lace practice

This lace pattern is turning out nicely which includes a k2tog and yo (yarn over) sequence.  Again, thank goodness for the instructional videos!  I tweaked a few things in a shawl pattern and ended up actually writing out my own pattern for this lace.  This pattern would make a lovely scarf and shawl.  I will be using this for a secret project (shhhhh).  Waiting on my new CinDWood Universal S-Loom and then I'll be all set to start looming.   

practicing stitches

I wanted to share a loom knitted dishcloth I made yesterday.  This dishcloth was loomed using the small blue Knifty Knitter loom and one strand of 100% cotton of either the Sugar & Cream or Peaches & Creme.  I'm not sure which brand because the yarn was laying around and wrapperless.  I used the knit stitch and purl stitch.  The garter stitch is used for the frame to prevent the edges from curling.  Once this dishcloth is washed, the stitches will fill in and fall into place.  It turns out the 5/8" gauge on the small blue KK loom combined with the knit stitch creates a lovely close knit.  No doubling of yarn strands needed.  I just ordered the purple KK round loom with the 5/8" gauge and can't wait to try it out.  I also have an 18" adjustable Markman RG rake in this size gauge.  It's a great size gauge for looming shawls, scarves, and afghans.

Looming dishcloths is a great way to practice new stitches.  I know at this stage in my looming experience I should know how to slip a stitch at the the ends of a flat panel, but I never tried it and wanted to practice and perfect the technique.  I think I just didn't understand the math behind it.  Do you cast on an extra stitch in the pattern so you can slip or what?  No, you just cast on the number of stitches the pattern calls for.  The stitch is still counted even though it is slipped.  The slip creates a beautiful neat appearance on the edges.  Now that this makes sense, I have to say I love the way the edges turn out, and I'll be using this technique from now on.  I never liked that "knobby" look you get on the sides of the flat panels without using the slip stitch.   
Thank goodness for the loom knitting instructional videos.  They are an incredible resource!  I used Isela's, "Create a Flat Panel on Knitting Loom," instructional video.  Thank you Isela!  Your looming videos have taught me so much.  I appreciate very much the time you have taken to create these videos.
  
Looming Through the Psalms:
"May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion.  May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings.  May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.  May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God."
Psalm 20:1-5 

starting a new project

Here's a sneak preview for a new project I'm starting.  Shhhh, it's a surprise!  It's a stitch I found for the Lace Shawl converted for the loom.  It's working up nicely.  Thank goodness for the online tutorials.  It's been so long since I've loomed, I forgot how to do a YO (yarn over) with a K2tog (knit 2 together).  Click here  in case you're stumped like I was. 

Looming Through the Psalms:
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.  Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge.  There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.  Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world."  Psalm 19:1-4

the purple knifty knitter loom

I started a new project to learn how to double knit using the purple Knifty Knitter long loom.  I found an excellent free Classic Stripes Scarf pattern over at DA Looms that Isela so graciously donated.  It is perfect for learning how to knit on the long loom.  The pattern includes great photos and instructions on how to wrap the long loom for the stockinette stitch, how to change colors, how to finish the beginning edge, how to bind off, and how to add fringe.  This will be a good first long loom project, and I'm enjoying how fast you can wrap and knit on this loom.  I like that there is no wrong side on this scarf.  It's turning out wonderfully thick and soft.   

rib brim hat

I first saw this rib brim hat at a blog called




A Knifty Knitter's Journal and wanted to loom one also.  A crown shaping method was used instead of the gather method, and I wanted to learn how to decrease, so I thought this would be a good project, plus I really liked the looks of this hat.

I loomed this hat on the KK green loom using Baby Alpaca Grande by Plymouth Yarn.  Navy was used for the main color, and grey was used for the stripes. 

