Day 3 Of The Nightmare Before The Office Began

I have no idea what that title means except that it sounds cool. The good news is that I have only shredded the “SAVE” pile once by accident. It probably doesn't matter, anything that old is past its expiration date anyways. You could well argue that paper files are also past their expiration date by definition, but I am not scanning anything. If the great apocalypse comes, no one is going to care. I have also learned about the wisdom of combining things. Only the credit card I use most will get its own special and obscenely fat file. The others will have to cohabit and if I need one of the residents, I will go hunt for it, but like I said, in event of Apocalypse, it just doesn't matter. I suspect that this exercise is really an excuse to not make any serious career decisions, avoidance, I am good at that. Too good. But it does force a degree of focus on my career and becoming more serious. Besides, it will take me at least the next month to save enough money to buy the equipment I want to add to my stable of electronic gizmos, each of which is supposed to make my sales skyrocket beyond my imagination, but really only take up desk space. Maybe tomorrow I will actually o-p-e-n a file cabinet. Right now, I'm just dealing with what's on top and hoping momentum will make one of those tin boxes pop open all on its own as if by magic.

Day 2 on Rollo Overload

Day 2 of cleaning up my office area. You may be wondering what a well ordered office has to do with creating art and I will tell you everything. Art has a business side. If you ignore it you will not sell any paintings and be forced to work long hours at manual labor that you detest. My apologies to people who work in manual labor; we each have a path in life and toiling on a path that is not the one we were cut out for is indeed painful. For now, my pain is cleaning my office rather than creating. One huge Wookie-style Arrrrrgh! I am not completely alone. I have a book on tape to listen to (if I can hear it above the shredder) and the largest bag of Rollo's ever sold (BJ's) on my desktop to keep me going. I am also allowed to take as many breaks as is necessary and to start with the easy stuff first. However, I am not allowed to stuff so much paper into the shredder all at once that it will not long even go backwards and require a good 35 minutes with a kitchen knife to fix. When I am through with the next hour of forced labor, I will give my self a reward and go do something fun.

Cleaning Up - A New Year Begun

The new year always starts with a look back at the past year, a tallying of boo-boos and hopefully some successes and vows to do better next time. It also means dealing with unfinished business and projects that were started and then stagnated. I have several projects, one of which is not even mine, to save. It is an act of reconciliation of our plans and good intentions with the reality of what has actually transpired. It is also a dynamite learning tool as sometimes we don't even know what went wrong. We just gave up and left it behind stashed out of sight in a closet somewhere. I believe in wringing every last bit of knowledge out of every project I tackle, so analyzing the project in question is a must when reviewing our stash of UFO's (unfinished objects) and determining which may be worth saving and which is beyond hope.

Sometimes it is painful. I have a too fragile Alpaca warp on my loom (see above picture) that has about 35% of its ends on a separate “warp beam” because that many lengths of yarn have broken. My husband has suggested cutting it off. I will have to get creative finding something to do with over a hundred pieces of 5 foot long lengths of yarn. I am literally cutting my losses, making a mental note not to use Alpaca in the warp again and moving on. I think the key to putting a failed project to bed so it doesn't haunt you in your dreams is to find a way to make use of the section that you have completed. Is there something you can use if for?

I keep looking at those 24 inches of finished fabric and am stumped. It is not long enough, even sideways for a scarf. It is too wide and the wrong material for a table runner. Hello - a table runner does not need to be soft either! But as I write, and writing is such an awesome way to gather thoughts together, I am thinking that a pillow cover may just do it for me. Yes, I could plug on, mending breaking threads every time I advance the warp or I could salvage what I can. So now I have found a use for the completed section. Yeah!

Next, I need to figure out how to use the leftover ends. But, even more important, my initial idea was good, a prayer shawl to wear while meditating. I can't let go of that vision so my next step in putting the project to bed is to either order a more appropriate warp yarn in the same colorway (re-warping the loom afresh) or to figure out if I have enough yarn to switch to knitting one instead. The project has 3 different browns, one light blue, and one varigated fuzzy single, all in Alpaca. They are used in both the warp and weft. I was trying to avoid stripes. It is the dark side of Coco Chanel. Who knew Chanel could be dark? Some things can't be figured out completely ahead, so I'm going to make my pillow and submerge my hands in that lovely Alpaca and let it tell me what to do with it. In the meantime, my loom will be free for another project, many of which are just waiting to happen.

A Hat That Fits!

By Laughing Zebra Studios

 Yarn: Worsted weight.

