Kung Fu Knitting

Pattern:  Bandana Cowl  from Purl Soho Yarn: Shetland Aran, Jaeger Needles: US 9 Mods: I cast on 87 stitches with one less decrease.

               Years ago I had a BF that really wanted a stocking cap to sleep in. Yes, sleep in. Isn't that odd? I couldn't find a pattern that I liked on the Internetz. They were all so long and I didn't want to get strangled while I was sleeping, so I went about experimenting. I came up with an easy and fast pattern that used up odds and ends of bulky yarn and made a fun hat. See picture for fun factor. After so long I'm writing this hat up for several reasons. One is that people always ask about it when I wear it. ".Where did I get that hat? ...  Oh, you made it?"  Then "Is there a pattern?" Now I can direct them here.  Another is that this is my tried and true winter hat. It's the hat I leave at school and wear during recess outside in Ithaca that keeps my ears from falling off (last winter that was nearly every day).  Another fantastic reason to share this pattern is that this hat fits on my head no matter what I do t...

I saw this  Bandana Cowl Pattern  On Ravelry and thought it would be an excellent accessory. At first glance it seems like it might be a boring knit, but there's a ton of short rows hidden in this cowl. I've been wanting to revisit this technique for ages. I dug into my stash to see if I could come up with a doable yarn. I've had two balls of  Cleckheaton Merino yarn for forever and I haven’t had any ideas what to do with it. I always thought it would make a nice hat,but I think this turned out better.  Yarn: Cleckheaton Merino Supreme (washable), 2 balls Needle: US 9 hat sized circular The short row tutorial linked in the pattern is awesome. I’ll never be confused over picking up a wrapped stitch again. :-) As I knit the fabric felt a little tight and I was worried that it wouldn't drape or fold.  Mods: I did short rows until there were 9 stitches left between the wrapped stitches. I’m trying to make sure I have enough yarn to complete. I ...

Gift for a friend. I bought the yarn ( Knit Picks Capra) a while ago with this person in mind. She loves yellow and she loves soft.  I've been looking for a pattern but nothing really inspired me until I saw a cowl made from the Wurm pattern . Visible on Ravelry here . The colorway of Frank Ochre is close to mine and I thought, "Wow, that looks warm and so very Yellow. D would love that!" Caston! Four days and 16 hours later (slow poke knitter that I am) it's done and just as warm and lovely as I thought it would be. Now to gift it and take a picture with the recipient! Yarn: Nearly 3 skeins of Knit Picks Capra in Honey Needles: US 7, bamboo circulars Caston: 200 st -  I didn't even think of doing something fancy, just a longtail here. Castoff: I Put a littile more thought into this and did a stretchy lace castoff. I knit 8 repeats of the pattern suggested by CatReading (5 Purl, 4 knit rounds beginning and ending with 3 round of garter.) Finished d...

I was out shopping and couldn't help but stop into one of the local knitting shops that carries Malabrigo. I ended up with a skein of worsted in cypress, which though it looks black, in the sun light (and under the flash) takes on a deep green, varigated coloring. I also purchased a skein of Malabrigo Twist in red. I think I am going to make a hat out of that one, too. I wanted to make another cloche because this is definitely my new favorite style of hat. I think it's suited to my face. Plus, I needed a plain, black hat that covered my ears. Living in the Ithaca, I now think that all hats should do this. Otherwise it's just too cold for my little earsies. I searched Ravelry for a cloche hat pattern that met my gauge needs, and I finally came up with the Retro Cloche Stash Hat . It looked quite whimsical and comfy, not quite my vision of a cloche, but nice anyway. I was a little frustrated with the pictures on Ravelry as most just showed the back of the hat. While this is d...

Another Side Slip Cloche from Boutique Knits . One of my best friends was visiting NYC and bought two skeins of Karabella Soft Tweed yarn at School Supplies. I had that yarn for months but nothing inspired me to knit it up. Then before I left to visit her in Israel, I was looking through Boutique Knits and I knew it would be a perfect match. I wanted the hat to be "Made in Israel" so I cast on at the airport and knit throug hout the plane trip and while I was traveling. I really wanted to take on FO photo on the promenade over looking the old city by her house, bu t it didn't work out that way. I ended up finishing the hat in Israeli airspace on the journey home. I didn't end up sending it until way later. Yarn: Karabella Soft Tweed - absolutely wonderful to knit. Needles: trusty #7 hat size circulars, #8 and #7 DPNs to finish. Thoughts: Love for my friend Michelle while knitting.

Another hat from Boutique Knits by Laura Irwin. I love the look of this hat in the book, but not so much on me. The twist I tried and hated. I replaced it with a cable picked up from the crown and sewn underneath. I might chuck the whole twist Idea and opt for buttons. I'm very pleased with the way the Malabrigo worsted knit up. The feel, look and texture are perfect. Baby Grande Alpaca would have been soft. However I was afraid of shedding, stretching and loss of stitch definition. Plus it was in my stash and waiting to be knit into a hat.

Since graduating this December I have had time to think about knitting again. While I was waiting to get my car towed in the middle of a snow storm I took shelter in a yarn store (was that lucky or what?). I was tempted into buying Boutique Knitting by Laura Irwin because of the photo on the front cover. I love cloche hats and I have always wanted to knit one. When I saw this book I knew I wanted to knit this one. I chose some random black yarn from scraps at home (Plymouth baby alpaca) and cast on. While I was knitting the ruffled band I also had a vision of hearts for this hat. So I found some Noro Kojaku that I was gifted a while ago and it seemed suitable. The result is a faux isle rainbow heart cloche. It looks better on. Front: Side: Other side: With the black yarn it's hard to see the ribbing on the band especially the top-most rib. It just melts in, but I suppose that's one of the hazards of using black yarn in an area that is supposed to show texture. Or maybe it has...

After a very long break, I have some knitting to share with the world. I made this scarf for my father. He lost the cashmere one I made for him a Christmas ago and wanted a replacement. I kept the same color scheme. Brown goes with both black and navy blue and this is important as my father is a very "Brooks Brothers" sort of fellow. Orginally I wanted to make the phyllotaxis scarf from Knitting Nature, but it just didn't knit up quite right. I figured you really can't go wrong with basket weave for a guy, so I settled on that. My dad is a big guy and likes a long scarf so even though I bought 600 yards of natural, unbranded, alpaca yarn I still needed more hence the different colored ends. I was so lucky to find a great match in merino. The next picture is a close up. Life is so much different than in May, the date of my last posting. I'm in grad school for a masters in teaching. I enjoy my program for the most part and am learning a lot, but I am tres busy. I a...

Welcome to "I Spy Handknits" on Kung Fu Knitting. I love seeing people walking around in their hand knits and thought this would be a good space to document it. My real intention is to get pictures and stories from random people in my community, but let me tell you, sometimes I feel a little bit freaky walking up to complete strangers and asking them about their sweaters and such. So my first featured hand knit comes from someone that I know. Meet the talented husband of one of my lovely coworkers. Not only was this garter stitch scarf handknit, but it's also handspun! How cool is that? And check out the great jacket! You should also check out his site, King Turtle . Oliver is a talented Ukulele artiste who was recently featured on NPR's Whad'ya Know show. He is also one of four finalists in their Whad'ya Idol contest! Good luck!

For a long time now I have been wanting for make something to match the fingerless mitts I made with Cayli's gorgeous home-grown, hand-dyed, handspun that she gifted me with the holiday season before last . I had some left over still but wasn't sure about the yardage. However, I had a vision of making a head band, as I find them cute and convenient for a gal that wears her hair up in the winter. And they hardly take any yarn. Originally I wanted to make a headband like the cabled panta I made before, but the gauge was all wrong. So I improvised something late the Saturday night. And here it is: I love the subtle blue striping and the feel is OMG soft. Cayli's yarn is truly amazing and was such a pleasure to knit up. Ice Princess Panta Yarn: Heavy worsted Handspun Needles: US 8 and a cable needle or DPN Gauge: not critical, but a row gauge of 5 rows/inch with make a nice fitting panta 18 inches in circumfrence. Special Stitches: FC (front cross) = Slip 2 stitches from ...