Here is the pattern for anyone who would like to loom this hat:

Cast on 36 stitches using the crochet cast on method.
Brim: Using the knit stitch and the purl stitch.  Knit 2, purl 2 every row until brim is 4 or 5 inches, approximately 26 rows.
Body:  Using the knit stitch, knit every row with main color for 5 rows.  Switch to stripe color and knit 2 rows.  Knit 2 rows with the main color. Switch to stripe color and knit 5 rows.  Knit 2 rows with the main color. Switch to stripe color and knit 2 rows.  Switch to main color and knit the remainder of the body for 3 inches or approximately 16 rows for medium size.  Body of the hat should be a total of 26 - 27 rows.
Crown: Using stitch markers, divide the loom into 4 sections of 9 pegs each.  Number the pegs 1 - 9 in each section.
Knit from peg 1 to peg 9 and then turn at peg 9 and knit back to peg 1 as in a flat panel.  Remove the loop from peg 3 and hold on to the loop (I slip the loop onto a crochet hook).  Move the loop from peg 2 over to peg 3.  Place the original loop from peg 3 and place it back on peg 3.  You now have two loops on peg 3.  Move the loop from peg 1 to peg 2.  Remove the loop on peg 7 and hold on to the loop.  Move the loop from peg 8 to peg 7.  Place the original loop from peg 7 and place it back on peg 7.  You now have two loops on peg 7.  Move the loop from peg 9 over to peg 8.  You now have 7 loops on the pegs.  Knit two rows (knit the two loops as one) from peg 3 to peg 8, turn and knit peg 7 to peg 2.

Remove the loop from peg 4 and hold loop.  Move the loop from peg 3 over to peg 4.  Place the original loop from peg 4 and place back on peg 4.  Move the loop from peg 2 over to peg 3.  Remove the loop from peg 6 and hold loop.  Move the loop from peg 7 over to peg 6.  Place the original loop back onto peg 6.  Move the loop on peg 8 over to peg 7.  There are now 5 loops left.  Knit two rows (knit the two loops as one) from peg 4 to peg 7, turn and knit peg 6 to peg 3.

Continue to decrease stitches until you have one loop left.  Cut 12" from the working yarn, take the last loop off and pull the 12" yarn through the loop with a crochet hook. Tighten.  Repeat decreasing on remaining 3 sections until you have 4 triangles.  Stitch the 4 sections together using the mattress stitch.

Looming Through the Psalms:

"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.  He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights." Psalm 18:32, 33
 

shaping a hat crown

I've been working on a practice hat to learn how to shape the crown instead of using the gather method.  Since there are 24 pegs on the KK blue loom, I sectioned the loom off into four sections of 6 pegs using stitch markers.  In the first photo there are two triangles after decreasing the stitches. 

The hat is taken off the loom with four triangles that 

will need to be stitched together to close the crown.

 

This is what the completed practice hat looks like 

after the triangles are stitched together. 

Isela on her Purling Sprite Blog has a tutorial on

this decreasing technique that I found helpful.

 

A video of the mattress stitch used to sew the seams 

together can be found here at KnittingHelp.com.

on the loom again

There's something new on the loom again.  I thought I'd dust off my Knifty Knitters and do some experimenting.  I have to say, this Alpaca wool is luxurious and wonderful to work with.  What could this new project be?  We'll see...                                                                                                   

                                                                                                           Almost ready to remove from the loom.

 

Where there's one project on the loom, you can be sure there's another one close behind.  I'm making this item on my CinDWood adult 1/2" gauge hat loom (51 pegs).  I wanted to see how the exact same project turned out on a smaller gauge.  The Knifty Knitter green loom has a 3/4" gauge.  

crocheted blanket completed

I'm not sure how procrastination can get the best of us at times, but almost a whole year has passed since I completed this blanket. I enjoyed crocheting this blanket that is now affectionately loved by two precious little girls. I haven't been looming or crocheting since I completed this project, but the desire is beginning to manifest to pick up the looms and hooks and get busy with these hobbies again. I'd like to get into needle knitting as well. One of my aunts got me started when I was a girl, so it would be nice to become reacquainted.

Looming Through the Psalms:
"And I--in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness." Psalm 17:15

blog prodigal returns & loomed prayer shawl

It's been ages since I last posted, 2 years and 3 months to be exact. I decided it was time to re-instate myself with this blog and with looming. I feel as though I'm starting over with learning this craft. I also took the plunge and gave this blog a total makeover which has been a tedious ordeal. I went with the updated editor including a new look, and most of my right-hand side links and additions had to be added again.

