today's the day

i'm switching over!

new blog:


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booties. done.

all in all, not too bad to make. there was a little seam up the back, but still, it didn't take much to put them together. i picked the ribbon to match and used the same ribbon to tie up the chinese take-out box. the soon-to-be-grandma loved them. and i'm surprised. she's not usually much interested in handknits. i guess she's got baby on the brain. so, yay for the booties!

now, back to the red pomatamus sock #2. i started these when the red sox started game 1 of the world series last fall. i'd sure like to finish them before the '08 season starts!

baby bootie!

one down, one to go. actually, i've started the second one and i'm about halfway done. i bought ribbon for the tie and a chinese takeout box to pack them in. and it's only feb. 3. i'll be done in plenty of time. so there.

knitting? really?

baby booties!
this is the pattern pic.

and this is my work.

but don't worry, they're not for me. they're for a co-worker's first grandson. baby's due march 1st, i can prolly finish by then.

i can't keep a secret for shit

my sister's been keeping her margarita recipe secret from me for at least 27 years. but she shared it yesterday. i've never been any good at all with keeping secrets, so here you go:

lori's secret margarita recipe:

1/2 can frozen limeade
2 oz triple sec (cold)
4 oz tequila (cold)
1 tablespoon dream whip powder
1 heaping tablespoon powdered sugar
1 cup ice
1 cup water

blend

add ice till it's right

hat pattern

this is the hat i made for my dad and my boss for christmas. it's a quick knit, it took me 2 evenings, about 6 hours total, to make each one. they yarn is soft and not itchy, warm without being sweaty, and it's also very stretchy and nice to work with. the colors are a little bit uneven looking, but not enough so to disturb the guys who like their knits plain.


yarn: waterlily, 100% extra fine merino, 100 yards per skein, 2 skeins, or any soft, non-itchy worsted weight wool or wool blend yarn.

gauge: 4 1/2 st per inch

needles: set of 4 dpn's, size 8

cast on: 32 stitches onto each of 3 dpn's, total of 96 stitches cast on.

work in k2,p2 rib for 2 3/4", then switch to plain stockinette (k all) for 5 1/2" (total length is 8 1/4").

begin decreases: on needle one, k1, slip one (knitwise), k1, psso, k to last 3 st, k2tog, k1.

repeat for needles 2 and 3.

repeat this round of decreases every row until only 4 stitches remain on each needle.

cut yarn leaving 12" tail. thread tail onto blunt needle, pull tail thru last 12 sts twice, put tail inside hat, and pull snug. weave ends, handwash and block.

original pattern design by lisa

sock pattern

this is my plain old sock pattern for when i don't wanna think too hard.

in opal tiger yarn:


detail of the heel


detail of the toe


ladies sock, size 7, but you can make it longer.
sock yarn
size #1 dpn's, set of 5

cast on over 2 needles. cast on 64 stitches (16 each needle)
k2, p3 ribbing for 10 rows.
switch to stockinette till overall length is about 7"

heel flap:
heel flap is worked over 32 stitches (2 needle's worth)
right side row: *slip 1 purlwise, k1* to end
wrong side row: slip 1 purlwise, p to end
repeat these 2 rows a total of 14 times.

turn heel:
slip 1 purlwise, k 17, ssk, k1, turn
slip 1 purlwise, p5, p2tog, p1, turn
slip 1 purlwise, k6, ssk, k1, turn
slip 1 purlwise, p7, p2tog, p1, turn
continue in this manner until 18 stitches remain. next row is a right side row.

gusset:
center of heel is beginning of round
k 9 heel stitches onto needle.
start a new needle: k 9 heel stitches, pick up 14 stitches from side of heel flap, pick up one stitch in corner.
next needle: k all
next needle: k all
new needle: pick up one stitch in corner, pick up 14 stitches from side of heel flap, k 9 heel stitches.

next round: k picked up stitches thru the back loop, k all other stitches

decrease round: needle 1: k to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1
needle 2 & 3: k all
needle 4: k1, ssk, k to end

next round: k all

repeat decrease round and k all round till you have 16 stitches on each needle (total st is again 64)

k all rounds till sock measures 5 1/2" from heel flap

toe:

decrease round:
needle 1: k to last 3 st, k2tog, k1
needle 2: k1, ssk, k to end
needle 3: same as needle 1
needle 4: same as needle 2

work decrease round, then a knit all round, alternating, till 12 stitches remain on each needle. then work decrease round till 3 stitches remain on each needle. knit needle 1's 3 stitches onto needle 4, then slip needle 2's stitches onto needle 3. kitchener toe.

original pattern written by lisa

my grammy's pattern

my mom gave me this little scrap of paper a couple of weeks ago. my grammy (my dad's mother) was a knitter. mom says 'she took it up later in life, like you did'. (geez, mom, 'later in life'??) anyway, this is one of her patterns. looks like she made it at least once. i scanned it so i could keep the original safe in her knitting bag (mom gave me that a couple of years ago)