First Afghan - Progress!

After much ado and getting all psyched up,  I finally started my very first afghan a few weeks ago, and I am really enjoying it.  Making it in strips is so much more digestible for me!  Each "round" of the strip is different, so i don't get bored doing the same thing each round.  You can't really tell in the pictures below, but my colors are a super light blue and dark teal.  I'm also using a "join as you go" method to avoid having the sew the strips together.  I'm committed to try to get at least one strip done every week, and I have 4 done already - YAY!   I'm already planning my next one ;-)

Kindle Kozy

My husband and I got each other Kindles for Christmas and we LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!  Being the complete geek that I am, the first thing I thought of was to make a cover for it.  I browsed the patterns on Ravelry but didn't really like what I was finding, so I set about designing my own.  I used a bulky weight cotton for maximum thickness and softness to protect my wonderful new toy.  Here's the pattern:

Kindle Kozy

By Nina Haldeman for Juniper Place Yarns

Materials

1 skein Tabali by Ester Bitran (Bulky weight cotton)

Size I hook

1 large button

Notes

Piece measures approximately 4.5 inches wide, but WILL STRETCH to fit! 

Directions

13 foundation sc

Row 1:  Ch3, 2 dc in first sc, skip 2, sc in next, skip 2, 4 dc in next.  skip 2, sc in next, skip 2 and end with 3dc in last sc. Turn

Row 2:  Ch1, sc in first st, *skip 2 dc, 4dc in sc, skip 2dc, sc IN SPACE BETWEEN the 2^nd and 3^rd dc of the group, skip 2 dc, 4dc in sc, skip 2dc, sc in top of turning ch. Turn

Row 3:  Ch3, 2 dc in first sc, *skip 2dc, sc IN SPACE BETWEEN the 2^nd and 3^rd dc of the group. skip 2 dc*,  4dc in sc, repeat from * to * once and end with 3dc in last sc.  Turn

Repeat rows 2 and 3 until piece measures 18 inches long,  ending with a Row 2.

Last Row (Button Hole row):  Ch1, sc into next 4 sts, ch3, skip 3 stitches (you should be skipping the 1dc, 1sc & 1dc in center of row), sc in last 4 sts.  Fasten off.

Finishing:  Fold beginning row edge up to form a 6.5 inch pocket, leaving the top edge Whipstitch side seams.  Sew button on.

Twas the night before Christmas (Juniper Place Yarns style)

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the Place, no needles were clicking, not even a trace.   The mittens were hung by the front desk with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.  The customers were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of yarn cakes danced in their heads.  With Mom in her sweater and me in my shawl, we had just settled down for a long winter's sprawl.

When out on the sidewalk there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the couch to see what was the matter. Away to the door I flew like a flash, brushed aside the scarves and put aside my stash. When what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature UPS Truck , and eight tiny reindeer, with a little old driver so lively and quick I knew in a moment, it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than Quicksliver his reindeers they came, and he whistled and shouted and called them by name. Now Katia! Now Sirdar! Now Ella and Rae! On Araucania, on Noro, on Debbie and Bliss! To the top of the yarn swift , to the top of the shelf, now dash away, dash away, dash away all!

Into a parking spot the reindeers they flew, with a UPS Truck full of yarns and St. Nicholas, too. He spoke not a word, but went straight to his routines, and filled all the shelves with gorgeous new skeins.  Then he turned with a jerk, laying his hook aside his nose, and giving a nod, out the  door  he goes. He sprang to his truck, to his team gave a twitch, and away they all drove, like the speed of a dropped stitch.   But I heard him exclaim as he drove off in a flash, Merry Christmas to all and to all Good Stash!

Mastering Marshmallows

After having so much fun with Flounce, I thought it was time I tried Marshmallows.  For those of you unfamiliar, this is one of those “Pom-Pom” yarns, only this one has Pom Poms that are oblong – like Marshmallows!  Hence the name!    In between each marshmallow is a strand of yarn about 2 inches long.  It’s this strand that you knit with, skipping each pom pom, and only using the strand.  Talk about instant gratification!   In less than an hour,  you have a super soft, squishy Marshmallow scarf!  So easy and fun – it’s only 4 stitches across!  Or you could make it wider for a super plush wrap.

