Cruising Ravelry

For whatever reason, the queue on my Ravelry is a black hole for projects. I put something I really want to make there and it falls through. Even if it's something easy peasy to make, nope. Zip. It makes me depressed to look in there, and it make me wonder about patterns of mine that have wound up in queue. Are they dead in the water as well? Lately I've been keeping patterns on a project start basis, and so far pretty good. The odd few that had to be frogged (and haven't been restarted). Another is the favourite patterns. I get a little thrill everytime something I made was given another heart. I only just figured out how to view them (not that I'm nosey, which I am but that wasn't why I was curious) and couldnt be more pleased that I wound up with 2 full pages. Some, I'm sure have 30+ but you know what? I'm easy to please. The only other thing I'm curious about is the friending. Is it strange to friend someone you don't know, like an author or someone who's patterns you absolutely adore? And why don't more people rate the patterns and yarn choices? It makes for a better review in my opinion, I try to do it for every one I finish. My notes tend to be a tad too descriptive too..but then again, that is the point, yes?

Buttoned Baby Hat

Buttoned Baby Hat
Size 7 (4.5mm) circular and dpn
Lion Brand Wool-Ease (used Rose Heather, Woods Print, and other (now discontinued) colours with great success), Red Heart Soft was used for one as well. One ball should make 2 hats
5-7 small decorative buttons (optional)
Stitch marker
Darning needle or crochet hook for fastening off ends
Sewing needle
Thread to match hat and buttons
14 1/4" unstretched
Fits up to approx  17"
Unsure of just what age of a baby this would fit, seeing as I haven't had a baby to test it out on. If you have the chance, please let me know of what ages this fit. My daughter had a rather large head so she wasn't the best example. I used circular needles for this, although it does mean a bit of a stretch. You may wish to work entirely on dpn. My size 7's were too short and dropped stitches so I opted for the circ's.
Gage: 16sts = 4" on size 7's
If your looking to sub yarn, the ball band gage is 18sts/24 rows

Please excuse my "work table"

CO 60 sts. Pm, and knit 6 rnds
Button band:
Next rnd: P
Next 2 rnds: K
Next rnd: P
Continue knitting until hat measures 3" from beginning with edge unrolled
Dec (changing to dpn when needed if started on circular)
Rnd 1: K 8, k2tog; repeat to end of row -54 sts
Rnds 2 & 3: K
Rnd 4: K 7, k2tog; repeat to end of row -48 sts
Rnds 5 & 6: K
Rnd 7: K 6, k2tog; repeat to end of row -42 sts
Rnds 8 & 9: K
Rnd 10: K 5, k2tog; repeat to end of row -36 sts
Rnds 11, 13, 15, 17: K
Rnd 12: K 4, k2tog; repeat to end of row -30 sts
Rnd 14: K 3, k2tog; repeat to end of row - 24 sts
Rnd 16: K 2, k2tog; repeat to end of row - 18 sts
Rnd 18: K 1, k2tog; repeat to end of row -12 sts
Rnd 19: K2tog; repeat to end of row -6 sts

Red Heart Soft

Cut yarn, draw through remaining stitches and fasten off. Weave in ends. Sew buttons in between the purl ridges using coordinating thread.
If you aren't comfortable in sewing on buttons for such a small person, you can use a varigated yarn (which looks great on its own), or use a novelty yarn in place of the 2 purl rows.

