New Looms!

Here they are! My new looms from CinDWood Crafts.
I knew if I went over there, I couldn't come back with just one loom.
Here's what I bought:

• Baby Combo 1/2 inch gauge - includes two looms, a 21-peg and a 36-peg loom.

• Youth Hat Loom 1/2 inch gauge - 51 pegs

• Youth Large Hat Loom 1/2 inch gauge - 55 pegs (This one is the equivalent for the KK green loom.)

• 12 inch Oval Panel Combo Loom 1/2 inch gauge - This loom will make a youth size hat and/or make up to a 12 inch panel piece on the panel portion of the loom.

Cindy is a delightful person. She took a lot of time with me, showing me the looms she felt I would be interested in, explaining the function of each one. She's a very generous person too. She gave me lots of freebies including the loom knitting aide, four picks with my choice of colorful grips, the project manual, and discounting the loom package. Thanks, Cindy, you're awesome!

Now all I need to add are projects for these beautiful looms. I can't wait to try them all out. Looks like I'll be busy looming for a long time!

Yarn Alert and Other Ramblings.

Well, I really have been looming since March 20, but I've run into a few snags (pun intended) along the way! I've been trying to knit three chemo hats for a friend's mom who has cancer, so I chose this ultra soft yarn called, Lion Suede Prints. This is such a beautiful yarn, but has been the yarn from hell to work with. I started a hat with it, and the stitch was so loose, that I had to do a flat stitch, then I placed the project in my yarn bag so kitty wouldn't mess it up. When I went to go take the hat out of the bag, the yarn was a complete mess that wrapped its way around the loom. I stayed up until around 3:00 a.m. trying to unravel things but to no avail. The whole project was frogged. I took it to JoAnn's to show them what happened to the yarn, and they exchanged it for another skein. I was surprised and thought, how nice BUT, I still need to work with this yarn. Ouch!
After I started the hat over again and was almost ready to finish it off, I came back from work to discover the whole project was on the floor extending down the hall, into my bedroom and the Suede yarn in a mess. I was in shock. I'm not sure who the culprit was, Bean the Chihuahua or Rajah the cat. I managed to get it all unraveled. I think I needed an unraveling myself!

I've gotten as far as knitting these two hats. The one with Fun Fur actually looks better on the purl side, so that may be a do-over, and the other knitted with the Lion Suede turned out a little long. I used a garter stitch for the brim and then flat stitch, then switched to a "U" wrap stitch for the crown since my fingers were about to fall off from trying to get the loops over the pegs while doing the flat stitch. This has certainly been a learning experience.

On a lighter note, I purchased my first upgrade loom today from Decor Accents, Inc. It's the fine gauge adult sock loom. I can't wait to receive it and start making some socks.
Tomorrow, I'll visit Cindy in Salt Lake of CinDWood Crafts to purchase some hat looms. I don't want to attempt making another hat with the Lion Suede unless I'm working with a smaller gauge. The 1/2" gauge should be what I'm looking for in a hat loom so I can work with some finer 4-ply yarns yielding a tighter weave.

Completed Mock Crochet Hat.

Well, here it is; the completed mock crochet hat. I'm pleased with the way it turned out for my first try, and hope to make more in many different colors. I just love this stitch. I used the green loom and started with the tail end cast on, knitting a couple of rows of K1, P1 for the ribbed brim. Somehow it didn't turn out quite right. I stitched the mock crochet for around 6 inches, and then did 5 rows of the 1 over 1 stockinette stitch. Directions for the mock crochet stitch can be found here.

HINT: Don't do what I did trying to end the last three stitches after every round. I literally stayed up all night until 5:00 a.m. trying to figure out why I was getting large holes down one of the rows.

"But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill." Psalm 3:3,4

Mock Crochet Hat.

I'm trying to learn how to do the mock crochet stitch. I saw these hats on
Kids, Cats, & Knitted Hats and on American Girl in Italy's blog.
I just love them and had to try and learn how to
make these attractive hats with this stitch. Here's
the start. I'm not sure what I do to that K1, P1 stitch
for the ribbed brim, but I don't like the way it turns out.

Our Precious Children.

Aren't these children beautiful? We love them. I thought we'd pose with the kids wearing our Knifty Knitter Miracle scarves. These are some of our precious first graders in our ESL class. I'm on the left, and the teacher I work with is on the right. Today was pajama day, so that's why some of them are in p.j.'s just in case you thought we were having a sleep over or something!

St. Patrick's Day Miracle Scarves.

Well, finally I completed the two miracle scarves created on the green loom with Lion Brand Fun Fur Prints in Citrus and solid Lime. I'm pleased with how they turned out. One will be presented to the teacher I work with. The other, I actually get to keep. I have to say they take a lot longer than one hour to complete. I'd love to make more, but I think I'll give my hands a rest for the moment! I definitely recommend the super-stretchy bind off from www.yarngear.com for the finish. I feel the crochet bind off method that Provo Caft recommends would be tedious.

"Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. . .

Blessed are all who take refuge in him." Psalm 2:11-12

Miracle Scarf in the Making.

I started one of two "miracle" scarves I'm making for St. Patrick's Day. One I actually get to keep and the other I'm giving to the teacher I work with. I told her a surprise was coming. You can find the directions for this scarf at Provo Craft and at LoomKnitting.com (scroll down - it's called the Flexible Scarf). Any beginner can do this. Click on photos for larger view.

