video to do the long tail cast on.  It provides a much sturdier foundation, and a more polished look:  http://www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/long-tail-cast-on

With Bre's fingerless gloves, I casted on 37 stitches, and then when  joined the first row together, I knitted two together, and purled the next stitch, then the ribbing is a basic k1, p1 all the way around for a nice 1.5" inches or so.    A tip of my own:  When making the ribbing, use an EVEN number of cast on stitches, (after you have joined the first row together with the k2 tog, p1)  Thus, in this case, subtracting one stitch and the count will be 36 stitches for the rest of the project.  Then your k1, p1's will line up just nicely and as perfect as can be.


Another tip.. (it is one of those "Why didn't I think of this before" moments:   You know how yarn likes to roll all over the place while you are working on a project:   Here's how to stop it.. Put a DPN through the ball of yarn..  it works!



 Clever, huh?

Again, here are my links:
www.Facebook.com/CrazyCozyChick
www.CrazyCozyChick.Etsy.com

Another one for the books..

Hello Friends,

It's been almost three weeks since I posted anything.  Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  

I had taken a hiatus from blogging, but not from knitting.  I don't think that will happen.. it's such a fun hobby.   I have great news to share too.
I made my first sale on Etsy!  Yes!  It's a baby step.. nevertheless, a  baby step in the right direction.

Thought I would post some pics of some of the stuff that I've made..

This is going to be my daughter, Sierra's,  hat, she requested one a few weeks ago, and now it is almost complete.

I've discovered that I really enjoy making hats and have a couple of orders coming up.    Another item I really enjoy making are the fingerless gloves.  I have totally changed my technique and am using the "Magic Loop" technique using Addi Circular knitting needles US size 8.   I like the way my knitting turns out.. it looks more polished and professional..   ( I love the beadwork.. don't you?)

Here are some pics of the fingerless gloves I've made for stepdaughter, Connie ( they were going to be her birthday present, but her birthday came and went.. then they were going to be her Christmas present.. but I managed to get one done.. Long story.. it was a very easy pattern, but I think my concentration was totally shot.. so it took me about 13 times.. yes.. 13 times before it was the last time I started over..  (Blame Christmas, Blame Vodka..heh..)

I hope she likes these.. 

:) 

On another note:

Living in Las Vegas makes me grateful for the rain of my native Pacific NW home.   My cousin Ken sent me an email letting us all know that his home in Naselle, Washington (it's about 15 minutes away from Long Beach Washington)  had almost 11 feet of rain for the year of 2012.. one for the record books.. here is a copied and pasted portion of his email:

A friend of ours who lives about a mile from our house has a weather station that records rainfall and in 2012 it shows 135 (134.97 to be exact) inches of rain in Naselle.  I did not have to irrigate my lawn last year.  

To make him feel LOTS better, I sent him this article: http://www.8newsnow.com/story/19799632/record-rainfall-year-for-las-vegas-valley

Mind you, the yearly average of rainfall, according to that news article, for Las Vegas is 4 inches..  for 2012 we got 4.19 inches of rain.. One for the record books!  Yes!!  Who woulda thought?  

As always, you can find stuff I've made up for sale on Etsy right here on this website:  www.CrazyCozyChick.Etsy.com

And all are welcome to follow me around on Facebook, as I sometimes post pics of things I'm either selling, or can make you one just like what you see on Facebook..before they go on Etsy.
www.Facebook.com/CrazyCozyChick

Until next time
~Nancy~