Knits For LIfe ~ Yarn Bombing

Yarn Bombing
I can't resist!  You just have to visit the above link.

Now I know you are wondering how this
came across the Odd Balls, but its from Vicki and a fun link she sent about
yarn storage at Knits For Life - not only are the storage ideas cute and clever but
Hey!  We all need more room for MORE yarn, fabric and all things textile.  Then
while you have time check out more fun things on that site, this is how I ran across
Yarn Bombing - booties for the mailbox - really!

We Are Upping Our Games

 Sox craze!   Berroco Sox sock weight yarn at the shop comes in self patterning colorways.  I got my pair knit up in a week!  This is a superwash wool and nylon blend, should wear good and wash up great.  They knit up so fast due to the constant way the color changes, you have to keep going to see what's next!

This yarn also would be amazing in a little slouchy hat!

 Vicki has her sock that she is almost finished with next to mine and we are just amazed at the colors and patterns.  

 Berroco Florete was used for these little ankle socks that Jessica finished up for her mom - Hey I missed the other sock, honest there is a pair!   Talk about soft and delicious, but they are so delicious can you hide them in a shoe or will they become the favorite tv socks!

 Candice came to our group wearing this very cool little summer cardi.  Its so similar to what others are knitting and so we were checking out the sleeve length and the trim.  Tis Adorable!   Not sure the yarn used but it has a flat ribbon effect. 

Next week we will see what progress has been made on her Summer Waves Cardi in a cool peachy salmon cotton.

OK - this is looking a bit like an anemone from the ocean.  Jessica has decided to knit with crochet cotton and add beads to her little knitted bag.  Now this is over and beyond upping your game!

You just never know what Odd thing you will find at our OddBall knitting group.

Squares Galore

 We had almost a full house on Tues. evening and Peggy has 3 blocks to go to finish the size afghan she wants for a July birthday gift.

 More and more finished squares of different types yarn and patterns are showing up.  This is made with one of the alpaca yarns.

 Candice swears this is an easy pattern but it looks quite difficult.  Love how the white shows off the pattern so well. 

 Sara brought in some cool novelty yarn - none of us are sure what application it would work for but I bet some cool trim or tassels would be interesting on a pillow perhaps.

Jennifer has been knitting from her new book -The Complete Photo Guide to Knitting by Margaret Hubert    This is her scarf she is knitting from one of the sample patterns in the book.  Turns out there were two other people who purchased this book and the thing that is so great is that it has life size patterns to see, great instruction and patterns and ideas.  Its a nice big book and both Hobby Lobby and JoAnn's has this.

Knitting Sew Much More

 Finally I have a new little update.   Summer is here, school is out, folks on vacation and trying to beat the heat and cram in knitting time too.  Its a full schedule! 

I finally got my first #18 Vogue vest done.  It has WOW factor something fierce.  Blue Heron Cotton Rayon Seed yarn in a blue green was used to knit this in a big lacy pattern with size 15 needles!  What fun.  It looked like a dishrag until it was blocked.  Adorable Millie who works in the shop was our human model and it looks fantastic on her.

Jessica is knitting some amazing ankle socks with Berroco Floret color 7609.  Its a cotton acrylic yarn made in Italy and its soft as can be.  Size #1 Needles - you go girl!

My photo of Peggy's Afghan Block is not doing her work justice.  That block is drop dead gorgious.....
Till next time.

The Dishcloth Patten from Candice

I was sure I had photos of these great dish cloths, but a couple weeks ago Candice brought in a few for us to admire and Peggy and I got one each.   I love this dish cloth, its my go to one now and  finding myself fearful of wearing it out I thought I should get busy and make a few for myself.  These are done with cotton yarn I believe Peaches N Cream is what Candice uses.   Her tip last week was if you have some really junky stiff scratchy yarn you are about to frog that works up for great shower cleaning cloths!  Cool idea!

Dish Cloth Pattern

One ball of Peaches N Cream
Size 7 straight needles

Row 1:  Cast on 4
Row 2:  K2, yo, K2
Row 3: K2, yo, k to end
Row 4 Repeat row 3 until 35 stitches on needle (or 40 if you want it bigger)

#5:  Next row, k1, K2tog, yo, K2tog, K to end

#6 Repeat row 5 until 5 stitches are left

#7 Bind off 4 stitches.
Now this is a really cool diagonal pattern you will be able to memorize pretty darn easy and looks like this:



You can also practice knit straight across if you want, remember all those patterns for your heirloom afghan!  You can even do just a garter stitch, but what lovely ideas for creative enjoyment for the kitchen chores!
Cheers!

UFO's No More

 I am so glad I took my camera to our Odd Balls group tonight.   Two UFO's (unfinished objects) are now finished!
Vicki is showing off this absolutely spectacular shawl.  There are two yarns used in this, both being held together as you knit.  One yarn is a designer yarn with great texture, metalics and variations of yarn, and the other is a light weight baby alpaca which is so ultra soft it is like a cloud. 

I don't have the pattern info for this but I am sure you could get it out of Vicki since I am pretty sure she will not be letting this out of her sight for quite some time.

 Happy Camper #2 is me and I finished in a record slow time my little summer cardigan.  It was knit up in Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece and fits good, and has a great drape I think.  Kristen finished hers last month and I just loved how hers turned out so I had to make one too.  This yarn is at the shop in several colors.   Its relatively light and can be lengthened if you want.  I like this length which is what the pattern suggested.

 I thought the pattern was easy to follow but a bit loosely written and easy for advanced beginners - No Problem!   For hours its only stockinnet stitch!  Then the little lace panel which is a row of purl and then a row of knitting two together alternating.  I mean really, you can do this!  The pattern is on Ravelry, its free, called Summer Waves Cardi
Summer Waves Cardi (not sure if this link will work since you need to sign in to Ravelry to dig around, and right now at 5:35 there are 2566 people on the Ravelry sight!   If you want a copy of the pattern drop me a note.  tobascokat@yahoo.com

 Last month Vicki and I each got a skein of the Blue Heron coveted yarn when it was on sale.  Cotton Rayon Seed.  Who knew it was going to be such a challenge to find a pattern for this and we had limited yardage too!   Because of the nature of this textured yarn anything that has a pattern is not really going to show up, so the search began for a open looking pattern with skinny yardage needed for the project.  We only have roughly 400 yards in this ball to work with.

Its funny because we both tried this yarn and ripped out what we started - heck, will this be a ball that we will store away never to be seen again!  NO!!!!  I spent 3 days on Ravely searching for a lacy vest I could use this in and finally found this pattern in an old Vogue magazine Spring Summer 2010 and the projects on Ravelry that others have done just were fantastic.  I thought to myself - this is the pattern for that yarn.   BUT the pattern was only in the magazine, the magazine must have been popular as all get out because everywhere I looked it was sold out.  Finally I located one and it came in the mail yesterday.   Got out my size #15 needles, cast on 82 stitches and now its a wait and see game.  Will this knit up and be a happy vest or not.   If nothing else the color is outstanding and coveted.
Cheers!

Bird Of 4 Stitches

 Heriloom Afghan blocks are popping up all along the knitting table now.   What once was just an idea has blossomed into some of the prettiest knitting ever.  In past posts the patterns for the blocks January - June have been posted and everyone is working on a different color theme.  This first block I believe in July and done in cream but it appears more white in this image.  Vickie, AKA Rilpey the leader and teacher has done this block.

 I believe this block is Elm Leaves or seeds and Candy AKA Fifth Avenue knitter is working in white.

 I think Sara is working cables now with this image, its hard to keep track now - the color is a really rich hare brown.

 Again I believe this is Sara's block, which is January block all finished now.  Lovely work.

 Peggy is trying to beat a deadline for finishing up her afghan, I think this might be July pattern , and it really has so much movement and texture in it that its makes me just want to reach out and touch it, just beautiful, work by Emergency Peggy!

 Postal Peggy has her January block completed too, and  works for the post office but she never goes postal with her yarn when Ripley is there to show the way.  This is the most unusual color and we all are fascinated with it as its so much prettier knitted up than in the skein!   Nice job.

Candy brought some of the coolest dish cloths she knitted in a really cool cotton yarn.  I got gifted one of these and just love it.  We all have the pattern now to make our own.  As a joke the pattern is named Bird Of 4 Stitches.   This is an inside joke and unless you are an Odd Ball you will never know the "real story"!


Cheers!