Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Habits of a Knitter and other last minute New Years things

Are you a knitter?  If you are, there's got to be some habits you know about, either you do this or you don't.  I'm one.  Here's some habits for what to do with your cable needles!!  Where do you put them when you know you are going to need them soon and you don't want to be hunting it down?

Sometimes, they fall to the floor and you've got to get up and dig for them or sift.  Some things I like to do with mine are either hang it off a knitting basket on my end table, stick it into my sweater as a lapel pin sort of.  Or I like to wear the knitted skirts I've made and I stick the needle into my skirt.

Or my afghans are good to do that too.  Plus, for me, when my cats jump up on me, their claws don't hurt so much if I've got my afghan on.  I've got two, one my Nana made once and another one I got at a yard sale.  For a while, I had to figure out which one was from my Nana and which wasn't.  I figured out hers is tighter and washed more, so that's how I can tell them apart.

There's always the mouth for putting the cable needle for a split second, but I prefer not to do that too often.  Ah, the life of a seamstress, huh?  Pins in the mouth while fixing a hem.  Or, they probably prefer having one of those wrist pin cushions.

Still want to try that Martha Stewart framed pincushion sometime.  I've got my frame, just haven't found the time to gather my velvet.  And I think she uses a certain supply for inside that will sharpen your needles.  I will have to dig it up later to see what it was.

The other habit for the cable needles is either my ear, like the pens and pencils in my ear.  I get that habit from my Dad.  We've got old pictures of him with his pen in his ear.

Today, I stuck it into the side of my hair like a barrette.  What we do so we have those by our side for the row that calls for the cable needle.

Well, there's still some hours left to this year and I'm working on trying to stay up to midnight.  I finished one headband this morning that will be ready for Etsy later on.  I've been pleasantly surprised to see a quicker sign of favoriting my items on the shop.  I'm going to make myself a regular to the community and hope my shop picks up in 2014!  I've got a little over 30 items there now and should concentrate on keeping it stocked.

I got my first art print for sale in there yesterday and someone already favorited it.  Tiger Girl!  That drawing I did a few months ago is available as an 8 X 10 print.

I decided I am ready to draw tonight before the year is out and to do some more editing to The Glorious Money Tree.  I felt good getting all the way through once and then I've gone back to the fifteenth chapter to do some more detailed editing.  I'm going to work my way through to the later chapters over the next few days and get my most recent chapters in.

But, I've been thinking of doing that drawing I wanted to finish before the year is out.  I got half a dish cloth done earlier, and an orange cabled headband for my sister for sometime.  I can finish those within the next few days probably.

My grammy's pattern:  Knitted Dishcloth

Cast on 4 stitches

on size 6 needles

Knit 2, yarn over, knit to end.

Continue in this pattern until you get to 45 sts.

Then, knit 1, k2tog, yarn over, k2tog, then knit across row.

Continue this row until you get to 4 sts left.  Bind off.

I've memorized this pattern.  I'm sure many knitters who love dishcloths probably have this pattern as it is a really basic one.

I happened to discover I had more cotton yarn than I remembered having and am going to whip up a few more of these.

Cleaned up my black marker collection and my girls are going to get a few.  I had to throw out a bunch as after a long time, the ink dries up.  My favorites are the Bic markers, fine point from the grocery store.  I think they are just as nice as the art store brands.

Well, I'm going to scoot as I've got some things I want to accomplish before the year is out!  And if I can make it to midnight without getting sleepy!!!

Coffee, coffee, coffee.  Draw, draw and draw some more.

That's another new year's resolution for me is to draw more often.  I forgot how fun it is.

Happy New Year!!

Jennifer Jo Fay

Copyrighted December 31, 2013




The half knitted dishcloth and that yellow cabled headband to the right is mine.  The basket from my youngest that the cable needle hangs from sometimes.  My J.Low cup I sometimes like to use.  The Prada headband pattern, that I've got to write on a new index card sometime.  It's getting kind of torn.  While waiting for my laundry to be done, I got the start to the dishcloth.  I love making them sometimes as they are so quick and easy.


The orange start of a cabled headband for my sister and her blonde hair.  Loving that cabled pattern and it seems to whip up quickly.  This one I am using some smaller needles for.  Size 4mm I think or one size lower.

The black fine tip marker stash.  I had to throw out some of them.  Felt good to clean things up and my tools are ready to draw shortly after this post.  I want to actually say I finished that Emily Parker drawing.  I got thinking after I do that one, I should look for some nice ones to do of the other angels from Sandy Hook.


Here's the cabled headband I finished this morning.  I was using a bulky acrylic yarn that I had gotten at a yard sale, unraveled to re use the yarn.  It's a thicker one and within the next few days I will try to have it listed on Etsy.

http://jfaypaperdolls.etsy.com/


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