Varigated yarn with no buttons

Beware The Children

Where I live, there are a lot of children. I mean loads, its a requirement to live here. Or you had kids and they grew up and moved out but your still here. Either way, oodles of underage children. Let's be honest with each other here, not all of them are little angels. Some are downright little punks and you want to boot them and the parent who raised them. We have a rather high percentage of those. They recently installed a large covered porch that will be included in a ramp. This is a kid magnet, and I don't want all these unknown children by my door. Before you think that I'm the crabbiest lady that you told your kids it was ok to egg my house come halloween (and even tossed a few yourself) consider this. Would you want them up on your porch when you didnt know who they were, where they lived, and breaking your outdoor decorations. Not to mention these children are rude, they curse, spit, and destroy anything possible. Swearing goes way beyond the occational "hell" and "damn". Racial slurs are common too. What really bothers me is the older kids. It makes me nervous to tell them to go away. The latest group of thugs in the making that was making its rounds, all it took was me looking out the window at them. I hate that it nerves me to do this but lets face it. They are at least as tall (and in a lot of cases taller than) as me. And I don't know whats going on in their heads. These children tend to be lumped together as the "bad kids" and while I know its an unfair stereotype, it's apt. These are the ones that are up till past midnight even during the school year, they smoke, they curse even worse than their parents, and they make you want to hold your purse a little tighter when you walk by. For all I know, they're honor roll. But that isn't what I'm seeing. What really irritates me is the parents of these kids. Someone came up with a "clever" saying: there are no bad kids, just bad parents. From what I've seen, it tends to be both. The parents don't deal with the attitudes early on and they walk all over them once they realize just how out of control their offspring really is. They can't really do anything with them so they ship them outside, just grateful for the slight peace in their own home. And I'm not making this up, this actually is the problem with one apt. Sometimes its just bad luck on both the parent(s) and the child(rens) part(s). Other times, it's sheer negligence. I worry about my daughter, growing up like that. Will she be one of those running rampant? I'd love to say absolutely not but I don't know for sure. All I can do is hope for the best, show her right and wrong, and love her.

Lacking In Knitting

I am quite ashamed to say I have let my knitting languish. It's not that I don't have anything that needs doing (which I do), it's just that I've been out and about instead. Spring has been hitting us here (granted on an occational day basis) so I have been outside enjoying the air (and lack of snowbanks). Went for a walk today (4 miles and I am not feeling any pain, go me!), and a decent picture was actually taken of me. Along with some pics of huge kitty feet prints and geese. Granted my housework suffered, dishes undone, laundry unwashed, rug not vacuumed, library book overdue. But you know what, it worked out wonderfully anyways. It's a place where I could sit and knit, but then again it was best for some earthy hand spun which I am sadly lacking. I have been making some requested projects, like toy kitty mice and some cowls to use some stash yarn. But otherwise, nothing major. I did however make a leprechaun 'trap'. Crochet/knitted bed, crochet pot of gold and all. I went all out, glitter glued to the point my wrist hurt. Hopefully I find some time to knit, at least something I need to make. Ever notice when it becomes a project, it becomes more a chore than fun? Oh well, next post will be about said project: Dave the Travelling Minion!

Different Set Of Rules

Ever notice that two girls can kiss, hug, grope, and say 'i love you' to each other without many people raising an eyebrow? Well, aside from horn dogs who are hoping for some 'girl on girl' action. But two men can't without someone getting creeped out? Either one of the men involved or a bystander? With guys if someone shakes a hand a little too long, a gruff hug is more than a hand shake with an arm slap, or even shoulders brushing each other more than once its officially 'weird'. Why? Did we raise such homophobic boys? Why is it socially acceptable for women to be more touchy feely than men? I confess, I get more touchy when drinking. Hugs and whatnot. But I tend to be like that anyways. My daughter has apparently inherited that and can't sit on the couch next to someone without frequent hand reaching. Almost like she just wants to make sure your there and real. If I had had a son, would he hate my random hugs and nose kisses? Would he be ashamed to hold someone? We have all these different unspoken (and sometimes spoken) rules that makes it so confusing. I like to think we have moved beyond the little woman/strong man idea as a whole but honestly, have we come all that far? I'm not completely abandoning the idea, I myself stay at home while my husband works. But I don't vacuum in pearls, have a perpetual perky smile, and wait on him hand and foot. But to expect things to be so different for the two, it seems laughable. We are different, in some ways it doesnt mean a thing but in others it s profound. But does that mean we should be shoved into the same stereotypes that have always been? Some men are suited to be stay at home dads, some women can fix a car better (and faster) than most guys. Does that mean he should be ridiculed and she should be scorned? Just because that was the way things were? Its not just men, woman are just as guilty of harboring that need to keep things the same. Women say they want a sensative man, yet if they get one that is willing to cry they get disgusted. Now, don't get me wrong. If I was around some girl who bawled over everything Id get upset too. But for something other than a funeral crying. We cry over things because we are touched, are we to assume men aren't touched too? That they don't feel the same (or at least similar) things? How many times have you heard someone telling a little boy (or said so yourself) that big boys dont cry. Yet a little girl can sob because her doll got dropped in the dirt. So nobody thinks I'm bashing my own gender, I'll jump right in the public "adjusting". Men, your scratching yourself like you got bit by a bug the size of a soda can. It's not adjusting. I don't want to see you scraping your fingertips into the crotch of your pants in the store then go pick out some produce. I don't remove a wedgie then rub my hands all over your food do I? Go to the bathroom, go to a different room if your at home but please don't expect me to be sympathetic to your itchy testicles when I can't adjust a bra strap without getting funny looks. And am I the only one lost on the big truck=big junk ratio? If a guy buys a bigger than needed vehicle, we assume they are compensating. If I buy a 15 passenger van is one to assume I have a large vagina? (If I was filling that with 14 offspring, I can see that but with one kid?) I Like to think that if I ever have a son, I'll try and steer him clear of this mess but can I? With the rest of the world pressuring him into it? I hope my clingy little girl toughens up a bit, but am I too late for that?

