Add a Little Bling...

Have you ever wondered about how to jazz up your knitting? Ever pondered the question: "What would make this piece really sing?"Surely you've had a moment of doubt when you were knitting because you thought the pattern was just too plain. I've had those moments - a lot! Then I found some yarn that had sparkle running through it and that was great because the bling was built right into the fiber. Hurrah!!! Then I started finding books that had beads knitted into the designs. WOWZER!!! I was hooked. I had loved beading little necklaces and bracelets with seed beads back in the 1960's. Now I had a new outlet for all kinds of beads - to be honest I was disappointed that I had not thought of this all on my own. I must have been under a brain fog at the time.

Beads can really make the mundane sparkle, they can add elegance to the country tweed, make a gift just a little more "awesome dude."  I love solid colored wool yarn, but in the end the finished project can still be a little flat - add some beads here and there and it's like making a picture on a Light Bright (another toy of the 60's) - the piece just comes alive. The pieces I design and sell always do better with a little bling. The chemo caps I make for cancer centers are always appreciated, but I get letters of thanks for the ones with beads. And in that situation, you can't ask for anything more than to know that you lifted someone's spirits at a really low point in their lives. And to think that little plastic or glass beads can bring that kind of pleasure, well it's a joy for me, it really, really is!!!

Beading is a great new skill to add to your repertoire. How nice to spice up your knitting and your enjoyment of the process on a cold winter's night. Then there is joy of teaching this skill to a friend or a child.  Let me just say that kids love adding beads (just the inexpensive pony beads that you purchase by the pound) to their projects. I find that it is a real confidence booster for them. It is a fun and friendly way to spend time with those we care about. Give it a try!

This week the book on the block is 25 Beaded Knits by: Debbie Abrahams - published in 2007. I checked and this book is still available through Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble online. If you have a Half Price Books in your area you might check there as well, as I found a copy for a friend there just recently. Debbie describes beads as transforming a plain fabric into something dazzling and she's so right. The projects in the book cover items for the home, the evening, daytime and kids (I'd say for pre-teens and teens especially.) There are a few lovely apparel items that would make smashing gifts and Mother's Day is just right around the corner (I know - how did that creep up on us so quickly. I mean this week it's March already - Ugh!)  

Beaded Slouch Socks (great for a dance -yoga - Pilates)

My favorite - the Beaded jacket. Lovely!

Let me just re-visit this idea of going to a Half Price Books - There are stores in 17 states and you can shop with them online. The closest HPB to my home is about an hour away, but I go there every time I'm in that city because I find tons of a great knitting, spinning, crocheting, looming and weaving books on their shelves. In this current economy I know that funds for knitting supplies and books probably take a bit of a hit and that's why HPB is such a deal. For example: When I bought my copy of 25 Beaded Knits several years ago, I paid about 25$ US, the copy I got my friend was 7.98US and it was a new book. That's less than half and it will make a great gift. I support any and all book stores, but I had to throw in a plug for HPB this weeks as I think they are hidden jewel especially when you find the budget a little tighter than usual.

OK - this week go and find yourself some beads and try knitting up a little something - see if you don't become addicted to this as a way to bling out your knitwear.

Knit on Read on.....
The Knitty Scribe.

It's All About the Blog - Living in a Wool Free World....

I cannot wear wool - I'm allergic.

Wool is too itchy - I don't like it.

Wool is too hot - I live in a warm climate.

These are just three reasons among many for why some folks just don't cotton to the likes of wool. There's suppose to be a play on words in that sentence, but I'm not sure it made it's way out - cotton vs wool - you're all brilliant you'll figure it out. It's late on Friday evening and I just blocked a Spring Lace neck warmer and I'm a bit out of it, nothing new, I know. Really though there are as many reasons that folks give for not liking wool as there are reasons for loving wool. And  that's alright!

This blog review is dedicated to those that just cannot get in the groove with the woolly fibers of the world. And it is also for those that want to expand their knowledge and repertoire of fiber choices. This weeks blog is Wool Free and Lovin' Knit (http://woolfreeandlovinknit.typepad.com/wool-free-and-lovin-knit/). The author of the blog is Joan. She and I met on Ravelry and I have enjoyed reading her blog for  several months now.
  
Joan is quite knowledgeable about non-woolly fibers, which makes her blog a great place to find inspiration when I sit down to knit for friends and family that prefer gifts made from cotton, acrylic, silk, etc... Sometimes I feel a little unsure of what non-wool fiber to use and I can always count on Joan to help pull me out of the fire.
As with many blogs, we find ourselves roaming through parts of Joan's life while we are subtly being taught the grandeur of living and knitting without wool. I highly suggest you take a peek at this blog - I think you'll be surprised at how lovely life can be without the help of the sheep on the hill. You can also find Joan on Ravelry under (organizedtoknit). Enjoy!!!

Knit on, Read on...
The Knitty Scribe

Wonder of Wonders...

Do any of you have piles upon piles of yarn that look like these examples???

I'm betting that most of you, like myself have tons of sock yarn. When I typed "sock yarn" into the search engine on my laptop, I got back 951,000 results. That's a lot of information about a lot of string. As the song lyrics go, "What is it good for..." Well, socks of course, but will we ever make as many pairs of socks as we have stashed sock yarn???   As the commercial says, "There must be another way." or in this case another project other than socks. Don't get me wrong, I love making socks - socks, socks, and more socks - warming the feet of the ones I love is one of my knitting missions in life, but trust me that the picture above only shows a tiny little cross-section of my sock yarn stash - I don't think I'll actually live to be 150 years old and that's about how long it would take to use just the sock yarn stash as it is now, and you know there's more to come. So, what to do - eh???

