Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Petal- A Free Pattern

Petal
Designed by Valerie Johnson
Wandering Cat Studio

About Petal:
I am a hat fanatic. I love hats almost as much as I love shoes. I think hats are neglected by modern fashion, and often find myself fantasizing about days when an outfit wasn't complete without a hat. I am particularily fond of the hats of the 20s, 30s and 40s.
That's where I drew the inspiration for Petal. A nice warm hat, with a little bit of lace for a touch of feminity, perfect with short or long hair (and super cute with a bob).

Sizes:
Child: 14 inches around
Adult: 19 inches around
Petal has a fair bit of stretch, so don't worry if the measurment seems a little small. The hat should be snug.

Materials:
1 Ball of Patons Classic Wool (I used approximately half a ball for the adult size)
1 pair 4mm needles

Tension:
20 st and 24 rows in 4 inches of stockingknit st

Abbreviations:
K=Knit
P=Purl
K2tog= Knit 2 Together
YO=yarn over

Pattern: (Adult Size in Brackets)
Cast on 90 [108] stitches
1) Knit row
2) Knit row
3) Purl row
4) * (K2tog) x3, (k1, yo) x6, (k2tog) x3*. Repeat from * to * to end
5) Purl row
Repeat rows 2-5 5 [7] times

Child size only:
Next row: Knit
Next row: Purl

Both sizes:
1) K8 [K7] K2tog to end
2) (and all even rows) purl row
3) K7 [K6] K2tog to end
5) K6 [K5] K2tog to end
7) K5 [K4] K2tog to end
Continue decreasing in this manner until you have completed an entire row of K2tog.
Cut yarn leaving long tail, draw yarn through remaining stitches, pull tight and seam.

Note: This hat can easily be done in the round for those who prefer not to seam. Simply join ends after casting on and knit all purl rows!


Please contact me at wanderingcatstudio@hotmail.com if you have any questions or comments.

Copyright 2008, Wandering Cat Studio. Please use only for personal use.



Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Fortunately, Unfortunately

Fortunately, Unfortunately was an improv game we used to play in drama class in high school. You'd pair up and one person would start something like this:

"Fortunately... we won $1,000."

To which the other person would reply"

"Unfortunately... it was Monopoly money."

And then:

"Fortunately... the store clerk didn't notice."

"Unfortunately... the store manager did."

And so on...
So here is my fortunately, unfortunately for the week:

Fortunately... I got the week off work

Unfortunately... it's because I hurt my back
Fortunately... it gives me loads of knitting time

Unfortunately... I'm in near constant pain

Fortunately... I have lots of Christmas projects to knit



Unfortunately... all I want to work on is the shawl for myself


Fortunately... I have some will power, and have been working on mittens to go with the hats that I made


Unfortunately... I am using up scrap yarn.... and don't always have enough for both mitts


Fortunately... I'm trying new things with my knitting
Unfortunately... that means trying socks (I really don't like the four needle thing)






Fortunately, I have some company this week

Unfortunately, all they want to do is this:




Well back to lie down (I'm not supposed to be sitting up at all) I'll be back soon with a wicked hat pattern!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

...nearly there...

Well I'm still recovering from one wicked cold, but getting a little better (I think) each day.
I was taking stock the other day and realized I've got to kick it up a notch if I want to get all my Christmas presents done on time

As of today there is 62 days until Christmas, and with approximately three hours of knitting time each day, that leave me 186 hours to finish 10 knitting projects. To some that may seem easy, to others a little daunting, but it's a mix of large and small projects, and the large projects are done with thick(er) wool and big(ger) needles, so if I'm diligent I should be able to pull it off...
Earlier I think I mentioned that I finished a couple of small shawls for Vineyard Alpacas. I finally managed to take a couple of pics (With some help of course):
Well it's back to the couch and the needles, have to make good use of my three hours.