Basic Dishrag

My mother and I have made so many of these, we don't even need a pattern anymore. A friend of my grandmothers used to make these and by studying her's we figured out how to make them. Her arthritis had gotten to the point where she couldnt make them anymore and had lost the pattern herself.

• Size 8 straight needles (short lengths work fine, theres a bit of a squeeze at the middle but if you don't leave them hanging for long your fine)
• G/7 Crochet hook (for crochet cast on)
• Peaches and Cream 100% cotton yarn

OR

• Lily Sugar 'n Cream 100% cotton yarn

I use solid balls because the ombre's (while pretty) tend to only give me one and a half dishcloths, the solids I can get 2. The cones are a great way to go too.

Using your hook, crochet cast on 4 stitches.
Row 1: Knit 2, yo, knit to the end
Rep row one till you have 44 stitches on your needle. Start decreasing:
Dec row: Knit 1, k2tog, yo, k2tog, knit to end of row
Repeat this decrease row until you have 4 stitches left on your needle, bind off (I use the hook again, makes it nice and snug) weave in those pesky ends and tada! house warming gift for all, but be careful you who give this to. I made the mistake of handing these out with some towels one year for christmas and now I get pestered for these constantly! :)

By the way, you will find this pattern on Ravelry, but I'm not the one who posted it. I'm posting it here for anyone who doesn't have an account and simply because I can :) Please let me know if you have any problems!

Bulky Ribbed Scarf

This is almost insanely simple, but I've made lots of these and they've been very popular. Perfect for men and woman (all depends on the colour you choose), and if you add fringe, you can make a personalized creation.

You will need:

• Size 11 needles (short lengths are perfect, considering the small number of stitches)
• Red Heart Light and Lofty yarn (2 balls, although you might be fine with one, I've never sat down with a skein before. I used these bags of odd sized balls I nabbed from the thrift store)
• Alternate yarn (yarn used in the pictures) Lion Brand Homespun or Holiday Homespun 2 balls (again, unsure but better safe than sorry, right?) I used "Holly"

Cast on 13 stitches.
Row 1: Knit 1, purl one, rep to end of row, ending with a k 1
Row 2: Purl 1, knit one, rep to end of row, ending with a p 1

Rep these two rows for about 82" or until they are long enough for you. Bind off in rib. Weave in ends and bundle up!

please ignore the scissors and laundry soap, my washer has the best light for photgraphs lol

As soon as I can dig up some pics, I'll show off the Phoenix Rising version I did of this, same scarf just added some fringe to make it like tail feathers. My sister snagged the one I had just finished so I barely had time for pictures. Again, insanely simple, but please don't sell :) Charity knitting is ALWAYS acceptable, please post where your work was donated so we might bask in the good deed!