Enter stage left: Sock Yarn One Skein Wonders (2010) - edited by Judith Durant, the creator of the One Skein Wonder book series. Thank you, Judith!!! Inside the covers of this miracle book are 101 patterns to help me use up all that sock yarn and only 25 of the 266 pattern pages are for socks. Hurrah!!! All the rest cover a multitude of useful objects just waiting to be knitted. There are hats, mittens, gloves and cuffs - Oh My!! Scarves, Shawls, and shrugs to warm your neck and shoulders - Yippee! Small little wonders for the wee ones and clothes for their dolly's as well. Lastly - bags, purses, decorations and little wonders for the four legged family member. In plain simple English - there are projects galore and enough of them that you would never have to knit another sock for quite some time. Many people that tell me that they are afraid to make socks (don't be, it is not difficult and it is addicting,) but they love all the sock yarn options that jump into view when they go to the LYS. Here's your chance to indulge in those lovely little skeins of self-stripping goodness! Go for it!!!

I think you will really enjoy reading this book and enjoy making the projects inside even more. I highly recommend this book and indeed the One Skein series for every knitters library. The books are inspirational and have easy projects. The books are a wonderful addition to your gift knitting library as well.

Knit on, Read on....
The Knitty Scribe

To Be Gifted....

When asked recently why I knit rather than purchase pre-made gifts, my answer was pretty simple - the things I make contain my love. Sure any gift well thought out, even purchased is given with love, but my knitted gifts contain my actual love. Knitters and fiber artists will understand this completely and this week's book is about just that gifting and love. This is of course appropriate due to the upcoming Valentine's holiday. Have you knit your Valentine a gift yet? No, then this book has just the things you are looking for and you still have time to complete projects before the day of "Love" arrives. Knit on......

What do you think of when you decide to make a knitted gift???  Scarf? Hat? Socks? Gloves/Mittens? Sweater? Sure, we all do. They are the knitted items of choice as it were - the expected gifts - all good, all filled with hours of love and labor - all accepted with warmth and gratitude. Now, I ask -what about the unexpected??? Mags Kandis latest book, Gifted, published in 2010 by Interweave Press gives us the answer to that question. The blurb on the book cover says that Mags has been refining her knitting style for 18 years and I say, well done!!! Gifted, does have a section covering the wearable gifts, but where Mags knits above and  beyond is in the second section - non-wearable gifts. Items such as - tea cozies, ergonomic wrist rest for use when typing away at the computer, scissor sleeves, bracelets, felted hearts, netbook covers and dpn sleeves. All are small and easily completed with the odd bit of yarn leftover from larger projects. A very nice way to bust the overflowing stash. Mags also gives just a little bit more to her reader, a few of her favorite recipes, such as Mexican Hot Chocolate Mix (you'll love it - it would be a perfect addition to a Valentine's dinner at home.) And just in case you feel left out, Mags also crochets and has given a few crochet projects as well.

Mags instructs her reader not to worry about not having the skills to complete a project because all the projects are relatively small, there are instructions for everything and that makes these gifts a good way to expand and practice your skills. I love that she has thought about this, for we all know sometimes we jump into projects that are new to our skill levels and bit beyond what we can tackle in the first go-round.

So, break out the odd bits of bright colored wool and try a few felted hearts as gifts for the upcoming holiday. They work up super quick, are a great first time felting project, and can be used for many things (let your imagination run or go with some of the suggestions in the book.) If you want to give a useful gift to a fellow fiber artist, whip up some dpn sleeves (I think they would be great for crochet hooks as well.) And do not forget to make yourself some of the hot chocolate to sip while you work.What a lovely and loving way to spend an a cold winter's evening.

Happy Valentine's Day to you all....
Knit on, Read on......
The Knitty Scribe

It's All About the Blog - Itty Bitty Style....

Hello from the land of the great blizzard of 2011!!! Here in the greater Chicago land area we have 15-20 inches of snow and 4-5 foot snow drifts. Lovely!!!! (and I mean that) I love the snow and DH and I are safe at home and we have power. So, I can love snow and praise it's beauty and not worry. However, for those of you that may be stuck in this winter wonderland with no power, transport, etc... you're in my thoughts and I hope you are safe and sound a.s.a.p!!!

Moving on.... I apologize for not having a blog review in the last two weeks. Let's just chalk it up to life and start anew! I've actually wanted to do this review for a couple of weeks so in a way I'm right on time. When I think Susan Anderson, I think itty bitty. Itty bitty hats, toys, nursery's - and not only do I find all these itty bitty wonders in Susan's lovely books, I also find them on her blog. http://susanbanderson.blogspot.com/. Susan is by no means a newbie in the blogging world - she has an archive going back to 2006. Lots of inspiration in those posts - so you have a treasure trove to read through.

Susan has a wonderful way with the wee-ones in life and her talent is greatly appreciated by all of us that need a little help making things for the wee-one's little world. Then again, Susan is a mom of four little darlings so in my book she's an expert extraordinaire.

Not only does Susan have this blog in which she shares all of her knitty adventures, she also has this blog http://www.spudandchloe.com/blog/ which is her blog of free pattens. You heard me free patterns - run now - you'll love all the little jewels that Susan has been so generous as to share with us.

After you've made your way through Susan's work you can also follow her on Facebook. If you've already made some of her patterns from the itty bitty books, you'll love having these two additional references and if you're new to Susan's work, this is a great place to start and get to know this talented fellow knitter.

Knit on, Read on....
The Knitty Scribe