I finally took the prayer shawl off the loom. It's embarrassing to admit the shawl was on the loom for years and was haunting me to be completed. In my haste, it turned out a little short, but still functional. It was made using this pattern for the loom with my modded Markman Farm 18" RG adjustable rake. I've added the prayer shawl loom to my wish list for my next prayer shawl.

Looming Through the Psalms:
"I will bless the LORD who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me." Psalm 16:7,8

new beginnings

This is the start of new beginnings with my attempts at learning how to crochet. New beginnings for a new year. It's supposed to be a baby afghan. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to frog it because I started off doing the double crochet stitch incorrectly. When I was creating this stitch, I was placing my hook into the front stitch instead of taking it all the way through the whole loop. It makes a pretty pattern, but it definitely was a slower process. Then when I went to add new yarn, something went wrong and you can see the one edge was decreasing in size. Well, we learn from our mistakes, right?

The holidays have been great, full of lots of sweets and treats. It's been wonderful to have my daughter home from L.A. for a 2-week visit.

Happy New Year!

12 days of christmas mystery

Okay, this is one of the most exciting things that has ever happened to me at Christmas. Someone who is remaining anonymous is delivering packages to me daily for the 12 days of Christmas. This started last Thursday, the 14th, and a package has arrived every day since then. Package 7 arrived yesterday with instructions to only open one package a day. Well, I opened #7 which was a huge box that contained another box labeled 8th day I had to wait to open today. The 8th box was a box that contained a box labeled 9th day. I have to wait until tomorrow to open this box. The mystery continues. . .
So who could this incredible mystery person be? I wonder if I'll ever find out. Whoever you are, I feel very blessed and thankful that you would shower me with so much love. You are a very special person!

Here's what I've received so far:
Light blue sweatpants with matching hoodie jacket, a microwavable lavender scented neck wrap from Bath & Body Works, Harry London dark chocolate caramels, a cherry almond candle, Bigelow body products, a Brookstone wine opener, and a bottle of Korbel Champagne. Wow! Every gift is perfect. I wonder if this has anything to do with the message I gave a couple of weeks ago at our women's coffee mug/cookie exhange. The message was Jesus, the Gift that Keeps on Giving!

Here's the box for the 9th day of Christmas. I have to wait until tomorrow to open this one.
Along with a very curious kitty, I opened the box for the 9th day of Christmas. Inside this box was another box labeled the 10 day of Christmas! Now I have to wait until tomorrow to see what the 10th day holds. The mystery continues. . .
Another box within a box for the 10th day of Christmas. We shall see what tomorrow holds. I have a feeling that I'll be unwrapping another box tomorrow that will contain the 12th day of Christmas box which will have the real prize. To be continued. . .

Oh my, I opened the package for the 11th day of Christmas, and it's an iPod nano! Okay, now I'm stumped because it has to be someone that knows I wanted an iPod. I only told one person, my hubby. Hmmmmm. . .
Wow, an iPod. Whomever you are, thank you! Hopefully, I'll get to thank you in person tomorrow, Christmas day.

On Christmas day my mystery person along with her family arrived at my home to deliver the 12th day of Christmas gift!
Drum roll...drum roll...drum roll. . .
My awesome gift bearer was my daughter's boss from when she worked at the tanning salon. Her name is Katrina. The 12 day gift was a KK set and yarn. Yay! Katrina, I love ya. You're an amazing person! Thank you so much for all these great gifts.

sugar cube dishcloth

Lion Brand Yarns sends out an e-newsletter and they usually include a knit stitch of the week. The stitch was called "sugar cubes." I thought I'd try and convert the pattern to the loom and make a dishcloth using this stitch. I loomed this one on my DA extra small 3/8" gauge WonderLoom. It turned out pretty close. The yarn was Sugar 'n Cream 100% cotton, hot green, but I think this pattern would look pretty in any variegated cotton yarn as well. Once I wash and dry this cloth, it should set the stitches. I wrote Lion Brand Yarns to ask permission to post the converted pattern on this blog, but haven't heard back from them yet. As soon as I do, hopefully I'll have permission to post it. The pattern calls for repeats of 8 rows. I did around 8 1/2 repeats for the cloth to measure approximately 8" x 8". On a larger gauge loom you may not need as many repeats. I used the knit stitch and to bind off I used the basic bind off.

another miracle scarf

I made this miracle scarf for a friend who did some wallpaper repair work on our motorhome. She didn't want any compensation for the work, so I thought I'd make her a gift in exchange for her generosity. These scarves really do make nice gifts. Her face just lit up when I gave it to her.