I found my old knitting notebook! Hurray! I thought I had lost it, lost it and not just misplaced it, lost it. This is the first hat I ever knit. Can you believe that although I was queen of socks, I was very intimidated by hat-land. I knew I had to get it over quickly so I found a hat pattern with a bulky gauge. I knit it partway up and I couldn't finish because it was so unspeakably ugly. So I was stuck with these ginormously, large DPN's. what's a gal to do? I decided to knit my own hat based upon my sock experience and this is what I came up with. It's simple, right? Rolled brim, stockinette, standard crown shaping. But it's economical, ever so warm, and stays on super well. And it knits up in a flash! Your Everyday Winter Hat by Miriam Mack Yarn: Lamb's Pride Bulky Needles: Size 11 and 13 DPNs Gauge: 2.5 st/inch Cast on 51 Stitches on size 13 DPNs. Join in the round without twisting and knit first 4 rounds with size 11 DPNS (stay with 13's if your head...

All of a sudden I am knitting! Knitting like I used to knit. And I am not sure why. There are several things going on in my life right now that might be facilitating more knitting getting done. One is that I have been quite sick lately and have set aside some time to myself, to use all to myself; no training, no school work, no dieting. And second, one of my lovely friends brought over a bunch of television for me to watch: Lost, Reno 911, Weeds. So for the last couple of days, I have had time to knit and television to watch. That's a fabulous combination for me knitting-wise. But there is another idea that I have. It's a bit more psychological. I haven't written much personal stuff on my blog lately, but there has been a lot of destruction in my life lately. There have also been some (hopefully!) final endings, and some space given to people who need to give more rather than take more in a friendship with me. So, amidst all this tearing down, perhaps I have a need to buil...

After I sewed up my Droplet hat from Knitting Nature (Why didn't I knit it in the round?), I decided that what it needed were some earflaps. You see, to make a hat truly functionable for our lovely winter weather here in Ithaca, the ears must be protected. And eventhough I have a pea-sized head, my row gauge was a little smaller than the pattern called for and I felt that the hat was just too short. So this is how it turned out: Overall, I have to say that knitting this hat was pretty fun once I got past that first bobble row that seemed to go on forever. The no-turn bobble technique that Nora Gaughan introduced in this pattern is quite handy, if you don't mind slipping stitches. I especially liked the way she did the decreases on the crown as they are invisible and preserve the overall pattern so nicely. Earflap Modifications : The earflaps are centered below the 6th bobble on the bottom bobble row from either side of the back seam. (If this placement seems odd for you I woul...

Isn't that just gorgeous? This was my art project today in my school age program. We ordered some Bare WOTA from Knit Picks , picked up some bargain koolaid from Aldis and let them at it, all smocked up of course. Unfortunately I forgot my real camera, otherwise I would have taken some rockin' photos of the process. One of the things that I enjoyed most about this project was watching the different learning paths that students embarked on for their dying. You see I didn't really tell them how to do it. I showed them an example and let them work independently, helping when needed and explanations of different techniques at the appropriate times. It was pretty neat to watch the iterative process that some of the older students went through in their dying. One experimented with mixing right there in her saran wrap and came up with a skein that she called messy wheat. Then she just dropped the dyes in discrete areas, carefully mixing certain spaces. Another young gal experime...

