ChicoBag Winner!

Octopus Knits - you are the winner of the ChicoBag blog giveaway! If you will email me at janeAT theyarngrove.com with your first and second choice colors and your mailing address, I will get that out to you.

Thanks to all for your emails and comments. I just love giving stuff away! Have a wonderful weekend.

Do Just One Thing, March 24

This was Monday's green tip:

"Now that spring is around the corner, be sure to securely and naturally store your wool sweaters, scarves and mittens. Instead of using smelly mothballs made from a toxic substance called naphthalene, which in large levels can cause numerous health problems, choose natural lavendar. Dried lavendar doesn't just repel moths, it also keeps your clothes smelling lovely and fragrant."

I may use this tip for yarn storage!

Visor Tutorial

OK, so here it is...my FIRST pattern! I designed it for when I play sand volleyball, but its cute enough to wear for tennis, gardening, hiking, flea market shopping, dog walking...etc. The brim is short enough so that your vision is not limited, and its cotton, so if you sweat you can throw it in the washing machine.
Here is the pattern: (If something is unclear, or doesn't match up, PLEASE tell me!!!)

Supplies:
Size 8 circular needles (9in)
1 skein (or 100 yds) worsted weight yarn (I used Misti Alpaca Pima Cotton)
1 sheet of plastic grid- to stabilize the bill
stitch marker, yarn needle, diet coke...oh wait that's optional

Get started!
CO 84 and pm to mark beginning of round
Make the band!
Rnd 1-11: Work in k2 p2 rib
Rnd 12: BO 44, k to end (these 40 live stitches will make the bill)
Make the bill! (working back and forth)
Row13-16: Work these 4 rows in st stitch
Row 17: k to 4 stitches before end, w&t (wrap and turn)
Row 18: p to 4 stitches before end, w&t
Row 19: k to 3 stitches before end, w&t
Row 20: p to 3 stitches before end, w&t
Row 21: k to 2 stitches before end, w&t
Row 22: p to 2 stitches before end, w&t
Row 23: k to 1 stitch before end, w&t
Row 24: p to 1 stitch before end, w&t
Make the pocket (for the stabilizer!)
Row 25: k to 2 stitches before end, w&t
Row 26: p to 2 stitches before end, w&t
Row 27: k to 3 stitches before end, w&t
Row 28: p to 3 stitches before end, w&t
Row 29: k to 4 stitches before end, w&t
Row 30: p to 4 stitches before end, w&t
Row31-34: Work these 4 rows in st stitch
BO all stitches
















Finish it!
Stitch side ends of pocket together (it's only 2 stitches)
Cut a piece of stabilizer to fit snugly into pocket.
















Insert stabilizer and stitch pocket closed. To make the stitching discrete, pick up only one loop per stitch from band.
Weave in ends

Free Bird

Inspired by a towel I saw at Anthropologie, I used my Sublime Stitching embroidery kit to make this little bird towel. Now please know, the cage is more like this birdie's home- he likes it in there. He can come and go as he pleases. There will be no caged birdies on my watch. No sir-rey!
Happy Easter by the way! The Easter Bunny came to my house and brought my favorite, Cadbury Eggs, a rather large assortment of Chris's favorite candy. Hmm....suspicious, huh? I made cinnamon buns from scratch for a breakfast treat. We've pretty much been fatties all weekend. BUT we did play tennis yesterday...so that justifies the sweets, right?

Bahhhhhhd Directions!

My little cousin, Zak, sings "Bah Bah black sheep, hanenenei wool?"


Here's my progress on the sheep sweater. I can't say I love it. It may just be me, but the pattern doesn't make any sense!!! I looked for other knitter's working on the sweater on Ravelry, and they all had written things like "The pattern makes so much sense" and "She doesn't make you guess!" So...I guess it is just me. Anyway, the body is about 25 stitches too short which may not make a big difference- I don't know. I abandoned the pattern many rows ago. It my be frogged quite soon. But things do look better once you've blocked them, don't they? Hmmm...

I'm in love ... with these bags! Giveaway too!

Just in to The Yarn Grove are ChicoBags. I love this bag! I stuffed my sample bag full of yarn the other night to take to Noble Knitters and had so much fun showing it off. It has its own integrated pouch- complete with carabiner so you can clip it on your purse, belt loop or wherever! You pull the bag out of its pouch and poof! you're ready to stuff it full of yarn (of course I guess it *can* have other purposes than a yarn stash stuffer). It's all one piece, bag and pouch.

I feel like giving one of these away. If you will leave a comment or send me an email to janeATtheyarngrove.com and answer this question:

Are you currently: Paper, Plastic or recycled? I will announce the winner on my blog on Friday, March 28.

Fetch some of these

(Now if that isn't southern lingo, I don't know what is. )

Here is a photo of my Fetching gloves knit up in Lorna's Laces Worsted Weight Khaki colorway. I knit these late last year and just wanted to show off my mitten/fingerless glove blockers that I got from Spunky Eclectic a few weeks ago. Love them! It took a little fiddling with them for their first photo shoot since the thumb is a seperate piece but I love the result.