Six Scrunchies and a Hat.

I promised our worship leader's girls some scrunchies. I made six so they could each have their choice of three. For their son, I made this hat. This is my first KK hat. I was going after a denim look. I used the red loom, so I'm not sure it's going to fit him. I can always make another one. I purled 4 rows first for a trim, and then switched to the stockinette stitch 3 over 3. The yarn was very thin 4-ply. I used a combination of Caron Simply Soft in Grey Heather and DK Country Blue. The 3rd strand was Mainstays (Wal-Mart's brand) in Blue Ridge. This brand was a very thin 4-ply.

For the scrunchies I used the blue loom and e-wrapped 10 rows with a 1 over 1 stitch.
For the thinner scrunchies I e-wrapped 6 rows. Ten rows really makes a very thick scrunchie.
To remove the scrunchie from the loom, make a brim and place the bottom row of stitches over a thick hair elastic and then place the loops onto the pegs. Do not place the hair elastic onto the pegs. Then knit over. I used a crochet hook and lifted the first peg loop onto the crochet hook and pulled the second peg loop through. I then did two chain stitches. Continue with this pattern all the way around doing two chain stitches between removing the loops. When you get to the last loop, cut the working yarn and pull this through the loop. Weave ends in.
I used a combination of different 4-ply Red Heart yarns mixed with Lion Fun Fur. The Turquoise scrunchie was made with Parfait Lion Boucle' mixed with Lion Turquoise Fun Fur. One of the scrunchies was Red Heart Fiesta and NoBo Butterfly I got for $1.00. The green scrunchies are for St. Patrick's Day made from NoBo "Josephine"-10.

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers." Psalm 1:1-3

Looming Through The Psalms

I will be looming through the Psalms. There are 150 Psalms in the Bible. Each new looming project I complete will contain a verse from every Psalm. My goal will be to complete 150 looming projects that will bless others. Photos of the projects for Psalm 1 will be posted soon.

Cats, yarn, and looms.

Where there's a loom and yarn, there's always a kitty! Rajah has not left me alone since I started looming. I think he wants me to make him something!

Yarn Alert.

I haven't had much luck with Lion Homespun and Bernat Softee Chunky yarns.
These yarns were a pleasure to work with, but the moment you washed the items, they looked like they were around 10 years old. The photo on the left is the Chihuahua sweater made with Homespun Candy Apple.

The photo below is of the socks made with Bernat Softee Chunky. Care instructions for both yarns stated they could be machine washed and dried.

What a night last night!

Hmmmm, was it a full moon?

My hubby and I went out for dinner to a great little kosher restaurant. Incredible food. Anyway, throughout the dinner our car alarm continues to go off (very embarrassing).
Then, we get home, and our garage door doesn't open. We blew a spring! Great. Blowing garage door springs on a weekend is a very costly affair. The garage door repair person is working on it as I type this.

It gets better! 2:15 a.m., our 20-yr-old daughter calls hysterical because she's caught in a foggy, blinding snowstorm, and doesn't know where she is on the road. She's by herself trying to get up the mountain canyon from S.L.C. to Park City. Now, I'm hysterical because I thought she was with her boyfriend, and he was driving. Nope, she's alone. I manage to move out of fright mode and send up a few prayers. My hubby goes out looking for her and was about to call the State Trooper when he spots her. She was a lot closer to home than she thought when she called. She was that disoriented. Thank God, He brought her home safely.

Freaking out about the garage door this morning, I prayed the expense wouldn't be too bad. I get a call from hubby a few minutes later, and tells me the repair service called, and they were going to give us a break on the weekend pricing. Thank you Lord! I read this just this morning before the miracle call:

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.

God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields with fire.

"Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."

The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Soap Sachet Bag - Completed.

I completed the sachet bag today knitted with 2 strands of Peaches & Creme 100% cotton. Instead of making the I-cord, I crocheted a 2ft. chain with a size I hook using 3 strands of the cotton yarn. I ran out of time to do the I-cord for the drawstring. I'm going to go to this cosmetic deli and spa and purchase some lavender bath salts to place inside the bag. This bag will be sent to a lady who is suffering from cancer. I was thinking the lavender fragrance will be calming.

Click here for pattern.

Soap Sachet Bag - Part 1

Tonight I experimented with the neater edge casting on method for this bag, not that it really needed it because a cuff will be made, but I wanted to see how it would turn out. I took a photo of it before I made the brim/cuff. It does seem to have a tighter edge.

Below is a photo of the brim that will make a casing for the 2 foot I-cord drawstring. See, the I-cord is coming in handy already. Now I just have to figure out how to get the cord into the inside of the casing. This should be interesting.

Included in this photo is my notebook I created for all my Knifty Knitter instructions, stitches and patterns that I have been collecting.

Getting Ready Goodie Basket.

I've done some shopping in the past few days to prepare for some upcoming Knifty Knitter projects!

Projects include:
1 soap sachet bag
Hair scrunchies
1 heart square
2 "just-for-fun" St. Paddy's Day scarves
1 hat to practice the mock crochet stitch

I'm hoping the hat turns out like the one in the photo on Kids, Cats, & Knitted Hats.

To be continued. . .