So the date of my upcoming fight has been fluid, to say the least. A number of things have to come together in order for the evening to take place. You have to schedule the venue, the doctors, and the officials. All of which have been mismatched at some point during the last month. But you know it's got to be official when flyers are being posted: I only have to weigh in 10 pounds lighter. (5 by my scale at home. I wish this were the accurate one). Arrggh!!! But there is another official event - FO: Droplet Hat The Droplet Hat from Knitting Nature is complete!!! This one is made from leftover Aracunia Nature Wool. My gauge was dead on - for stitches per inch. Unfortunately, My row gauge was a little off. So the hat is shorter than I would like to wear. So it's not quite complete. See those pink strands of yarn? Those are going to be the center of the earflaps that I am going to knit. I'm just trying to decide if I should knit those flaps in seed stitch or with a line of bo...

I am so lucky to have gotten at least a little bit of Valentines Love! Look at the card that thoughtful Holly sent. It was so unexpected and sweet. Thanks, so much. And inbetween all the working out and such, a little knitting has been getting done. And I have the proof. Actually this guy is getting sewn up at the moment. Can you believe it? I am going to be posting an FO soon! Perhaps I am gaining back some knitting momentum. (To be honest, I think I am gaining back a lot of life momentum at the moment). I've also started a shawlette from the Basil Zephyr that Annie sent me for the one skein exchange. Everytime I look at this yarn I see the flower petal shawl from Elann . So that is what it will become. t won't be anywhere as big as the one pictured on the site, but I think it will be very wearable with the right dresses and such. The pattern is not complicated in the least, but it is lovely. So, all in all, this will be some mindless but relaxing knitting that I am hoping...

Deee-lovely Holly over at Hollyarns tagged me the other day with the 5 Little-Known Things About Me Meme. 5 Things You Probably Didn't Know about Me 1. I never dot my i's when writing in cursive. 2. I have a rock collection, mostly ones that I have collected. 3. I have a certain set of books that I reread most every year: Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Enders Game, Harry Potter 1 and 4, Far from the Madding Crowd, Jude the Obscure, Return of the Native, The Desert Smells Like Rain, Red Mars, Neuromancer, All Quiet on the Western Front, Animal Dreams. 4. I own more than 10 coats. 5. Out of all the patterns in all the knitting books I own, I have only knit one pair of fingerless mitts. (Well, I knitted a kitty hat from the original S'N B, but my gauge was totally different and so I had to completely redo the pattern. So I don't think this counts.) Who should I tag? Well if you want to participate, then consider yourself it!

Lately there seems to be a running theme in my life: the idea of presence. It's manifest itself in a couple of ways (you know if you've read my blog entries recently), but the most recent was from the wrapper of a Dove chocolate piece that one of the barristas randomly gave me at the coffee shop during last week's Stitch'N Bitch: Your presence is often the best present. How crazy is that? But it came at a time when I was kind of wondering about something and acted as a sort of reinforcement; a little present from the universe at large (if you believe in that kind of thing). And speaking of Stitch'N Bitch, one of our lovely members has been bringing along her holiday presents for the benefit of all the group: This action shot depicts 667 yards of fingering weight merino/silk being wound for me! Yes!!!! What shall it be? I want it to be something lacey, but hadn't really given it serious thought because the thought of winding it made me shudder. I'd like to m...

Happy New Year to all y'all! I'm betting that most bloggers have already done some sort of review of the year by now. I've been hedging a little bit on this one. I didn't get a lot of knitting done in 2006. And much of the year was filled with strife, hurt and difficulty for me. So I am really not going go over it again. Except I want say that many of you in blogland and the knitworld have been great friends and sources of light for me. I can't thank you enough. And there have been some wonderful friends here in Ithaca as well. You know who you are. Thanks for the hugs and calls and all the moral support. Good bye, 2006! So the plan for this year: things are going to get better in 2007 (repeat to self 100 times daily for month of January). No, it's true: things are looking up. For one, I had a great interview for graduate school before leaving for Atlanta. Most likely you'll find me back in school come the Fall of 2007. Second, I should be having my first fi...