pumpkin contest!!!

Every year, the company i work for (Duarte Design) has a pumpkin carving contest and this year we have a TON of amazing pumpkins. Check out the site and vote for your favorite!

http://www.duarte.com/halloween

yes, i turned in a pumpkin, no i'm not telling you which one is mine....just vote for your favorite :)

in case you wonder what i do, read my bio at work

the fortune cookie knew

i had some chinese food with my husband for lunch yesterday and i opened my fortune cookie and this was the note inside:

the cookie tattled on me, because i got excited and told my hubby that the fortune was true because i just bought some yarn online....oops.

it's christmas gift yarn, so, it doesn't really count.  two skeins of lorna's laces shepherd worsted for the cabled footies by leigh radford.

"cranberry"

"black purl"

oh i can't wait to wind the yarn and get started! i will wait though because i have a slouch and the second twinkle toes sock to knit. 

Robin's Egg Blue Hat

Robin’s Egg Blue Hat
By Rachel Iufer



Approximate finished circumference:
20 inches

Gauge:
16 sts to 4 inches, 24 rows to 4 inches in stockinette
14 sts to 4 inches, 28 rows to 4 inches in seed stitch

Materials:
Patons Shetland Chunky, less than one ball (121 yds)

US 10 (6.0mm) straights and double pointed needles

1 Button: 1 5/8 to 2 inch diameter

Tapestry needle to weave in ends

Techniques:
Knit, purl, increase, decrease, knitting in the round, bind off

Terms:
K2tog: knit two stitches together as one
Seed stitch: k1, p1 to end. On next, and following rows, knit into the purl stitches and purl into the knit stitches.
Kf/b: knit into the front of the stitch, leave it on the left needle then knit into the back of the stitch. One stitch increased.

Pattern:

With straight needles, cast on 80 stitches

Work 3 rows seed stitch, slip the last stitch purlwise on even rows.

Increase rows:
Rw 1: k1, kf/b, continue in seed stitch
Rw 2: seed stitch

Rep row 1 and 2, two times more (3 stitches increased)

Decrease rows:
Rw 1: k1, k2tog, continue in seed stitch
Rw 2: seed stitch

Rep row 1 and 2, two times more (3 stitches decreased)

Knit two more rows seed stitch.
Next row: bind off 12 stitches, knit to the end of the row and join in the round on double pointed needles (68 stitches total)

Work in the round in stockinette stitch until the hat measures 5- 5.5 inches in total.
Begin decreases: (this is how I decreased on my hat. It’s probably not the prettiest or most perfect way to do this, so if you have a better way, please, decrease the way you like)

Rw 1: *knit 7, k2tog* rep form. k to end.
Rw 2: k all stitches
Rw 3: *knit 6, k2tog* rep form. k to end.
Rw 4: k all stitches
Rw 5: *knit 5, k2tog* rep form. k to end.
Rw 6: k all stitches
Rw 7: *knit 4, k2tog* rep form. k to end.
Rw 8: k all stitches
Rw 9: *knit 3, k2tog* rep form. k to end.
Rw 10: k all stitches
Rw 11: *knit 2, k2tog* rep form. k to end.
Rw 12: k all stitches
Rw 13: *knit 1, k2tog* rep form. k to end.
Rw 14: *k2tog* to end.

Cut yarn, thread tail through the remaining loops and secure.

Tack down the flap to the base of the hat and sew on a button. Weave in all ends.

enjoy!

knitting for charity

the company i work for raises money every year to buy toys for the less fortunate children for Christmas.  this year i decided to knit a hat and sell it to someone at the office so that the proceeds would go to this charity.

here is the hat of my own design:

Yarn: Patons shetland chunky in teal

Needles: size 10 straights and dpns

pattern: my own

Button from Joann's fabrics

I knit the seed stitch portion flat with some increasing and decreasing to round out the flap. Then i bound off stitches and joined the hat in the round.  the area with the button flaps around until you pin it down with the button. i really like the way it looks.

if anyone expresses interest in the pattern i'd be happy to write one up. just let me know!

socktoberfest!

it's that time of year again...

SOCKTOBER!!!!


This is Twinkle Toes by Cookie A. the pattern is free on diynetwork.com  

yarn: socks that rock heavyweight in "in the navy"

these lovely foot and heart warming socks are my attempt to get a head start on the Christmas knitting.  this particular sock is going to my brother's girlfiend who i think reads my blog on occassion. (pretend to be surprised when you get them sarah!)

let the festivities begin!!!!