PS: Dont be alarmed if your comments don't appear right away, I've changed my settings so I'm moderating the comments. As soon as I log on each day they will appear.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Zombies

I found this on Knit Nut's website and well... we all need to know how we'd do incase of a Zombie Apocolypse....

87%

Created by OnePlusYou - Free Dating Sites



Thanks Dad for sharing your love of weaponry... and to everyone else, here's fair warning... if we're ever caught in a zombie Apocolypse... you're on your own (unless you can shoot)

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Roses on raindrops and whiskers on kittens...

While we are both still under the weather, Dave and I did manage to celebrate six long... I mean awesome... years together on Friday, October 17. He showed up after work with these.... and for anyone who knows and loves Dave, that's a big thing... I've gotten flowers a total of four times in our life together... twice for birthdays, once when my cat died, and now these ones. I took one out to dry just because I don't get flowers very often.

They are beautiful, but I can't enjoy them as much as I would like. I had to put them up on top of my shelves because the littlest evil kitty thinks they are a salad just for him. One of the petals came off so I decided to give it to him to see what he would do.... he ate it.... weird, weird cat.


Thursday, October 16, 2008

Blarg

No I haven't fallen off the face of the earth it's just been a hectic/painful/sickly/crappy week and a half.

Good news: I got my camera back, but no pictures yet. I've been too busy/in pain/dying/phleghmy to bother snapping and downloading (maybe later tonight after my nap, but probably not)

Despite what mom's blog shows, I've been in a lot of pain (but how can you say no to a four-year-old who wants to play in the leaves - after you convinced her she wouldn't get lice if the leaves got in her hair)

Fortunately, you can knit lying down so it's been a productive week-and-a-half despite the fact I've been chewing tylenol-3s like candy and have a sacro-illeac that just doesn't want to go back into place. I got a fair bit done on the silk shawl before I had to put it down to work on some stuff for Vineyard Alpacas. She's having a grand opening of her coach house store this weekend (and I'm totally going to miss the deadline).

In fact, I was motoring right along until Dave gave me his cold. And it's a doozy... I never knew the human body was capable of manufactuering that much phlegm... and I've drank so much cough syrup my pee smells like medicine... weird.


Anyway, like I said I was doing well until the cold, which has just sucked the energy right out of me. I'm sitting her drinking a neo-citrine then it's back up to bed for a nap.

Oh and admist all this pain and phlegm, I've been running around helping dad do some body work on my old/new car and getting it safetied and e-tested and put in my name.

I am now the proud owner of a beige Ford Focus Wagon... not that is not excitement, it's PURE SARCASM.... in the spring I'm painting it pink!


The kids have the right idea now I'm going to join them

Monday, October 6, 2008

Amputated

I feel like I have my right arm cut off.

I don't - but it feels like it because my editor borrowed my camera. I didn't think I used it that often, but in just a few short days I've found out how wrong that thought was.

It seems like every time I turn around, I think "gee that would be a great picture" and then... "crap I don't have my camera."

I really can't complain. Technically the camera belongs to work and I really should get my "own." But...

And then there's my poor blog... what is a blog without pictures?

I've been making some good progress on my knitting. My back has not been cooperating this past week, so I've been trying not to move around too much... though some how I ended up rearranging my bedroom (that was thanks to the tylenol threes, I think), and "helping" Dad with a little body work on my old/new car. I say "helping" because everytime I actually got to do something (riveting, sanding etc.) the tool was almost immediately taken out of my hand and I was shooed away for not doing it fast enough. So mostly I ended up sitting around on the front porch, running for tools, and entertaining the dog.

Anyway, back to knitting. Even though my back has been causing me horrofic pain, it's bee good for the knitting process... because I can knit lying down! I have two shawls under contruction. But you can't see it because I don't have a camera.

I haven't got around the felting my elephant. I'm still waiting for the pieces of my felted purse. I got a little more work done on them (is it just me or is knitting I-cord mind-numbing?), but put it aside to work on the shawls.

Anyway, since I don't have any progress pictures, here's a picture of Tux doing what he does best: