Platypi released into the world

Thanks to the help of four fabulous test knitters, I can now safely say my platypi blanket is ready for release into the world. The pattern now comes in two files - one for the pattern and one for the main body of the blanket chart. At the suggestion of one of my test knitters, I added row and stitch counts. To see them, you'll have to blow the chart up! :)

My Dad has been visiting from Australia and will be taking the original Platypi blanket home with him to give to my sister. Must remember to tack it in place before he leaves! :)

Knitting Bucket List

I got to thinking the other day. "What would be on my bucket list?" Then, I got to thinking "More importantly, what would be on my knitting bucket list??"

I one of the top items on my bucket list would be my knitting bucket list. But that is cheating I reckon. :)

My ravelry.com queue could be considered a knitting bucket list of sorts. However I think I need to pair it down and think about it some more. I treat my queue as a place holder for stuff I like at the moment. At the moment there are a lot lace shawls and kiddie clothing pieces. However I don't know how many of these I will go out of my way to complete before I kick the bucket. I grant you, there are a couple of items on that queue that I consider "graduation" pieces. Pieces that I want to complete before I feel that I have gotten significantly better as a knitter.

The following are current contenders for my knitting bucket list:

• Haruni by Emily Ross - stunning full size shawl with beautiful detail. Love it.
• In Bloom by Kimberli Mackay - I am intimidated by felting. This would be the project to prove to myself that I am over my intimidation AND I would have a gorgeous bag to boot.
• Peacock Feathers Shawl by Dorothy Siemens - This is huge, awsome, stunning and truly scary. I want to make one.
• OpArt by Melissa Dominguez - this make my inner geek happy. I just have to find the right parents/baby who love it too.

stay tuned for more additions...

Platypi Squared baby blanket

Last week was a week of extreme knitting for me. This week marks the start of the local county fair which meant I needed to get my entries in last Friday. I had everything completed, blocked and finished.... except one.

With 24hrs to go, I still had 7,000 to go, all the ends to be sewn in and needed to at least attempt some sort of blocking. So it was off to my mother-in-law's place so that the kids could run around and play while I sit down and KNIT! By 2am, all bar 10 rows where done. I thought it wise to get at least 4hrs sleep. To give some context, I am not the fastest knitter in the world and can average about 1,500 stitches on a good day.

The next morning saw a DvD go into the player for the kids and the last 10 rows completed. Sewing in the ends was done during my son's speech therapy session. With four hours left I still needed to block. So, I packed up my rubber blocking mats, my spray bottle and pins and headed to the swimming pool where the kids were having a swimming lesson. I think knit blocking was a first on the pool deck of my local swimming pool! :) Thanks to Colorado's hot and dry summers, blocking was completed in about 15mins.

I managed to get it submitted with 2hrs to spare. It didn't win any prizes, however I am really happy with the way it turned out. Once I get it back, I'll back it with fleece and send it onto my sister in Australia. I also submitted my Traveling Woman Shawl, which came 2nd, which I was pretty happy about.

I've written up the pattern and it is currently up for test knitting on Ravelry. If anyone is interested in test knitting this pattern, just follow the link:

Platypi Squared Baby Blanket

Note: you'll have to have a Ravelry.com account to be able to see the above link.

My Travelling Woman

It's finished and I am really happy with it. The yarn and the pattern truly belong together. 

I am super happy with the results and my first attempt at a lace shawl. I see many more of these in my future. 

The math doesn't lie

All the knitting love and lust in the world isn't going to change a simple fact. 


700 is less than 1500.


I decided to change the width and length of the  Pleated Scarf by Sasha Kagan, by what I thought was a reasonable amount. I was wrong. After doing the calculations I had effectively doubled the amount of yarn required. Whoops. Rather than compromise, I decided to have the "it's not you, it's me" talk with the pattern and use the 100% hand painted silk for something else.

It didn't take me long to decide what to use the yarn for:

This is the "Traveling Woman" by Liz Abinante

I think I am the last of my knitting group to get around to making this little gem. As I have 700 as opposed to the required 400, I have decided to make the x-large lace version. Again math played it's part in the determination. 700 is more than 400. :)

I have completed the stockinette section and am onto the fourth repeat of chart A. The pattern calls for four repeats. I think I'll do 6... We'll see...

A touch of elegance

I am not one to fall madly in love with a pattern at first look. However, it has happened. I stumbled onto this one during the week and I am now in the middle of swatching.

Pleated Scarf by Sasha Kagan.

I have been trying to work out my attraction to this pattern. I think it's a combination of the color, the model and the fall of the scarf around her torso. It reminds me of the scarves and shawls I saw in my various travels around india. Women in their salwar suits, kameez or saris with shawls draped over their shoulders in the early morning air while they went about their daily routines. A simple touch of elegance that became part of my indian experience.

I've broken out a skein of painted silk that I have been saving for a very special occasion. And this is saying a lot, I avoid silk. I can't stand the smell. However sacrifices must be made when a pattern and yarn need to be together. I intend to turn the scarf into a shawl - wider and maybe shorter. It will all depend on how the swatching goes. Stay tuned.