I’m sorry to say that this one is probably just for knitters.  Beth and I have tried every which way to next Sunday to crochet with this yarn, and we have found that the length of the smooth strand in between the pom poms just isn’t long enough to form a crochet stitch.  I won’t actually say you can’t crochet with it,  but the results are not pleasing – it’s just solid marshmallows.  I even tried Tunisian crochet, and the results were the same. 

Flirting with Flounce

In case you haven’t heard, anything with ruffles is THE hottest trend right now, and last weekend we all learned how to knit and crochet with Flounce.   Oh boy, what fun!  It ruffles automatically - how cool is that?!   This fun yarn is actually a mesh that you open up and poke your hook or needle right through it instead of “yarning over” with the whole strand.  Do not be intimidated, it’s easier than it looks!  Trust me, if my 76 year old mother can do it (you know, Old Dog/New Trick!), you can too!

My mind is racing with all the possibilities!  While a ruffled scarf is the obvious choice for this yarn, there are so many other things you can do with it, and I can’t wait to try it as trim around the  neckline and cuffs of a sweater.   Other trim ideas are:  around a pillow, blanket, mitten cuffs, around the top of a felted bag.  It also makes a really cute barrette, brooch or hair scrunchie!

My supply of Flounce is literally flying of the shelf, and I am getting inquiries from all over the country!  Hurry and get yours before it's gone.

PhillyBurbs.com: Knit to be tied - for those in need

PhillyBurbs.com: Knit to be tied - for those in need

Yarn Bombing for a good cause

Last night, my friend Lee and I took to the streets of downtown Quakertown and “tied one on” – actually, to be exact, we tied 41 on!  Scarves, that is, for our first annual (hopefully!) Project Chase The Chill event.   My husband drove us to town, and I teased him about being our “getaway driver”!  I quickly realized his ulterior motive:  he wanted to be there to watch over us and make sure we were okay.  I hadn’t even thought of this, but in hindsight, there we were:  2 woman roaming the streets of Quakertown in the dark armed  with nothing more lethal than a crochet hook and a large box of scarves!  It was nice to know he was keeping an eye on us – thanks honey!

In keeping with the whole spirit of Yarn Bombing, I decided to distribute our scarves under the cover of darkness and with stealthiest.  My vision was that people would come to town on Saturday and see that the “scarf fairies” had come in the night (you know, like Santa and the Tooth Fairy, to name a few)!   My partner in crime and I worked our way up Broad Street leaving scarves hanging on parking meters and railings, and it was so much fun!  It was REALLY fun!   There we were, skulking around in the dark like criminals – working as quickly as possible (it was COLD, brrr!).  My husband wasn’t the only one watching either – I could see people driving by  in their cars looking at us, and I could imagine them saying things like “what are they doing?”.    A few people found out firsthand what we were up to – one fella was walking by and saw the tag on the scarf inviting him to take it.  He did and exclaimed “My wife is going to love me when I give this to her!” Later,  I had no sooner tied the last scarf on a parking meter, when a car pulled up to the curb, and a woman jumped out, grabbed a scarf and drive off before I could even tell her to enjoy it!  Cool!

I drove through town this morning on my way to the shop, craning my neck looking all over (trying not to cause a traffic accident!) to see how many scarves were taken.  To my absolute astonishment, I couldn’t see any left!  This was confirmed to me later when a press photographer and several reporters showed up at the shop and asked me “where are all the scarves?”  They looked everywhere and couldn’t find a one!    Holy cats!  All 41 scarves were gone in less than 14 hours!   I had hoped that Project Chase The Chill would be a success, but this exceeded even my wildest dreams.  I’m uncharacteristically speechless!