Gauge: This hat is worked in worsted weight yarn at 5.5 stitches per inch.

Size: Adult medium.

96 is the magic cast on number. It is a multiple of 4 so you can do 2 x 2 ribbing easily. Most adult head sizes vary by only a half to one inch at most. To change the hat size to accommodate your favorite “fat head” spouse or a more petite cousin, try varying the size of the needle you are using. In general it is better if the hat has to stretch a little to fit. That way it will stay put on your head and not slide all over the place. This hat fits me “lightly” and does stay put, however if I were doing heavy labor outside (like shoveling snow or extreme sports) I might want it to fit tighter. In retrospect, I would be tempted to subtract 4 to 8 stitches from the cast on number (so much for my magic cast on number of 96!) or do the next one on a smaller size needle. (The math: 96 stitches divided by 5.5 inches per inch equals 17.45 inches. If the gauge is tighter: 96 stitches divided by 6 stitches per inch equals 16 inches. That's an approximate 1.5 inch difference). If you don't like tight knitting you might want to subtract some stitches rather than use the smaller needles.

Cast on 96 stitches on either double pointed or circular needles using your favorite cast on method.

Rim

Work rim of hat in 2 x 2 rib for approximately 2.5 inches.

For an easy decorative effect in this rim try:

6 rows in solid colored yarn. (I used cream in this picture. The cast on edge will make it look like 7 rows. You can sub in any solid color you want.)

4 rows in variegated yarn

7 rows in matching solid yarn. (I used cream again.)

*Alternate variation: some people like the rim of their hats to be turned back. This makes the rim thicker and some people like this. Double the border if you want this effect. I would add a few extra rows (2 or 3) to accommodate the rows that are located where the hat folds back on itself.

Body of Hat

Switch to stockinette stitch and larger needles and work even next 4 inches (plus or minus). (Design note: I used a variegated yarn. Because of the width of the hat there were some nice sections of solid colors. The contrast with the solid colored yarn in the rim helps to set off the variegated section nicely.)

Decreasing

Decrease 6 stitches across round by knitting two stitches together at even intervals across round. This means that with 96 stitch in a round you will be knitting 13 stitches and then knitting 2 together. The last group will have only 12 stitches. (The math: 13 plus 1 equals 14 times 6 equals 84 stitches subtracted from 96 cast on leaves 12 stitches remaining.)

Knit next round even.

You will be doing 7 decrease rows alternating with plain rows. Each decrease row will have fewer and fewer stitches between decreases. Be sure to work the decreases so they line up for a more attractive effect. You can place a stitch marker if that helps. If you change to double pointed needles just use 6 needles and do the decrease at the beginning of each needle.

You are now down to 54 stitches. (The math: 7 rounds times 6 decreases equals 42 stitches subtracted from your beginning cast on of 96 equals 54). Don't worry if you are off by a stitch. It will still work.

Knit a decrease row every row now for the next 3 rows. This time you are going to decrease 12 stitches across the round by adding an additional increase evenly between where you have been decreasing. There may be some “gathers” forming at the top of the hat. This is okay and is to be expected.

At the end of these rounds you will be down to 19 stitches. (The math: 54 stitches minus 12 stitches per round for 3 rounds brings you down to 19 stitches.) If you have few extra or less don't worry about it. Cut yarn leaving a very long tail. Thread a darning need and catch all remaining stitches together. I usually go around 2 times OR use the strand doubled being sure to let the extra tail hang to the inside of the hat. I usually tie a knot. It won't show. I also weave the ends in. They won't show either but I do anyway. Probably wasted effort.

Note - Please read!: when I went to make this hat for my husband, I ended up adding approximately 40 more stitches to the round. The end result, as I didn't know until it was too late, is that we now have matching hats. So, ironically, my personal favorite "fat head" was indeed too fat and head sizes vary more than I had anticipated. I also recently knit a hat for my daughter and found that a rolled up brim looks nicer. The bulkier turn gives more definition to the edge of the hat. When doing a turned up edge, you have a choice of whether to continue the ribbing which may give you an even bulkier brim, or to change to stockinette stitch and knit approximately 3 to 4 inches more than the original pattern. Initially, you may see a little bit of purl stitching along the edge, but as it is worn, the brim retains its shape and that edge of purl goes away. Thank you!