4 down, 1 to go

I've made good progress on my "play it forward" art projects over the past couple of months. I've completed 4, with one to go. The latest completed "art project" was a complete custom build. :)

These are fire poi covers for a Burning Man friend of mine. 

Fire poi - A regular favourite of fire twirlers/dancers. Poi is a Maori word and the art of spinning poi originally comes from New Zealand, though can be found throughout the world today. Fire Poi are made of a ball of kevlar wick on the end of a chain that is swung around the body. Usually twirled in pairs, they create a beautiful circular fire trail about the fire dancer.

You use covers on your fire poi to stop the kevlar wick part of the poi from putting soot everywhere while you’re practicing.

Props to Jessy Henderson for the flame pattern comes from her “Flame On” hat - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/flame-on

I put projects 2, 3 and 4 in the mail yesterday. Really looking forward to hearing back from the recipients. I just hope the fire poi and the two hats fit! :)

2011 - the year of the hat.

So, it's late April and I am averaging better than one hat a month so far. It hasn't been intentional, however that is the way this year is panning out.

These are the latest in my hat binge.

I completed this test knit a couple of weeks ago. It barely leaves R's head. :)

It is a little big, however I am happy for it to be a little big than the other option - too small. 

I also completed Art project #3 out of 5.

I am really happy with the way it turned out. I just hope it is not too big for the intended recipient.

There's an idea...

I'm 1/2 way through art project #3 and I've decided take on another test knit. It's a gorgeous slouchy style hat for the 2.5yr. She is blessed with her parent's ample sized head measurements. So, I am making her the teen size. 


The designer of the hat had something very interesting posted on her "about me" page. She loves to knit for those in her life that she does not get on with.  And I quote " love to make things for the people I love, AND I learn to love people I didn’t much like before by spending hours making something for them - if you’ve never tried this - I highly recommend it - its hard not to like someone you spent 10 hours making socks for ;)"


What a brilliant idea. Therapy through knitting. Like a lot of knitters, 95% of what I knit is intended for others. Usually, I know exactly to whom the item I am knitting for is going to as I am knitting it. During the the knitting process I think about the intended owner a lot. So why not make something for someone you find a challenge and use that time to get through your issues with that person? I to think about this some more.... 

Play it forward

A few months ago, various friends on facebook decided to take part is something they are calling "play it forward". The rules a pretty simple:

* Someone offers 5 art project spots. 

* The person offering will then make a piece of hand made art for each of the 5 people that signed up. 

* In turn, the 5 signees will then offer 5 spots of their own and so on and so forth. 

* What form/color/shape/size/medium/type each art piece takes is completely up to the one offering. 

* There are no time limits, however the general aim of the one I am involved in is to attempt to get all 5 done by the end of 2011.

Having said all of that, I have signed up to receive a piece of art from a friend in San Fran. I also have 5 people signed up to receive things from me. In addition to the above rules/guidelines, I have imposed a few extra ones on myself:

* All items pieces will be knitted or crocheted. 

* All items will be made from yarn already in my stash.

* There will be no repeated patterns - no patterns I have already done or 2 items made for two people from the same pattern. There might be repeated item types (2 hats, or 2 scarves etc).

* Where possible, look for inspiration from patterns that are up for being test knitted. Ie, help a designer out by test knitting for them. 

I can happily report that I have completed 2, with three to go. One of the completed items was a test knit for a new designer in Maryland. 

The hardest part for me has been restraining myself from contacting the recipients and asking them exactly what they want, what color and basically getting them to tell me what do to make etc. I have asked for basic color preferences, size of feet, hands and heads etc.  I think that this is okay. :)

Art project #1 -  Saroyan   by Liz Abinante

Art project #2 - Gillyweed by Sarah Woodbury. 

Sorry to say that the ravelry links will only be visible to those with ravelry accounts... Sorry about that.

Starting to work on project #3. Gotta learn how to do a tubular cast on.....

there ARE Dragons....

My third effort of test knitting has produced not one, but two Dragons. Knitted toys have never done it for me, until now. I saw this little creature and knew I had to stick my hand up as quickly as possible to test knit him/her.




The red one was my first effort. I learned a lot about shaping and the important of needle size. General rule: if you think you should go down yet another needle size, do it. I dropped 2 needle sizes on the red one and three on the green one (based on the yarn's recommended needle size). The designer went beyond the call of duty to provide both finished product and step by step construction photos.

The designer is currently designing wings. I have also put my hand up to test these once they are available. The 4yo and the 2yo LOVE their Dragons.

The pattern is available on Ravelry - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dragon-toy


ps. please excuse the poor quality photos, our camera is on the way out.

It's been a while....

So, no excuses... It's been a while.

I made a Christmas knitting for the first time last year and managed to get it (almost) done by Taiwanese Independence Day (25th Dec - old joke). On the list were:

Warm hat for Bro (who was on his way to India)



Fairy inspired hat and scarf set for the 2yo





Buzz Lightyear inspired hat and scarf set for the 4yo




Scarf for Father In-Law



All presents were warmly received (pardon the pun :) ). The fairy hat was my first test knit for someone else. The designer followed up with fingerless mitts with the same fairy pattern that I also test knit for myself.



Now it's onto the socks that have had me beat for nearly 2 years! I will learn how to custom fit them, I swear!!!