The scarves are easy to do. This one was e-wrapped and loomed on the KK green loom using three skeins of an Indigo print Lion Brand Fun Fur trimmed in Champagne. I bound off using the super stretchy bind-off found at this yarngear.com link.

Looming Through the Psalms:
"LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?
He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken." Psalm 15

in loving memory of my dad

My father, 85 years old, passed silently away on the morning of Wednesday, October 11, 2006. He died 23 days short of his 60th wedding anniversary.

A copy of his obituary written by my sister, Sandra Rufolo:

Oreste J. Rufolo (Ernie), 85, was born in East Harlem, N.Y., on March 17, 1921.
He died in Morristown, N.J., on the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 11, at CareOne.

Rufolo was a World War II veteran, having served under Gen. George Patton in the European Theater. He was part of the Allied Forces that liberated France from the Nazis more than 60 years ago, a tale he loved to recount.

Ernie attended Benjamin Franklin High School in East Harlem under the tutelage of renowned public school teacher and social activist, Leonard Covello, who established the school in 1934, and as its principal, ran it as a community-centered school, based on his innovative theory that the public school required close interaction with the community. The school was the first to embrace cultural pluralism and to recognize the importance of immigrant children, at the time Italians, to retain a pride in their native cultures while adjusting to America. Ernie graduated from there in 1937 at the age of 16 with an A+ average and later from City College of New York. He also attended the University of Grenoble in France after the war.

Ernie was an engineer for American Machine & Foundry for approximately 20 years, with whom he was transferred to York, Pa., in 1964. His designs were numerous, among them the AMF snowmobile, or Ski Daddler (he designed the head lights), design work on the Phoenix breeder reactor located on the campus of the University of Michigan, and design work on the M1 tanks still being deployed into military service today. He was also employed by BMY.

Ernie was fluent in four languages. He was a bird and tropical fish enthusiast.
Among his other hobbies were reading and doing The New York Times crossword puzzles in ink.

He is survived by his loving wife, Virginia Rufolo, three daughters, Linda and her husband Leonard, Park City, Utah; Sandra, Long Island, NY; Lori and her husband John, Madison, N.J.; five grandchildren, Alexandra, Katherine, Laura, Dylan and Thomas; a brother, Anthony, Annapolis, MD and a sister, Dora of Murray Hill, New York City; and numerous nieces and nephews.

pegboards and lace

My hubby surprised me in August with this new pegboard he had made for me. Our friend Jim did a fantastic job. It was waiting for me when I arrived home from a family visit back east. We finally got around to hanging it up today, and I placed all my looms on it. The only loom that is not on it is my Penny dishcloth rake. Looks like I have a lot more room to fill it with more! It measures 5 1/2' x 4 1/2'. It's exciting to see my ideas for a loom room coming to pass. All I need is a looming table and some shelves for all my yarn that's everywhere at the moment.
When we moved our daughter to L.A. in July, I got to spend some time with my sister-in-law. She showed me old chests full of beautiful crocheted table cloths and doilies that were crocheted by her mother and grandmother. She said their hands moved incredibly fast when they crocheted. When she saw how much I loved the crocheted items, she gave me this beautiful purple doily. I found the perfect place for it, adorning my mother-in-law's photo from when she 17 years old. How appropriate that this gorgeous doily should be with its creator. My sister-in-law also sent me a wonderful birthday present. All this yummy Alpaca wool. It is incredibly soft. My daughter bought me the fine orange and purple Alpaca yarn. I just have to find projects for it all. Shouldn't be a problem!
This is the store the Alpaca yarn is from. I got to visit it when we were in Los Angeles. Boy, am I ever tempted to fill my empty corral with some yearling Alpacas!