Variegated Plus Knitted Scarf Pattern

 

Variegated Plus Scarf

By Laughing Zebra Studios

How often have we picked up a skein of variegated yarn and just loved the combination of colors just calling us to come play? But when we work up the yarn, the constant repeated mishmash of colors is just not as attractive as we had originally hoped. Or you may have great admiration for the mixture of colors that Norwegian designs incorporate and found that keeping track of that many small balls of yarn crossing and recrossing (knotting and re-knotting!) and the headache of getting the tension on the floats just right was not for you. The question is how to create attractive projects with quickness and ease and avoid these problems.

With careful placement of the blocks of solid and variegated colors you can create a project that has the best of both worlds without having to carry floats or keep track of rows worked. The following project is easy and flexible. You can add easily add extra stitches if you would like it wider or longer. It is worked in knit 2, purl 2 so the edges don't curl and it has just a bit of texture to give it added interest.

When working through the design I tried to balance the sections of colors so the scarf had some continuity. It is somewhat random, but the sections repeat and have a (vague!) rhythm to them. The scarf is pretty long, measuring out at approximately 88 inches without the fringe. It easily wraps around the neck and hangs nicely.

Yarn used: Worsted weight. 1 skein cream, 1 skein khaki, 2 skeins variegated. I used inexpensive acyclic yarn so it wouldn't itch. There are more expensive acrylic yarns out there and also non-itchy wools.

Needles: I use straight single pointed needles in size 5, but you could sub in circular needles and just work back and forth.

Gauge across rib: approximately 4 stitches per inch across the ribbing.

Directions:

Cast on 46 stitches in cream colored yarn. I use long tail cast on, but any method would work. I begin and end the project with the same color yarn and with matching fringe. If you choose to add additional width to the scarf, make sure you begin and end with a knit row so it is symmetrical. That means you need a multiple of 4 plus an extra 2 stitches for the total width of the scarf. To add 2 inches the total stitch count would be 54 stitches, for 3 inches the total would be 58 stitches.

Knit 2, purl 2 for entire scarf.

All color changes are at the edges of the scarf and are woven in afterward.

Stripe Pattern is given in both rows and inches. In some places it is easier to count rows, in others, just keep your ruler handy. The exact row count is not critical.

Cream 11 rows 2 inches

Variegated 5 rows 1 inch

Khaki 3 rows .5 inch plus or minus

Variegated 5 rows 1 inch

Cream 11 rows 2 inches

Variegated Section

This block of variegated yarn actually has two narrow sections of solid khaki mixed in so you have variegated/khaki/variegated/khaki/variegated. The solid in the middle helps to break up the section and connect it visually to the rest of the scarf. I have other long sections of variegated yarn where I didn't do this and it doesn't seem to make a big difference.

Variegated 20 rows 4 inches

Khaki 3 or 4 rows .5 inches

Variegated 10 rows 2 inches

Khaki 3 or 4 rows .5 inches

Variegated 18 rows 3.5 inches

Long blocks of colors. This is fun and easy to knit. Again the inch count is not critical.

Cream 15 rows 3 inches

Khaki 28 rows 5.5 inches

Variegated 90 rows 18 inches

Khaki 30 rows 6 inches

Cream 18 inches 3.5 inches

Variegated 75 rows 15 inches

Cream 8 rows 1.5 inches

Variegated 8 rows 1.5 inches

Khaki 10 rows 1.75 inches (you could just do 8 rows here instead)

Variegated 8 rows 1.5 inches

Cream 8 rows 1.5 inches

Variegated 45 rows 9 inches (to add additional length, try adding a block of khaki in the middle of this section.)

Cream 13 rows 2 inches

Bind off.

Add fringe. I used doubled strands of cream so there are 4 strands hanging down together. I spaced them every inch on sections of knit ribbing.

If you use acrylic yarn there is no need to block the project.

Happy knitting!

Crosswords

We've gotten this far and the big blizzards, knock on wood, have so far drifted by. It did that last year also. Funny how fate leads you astray, gets your hopes up and then lets you crash in misery. The bottom line is that you can't rely on fate or luck to get you ahead. Yes, we all know people who have zoomed to stardom on a whim, but they had the skills in place to start with. Hard work, practice and, most importantly, time spent will get you further ahead than a lottery ticket bought when the jackpot is at half a billion.

