Knitting Handy Hearts

I love knowing the faces behind knitting and crochet patterns-probably one of the reasons I enjoy being a pattern tester! So, when a friend publishes a pattern, I have to give it a try. Recently my friend Linda (half of the Knitworthy Podcast Duo) published her very first Ravelry pattern Handy Hearts.

Now these are cute little useful projects to knit. But, what makes this pattern shine are all the amazing embellishments that 'Mama Linda' creates for each OOAK piece. Really, it's worth downloading this free pattern just for the embroidery inspiration! And, yes, did you catch that this little jewel is a FREE pattern!

So, the perfect project trio: quick and easy to knit, endless possibilities and a great use of 'scrap' materials!

Here's some of Linda's unique hearts:
                                     

                                                     
I had so much fun stitching up my own little Handy Heart! I used several scrap pieces, literally from frogged swatches of an old test piece. the edging is a simple blanket stitch. A lazy daisy floral center finished off with a quick French knot center.

I enjoyed that I had scraps that matched my HiyaHiya Stork scissors fairly well!


Linda's directions have a wonderful crocheted and buttoned scissor leash.  I love the look of all the Vintage buttons she uses! But, my button collection lives in my Craft Cottage which is situated in my back yard where I can watch my chickens as I work. I was stitching on this very late on a very very cold evening.  So, it was time to get inventive. (I knew if I left this simple step undone, it might not get restarted for some time. Can I get an 'amen' on that one?!)

My solution was to start with a crochet flower, then work down the lanyard, including a buttonhole part way down. The floral 'button' slips through the scissors and through the little buttonhole. So far my scissors have stayed nicely contained with this little addition. I would bet this little lanyard could be added to a whole host of knit or crocheted minis. This way any small toy could safely be added to a child's backpack, baby carrier, etc.

Crocheted Flower-ButtonLanyard

Ch 4 and form into a ring with slst, (ch 5, sc into ring) 5 times.
Working into ch5 loops work *sc,hdc,dc,hdc,sc, slst into sc of base. Repeat from * 4 more times.

Ch 40. Join lanyard to item with a slst or two. Ch 1, turn.

Work sc in first 32 chains. Ch 3, skip next 3 sts then dc in remaining 5 chains. Secure with slst to base of flower. Finish off.

All Mended Again

A mending basket sounds like a piece of vintage nostalgia.  Rocking chairs. Quiet evenings by the fire.  Definitely not something hip and trendy! In fact, how many people would  even consider darning stockings? But then, have knitters ever been 'most people?' Recently, there has been a plethora of blogposts, tutorials, even contests on Ravelry encouraging people to mend and darn.

Initially I agreed with The Yarn Harlot's theory of holding said sock over the trash can and whispering, "oh darn," whilst dropping the well used knitwear.  After all, if you keep fixing them how do you justify making another pair (or 3)? I think it was Susan B. Anderson that finally changed my mind. Her (Video) made this look so easy! She sounded so relaxed while making all those little stitches and positively joyful with the result.  I had to give this a try.

But....my socks were a bit too far gone for this simple woven darn.  I found myself digging further.  Through a series of blogs, videos and various links I finally arrived at the article written by Kate Gilbert inTwist Collective on Mending socks. I would love to have one of the darning mushrooms made by her father.  Essentially, I ended up knitting a patch in place over the busted out heel.  A few kitchner stitches and I have a new pair of socks. And you know what! It was actually kind of fun!

With wear the ragged inside should felt into the patch. At the suggestion of several bloggers, including Susan B. Anderson, I took a deep breath and used a high contrast darning yarn.  I had plenty of the original left but if it didn't hold up the first time, why try the same thing again? Besides, this will be in my shoe-and the bright colors make me happy!

Now, I hope I get many more years of use out of all my hand knit socks. But, when they do wear thin, I might actually look forward to darning :)

Slow Progress

This time of year it seems everyone is at some stage of croupy sickness! Weather changes, being cooped up inside, whatever causes it. The only redeeming quality to this is the extra knitting time after its mostly gone. Nobody wants to have you attending meetings with a croupy cough (and this year's version has a cough that lasts forever!) and a raspy voice keeps you away from chior practice. So, while I didn't feel like looking at yarn for several days, now I'm using the forced evenings at home to catch up. Shoułd have several Finished Objects to display in the next couple weeks.

My favorite row counter, the Ablet.

A bit more organized now!

If you have listened to even one episode of The Knitmore Girls you know all about #OperationSockDrawer! It's an ongoing contest to make your personal drawer of socks contain a better supply of comfy, cozy, hand-knit socks.  Now, I have some but not many pairs from the typical Raveler's perspective.  Truth be told I wasn't all too sure what I owned.  And a picture of this particular dresser drawer is not something I would publish on Instagram! 

It was probably a normal middle-of-the-night-when-I-should-be-sound-asleep kind of thought. It's after Christmas and they usually have those ornament organizers at all the big box stores! Yup, they work quite nicely for socks!

New Year, New Skill:Project 365

Where have 2 years gone?! A couple moves, new job, Internet provider glitches...and general busy-ness.

However! I am hoping planning to do better this year. The plan, as plans often do, started out very innocently. A few weeks ago Craftsy had one of their marvelous sales and...

• I picked up the Basics of a Digital Photography course.
• I convinced my Dad that it would be safe to lend me his new camera. (!)
• Then, I listened to the last episode of The Dyers Notebook Podcast where Laura talked about participating in Project 365 as a way to focus on improving her photography skills.  

Having accomplished all the above, I ran myself out of excuses. So, this year I hope plan to take pictures as I work through the Craftsy class. Since many of my pictures will most likely be of yarny stuff, this seemed like a good bulletin board to pin the pictures to. I will throw in other treasures along the way. I'm sure there will be plenty of gardening shots with cameos of my chickens, bees and other assorted homesteady stuff as well. 

So, Let 2015 begin!

The story behind the skein:  For Christmas I flew to see my brother near Dallas, TX. He gamely took me to visit the Mad Tosh Crafts store in Ft Worth. Ooooh! So many pretties. I came home with (only) two skeins. This Twist Light will soon become socks. Now to get this beauty logged into my Ravelry stash...