I am still plugging away on my Flickering Flames scarf in Malabrigo Dusty Olive and am in love with this yarn.

Speaking of yarns, stay tuned for some new ones ... coming soon.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

I always celebrate the wearing of the green by this button my crafty Island Girl made for me when she was in the 3rd grade. I treasure it.

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Piece-a-Cake!

I've been dying to roll fondant for sometime now, and Rebecca's impending baby shower was the perfect excuse to finally give it a whirl! I found a great website that gave step by step instructions...although nothing can quite prepare you for the experience.
You start with melted marshmallows and 2 lbs of powdered sugar. Oh yes. As soon as you stick your hands (which MUST be greased with copious amounts of crisco) into the mixture, the warm marshmallows stick to your hands like some kind of nuclear sludge. No matter how much you scrape and pull, you can't get it off! I was home alone, and I actually started to panic! It was a horrible feeling. You're only chance to save your hands is to get the powdered sugar incorporated into the marshmallow sludge. After a few minutes it turned into a lovely white dough. Whew!
You have to knead for 8 minutes to get the fondant to the right consistency. It should soft enough to stretch and not crack, but be tough enough to work with.


Then you grease your counter, roll it out and put it on your cake. First you must cover your cake with buttercream frosting, which serves as the glue. Then you must lick the knife. :)

This is my practice cake. The shower is in 3 weeks. I'm very pleased with it if I do say so myself!

Some Pagewood Socks from Monica Knits!

I just had to blog about these socks, Makin' Waves from Monica of Monica Knits. She used Pagewood Farms - Glacier Bay in the Navajo colorway and they are gorgeous. Pattern? Her own of course. And not only that but Monica has 2 designs in the brand new Vogue Knitting book - Cables on the Go. I have been checking at my local B&N and Borders but haven't been able to snag a copy yet. Way to go Monica!

We also have on order lots of Pagewood Farms Chugiak Sock yarn which is a 2ply tight twist. Look for it soon in our Pagewood Farms aisle.

In other knitting news, I just made a quick cell phone case for my mom out of my own hand dyed worsted weight. Now that dyeing day was an experience. I have done this before but honestly only with kool-aid. This was the real stuff. Needless to say, this color was not what I had in mind but is kinda an oops. Can't stand to waste any yarn so I will use it.

And my car swerved into the parking lot of my local Goodwill (GW as I refer to it) and that is always a fun time for me. I found Knit Knack Kit which includes little patterns - fresh in the box, unused with needles, etc. for $1.71. That is where I got the pattern for the cell phone.

What I need to learn to do is knit with reckless abandon. I *think* I can't knit without a pattern. I hate to admit it but I still have to refer to my pattern for short row heels on my socks. Maybe once I knit a drawer full, that will change.

So let me put it out there to the Knitting Universe. Can *you* just think up something in your head you want to knit and knit it?

Baby Beret

I can't seem to get enough of knitting caps and hats. Hats have always been one of my favorite things to knit. Perhaps because I enjoy starting new projects frequently? And usually only have one going?

I decided to knit Woolly Wormhead's Baby Rollin' Beret to match the other Beret I did from her. I quickly chose one of my favorite worsted weight hand dyed yarns from Cheryl B. Design Studio and this time chose Grape Smasher. Love all the blends of purples and blues. Yumm.

I photographed it from the top because it is still drying. I did block it just a bit but I really don't know if it was necessary or not.

It is cute as can be... And going to a fashion plate baby...

Happy Birthday, Island Girl!

To my funny, smart, animal advocate, tree hugging, vegetarian, hard working, loving Island Girl, Happy Birthday. I know you hear it every year (I feel her rolling her eyes) but I don't know where the years have gone. Wow.

Happy Happy Birthday Stephanie.

Mattress Stitch Tutorial

Hiya! How is everyone on this windy March morning? I came across a great tutorial I wanted to share with you all. Mochimochiland.com has provided step by step instructions for a vertical and horizonal mattress stitch used for garments and toys. If you've never done it, you'll LOVE this magical seaming stitch!

Love, Lily

Flickering Flames... Try saying that a few times!

I decided my next project will be in Malabrigo Laceweight. I chose colorway Dusty Olive which is a very interesting colorway. Dark greens along with deep pinks make for an interesting knit.

I plowed around a little on Ravelry and decided on the scarf - Flickering Flames by Knit and Tonic. I only knit a little last night and really enjoyed the pattern.

I also re-cast on Ribbletts by Monica Knits. I usually don't have 2 projects going at the same time. I am normally (well not *normal*) a one project - finish it - start another project knitter. We'll see how this goes... The Malabrigo Laceweight is so soft and the colorways are gorgeous.

This week brings to Duluth, GA the Sewing Expo. It comes once a year and I always look forward to it since I love to sew and love gadgets. There is also going to be a knitting corner so if you're in the area, stop in at the Gwinnett Civic Center.