As for “time spent” being the number one factor, lets look at that. I do crossword puzzles and I remember a time when I'd complete maybe a quarter or less of the items in the grid. Now, I can generally complete the entire Globe crossword when I do it. At first, I thought, that they were just getting easier! Then I thought it was the anti-biotic I was on. It had miraculously cleared out some under-performing neural connections, and now like Charley*, I was brilliant. It took me a while (so much for the concept of brilliance) to accept credit for this achievement, but I still wondered how I got so smart. Maybe it was just age. I had finally seen enough of the world and life that I just plain knew more. Naaaaah. Or maybe, it was that I had spent the time and practiced, learned the moves, and over time, actually, quite a bit of time, I'd improved. My attitude going in to the task is now more positive. I know I can do this. I have confidence (more on that in a later post!). I will not succeed every time, but I have confidence in my skills, my breadth of knowledge and now the weight of a heavy task to surmount is not pushing me down.

For crafters and artists of all types, this applies not just to the craft and learning the skills of the trade or art that is practiced, it also applies to the task of getting out there. It is, like a crossword, a cypher. We don't know the moves. We don't know what language to use. We don't know how to get there from here, but by trial and error, we will move forward and at some point in time we will find success and then we'll label it as our “lucky day”.

Harry Potter Inspired Winter Scarf

For your favorite half-blood prince, this scarf uses an inspired blend of Griffindor red and gold with muggle grey to create a double thick and warm scarf for those spooky winter nights when Diagon Alley is a long bus ride away.

The scarf is 8” wide by 64” long and knitted as a tube. Instructions for single thickness and longer versions at end of pattern.

Supplies:

Yarn: worsted weight yarn, 2 skeins each of grey, gold, red. The heathery “rag wool” grey in this scarf is an inexpensive wool/acrylic blend: Lion Brand Wool-Ease. The color stripes can be any similar worsted weight yarn that doesn't itch! (more Lion Brand Wool-Ease, Patons Classic Wool, or Red Heart Soft Yarn). I was looking for something that wouldn't itch. For longer version, purchase additional skein of each color.

Knitting needles: 16” circular needles.

Guage: 5 stitches/inch

Pattern: Knit in in the round in stockingknit stitch throughout. Follow stripe order below.

To start cast on 84 stitches with grey yarn and join, being careful not to twist the round. Follow chart below for color order.

Grey: knit even for 8 inches.

Gold: 6 rows Grey: 5 rows Repeat alternating gold and grey stripes 6 times ending with a grey row.

Red: 6 rows Grey: 5 rows Gold: 6 rows Grey: 5 rows Red: 6 rows Grey: 5 rows Gold: 6 rows Grey: 5 rows

Red: 6 rows Gold: 6 rows

Red: 8.5 inches

Grey: 5 rows Gold: 6 rows Grey: 5 rows Red: 6 rows Grey: 5 rows Gold: 6 rows Grey: 5 rows

Red: 6 rows Grey: 5 rows Repeat alternating red and grey stripe 5 times.

Gold: 6 rows Grey: 5 rows Gold: 6 rows (For longer scarf add 8.5 inches of red here, followed by 10 stripes of alternating red and grey.)

Grey: 5 ¼ inches

Gold: 6 rows Grey: 5 rows Gold: 6 rows

Grey: 5 inches. (Not long enough? Add 10 (or more!) alternating stripes of red and greyfollowed by one long section of grey.)

Bind off using larger needles.

To finish, turn inside out and weave in loose ends. Turn right side out. Sew up ends.

For fringe use double strands of yarn alternating grey with gold and then red yarns. Insert crochet hook through end edge of scarf, loop two strands around hook, pull through and then insert ends through loop.

Variations

Single Thickness Scarf

To make a lighter weight scarf, cast on 48 stitches and work on straight needles in rib of knit 1, purl 1 throughout to prevent curling edges. It will give the project a ribbed look that varies with how tightly you knit. I have never been happy with the edge treatments that I have found (i.e. slip last stitch) when using straight stockingknit stitch. If you are using wool, you can block the final result, acrylic yarns do not block as well.

Longer Scarf

Purchase additional skein of each color used. You will need them if doing double thick tube pattern.

If you know from the get go that you want it longer add 8.5 inch wide stripe of solid red, followed by 10 alternating stripes of red and grey where indicated in the pattern.

If you are uncertain how long you want the scrarf, knit as written and when you get to the end, add 10 or more additional alternating stripes of red and grey ending with a long section (8” plus or minus) of solid grey.

Handy Tip

To avoid a jig jog where the stripes change colors: remember you are knitting in the round, so knit one whole row of your new color and when you get to your starting point again, in that first stitch of the row, pick up the previous colored stitch below it PLUS that stitch and knit the two stitches together. Got that? There are several U-tube videos that explain it very well. Good luck!