I actually came up with the pattern a couple of years ago and I have been using the arm warmers ever since.  This morning as I put them on again, it occurred to me that others may be interested in them as well.  People keep telling me I could sell them, but as knitters you know how selling what you make isn’t always practical.

You can view the Ravelry listing here and if you wish to buy the pattern for a mere  $1.99 you can buy it there or by clicking here.

Happy Holidays!

Nettie

I know I have mentioned getting away from Facebook and Facebook games before but this time I think I may have done it.  I took a break a couple of months ago and after I got over the guilt of letting my crops wilt and leaving my dragon undefended, I began to feel strangely liberated.  I felt free and realized that I had turned a game into a second job.  After all, I was darn good at it and was as expanded as much as you could be.  On both farm levels.  Could have been worse.  One of the people I played with had three identities.  Now that commitment.

I’m starting to believe that there is a time and a place to be uncommitted.

Now I am looking to be recommitted to designing and writing again and will get my spark back – once I get the joint pain under control.

It’s been said before and will remain to be true, “It sucks to get old!”  But you don’t have to let it get you down.

TTFN

Nettie

Mother’s Day to me used to be bringing you a carefully selected rose bush for your rose garden.  Every year color and variety selected for meaning; sitting in the sun on your porch; enjoying the view; and just being together.

I miss those times which seemed they could go on forever.  We never knew the last time was the last time.  Perhaps it was best we didn’t.

I know in heaven you and Dad are sitting in a rose garden and every year my heart is sending you another rose bush.  Miss you Mom and Happy Mother’s day.

Love,

Nette

A Perfect Yellow Rose by Thomas Kinkade

Going down cellar is something I generally avoid for multiple reasons that include:  phobia of falling (not unrealistic because I did it once); less than optimal banister (aggravates fear of falling);  bad knees; and that’s where the treadmill is (refer to bad knees and guilt).

But for some reason I was compelled to overcome the above issues, and gather up my snoozing felting projects and make the trek.  I did, I confess, briefly contemplate the tread mill, but opted instead to stand at the washer and stop it every few minutes to check felting progress.

My process for felting is this:  Wash dishes in the kitchen until our tank-less water heater causes the furnace to run (thus insuring the hottest water to the washing machine); start filling the washer and once the incoming water begins to turn hot, drain and start again;  add items to felt, a pair of jeans, detergent, and baking soda; agitate on regular setting; and check progress often.  I use the washer for rinsing the felted items but never allow it to spin in order to avoid artificial creases.  They never go away.  Roll projects in towels to remove excess water and air dry projects.

So finally, here’s what I felted yesterday in order of birth.

I knit the Nantasket Basket by Susan Lawrence in 2007 from yarn obtained from Knit Picks.  I recommend getting an extra ball of the handle color if you use their Wool of the Andes.  I had to improvise a bit because I didn’t have enough the handle colorway.  You can also link to Susan’s Blog entry to buy the pattern here.

I liked it so much, I made another with some stash wool.  This one didn’t get a handle at all since the stash ran out.

Next I decided to felt my Kindle Sleeve.  While I liked the sleeve a lot, I found the fabric a bit stretchy for the weight of the kindle.  This was the project that required the most monitoring because there wasn’t too much leeway to go too far and no longer have it fit a kindle.  I put a book of Kindle dimensions in a bag and partially dried it with the book in place in case it wanted to shrink while drying.

And finally my favorite item is the result of an inspiration to create a Fibonacci striped lunch bag.  It was born out of my admiration of the insulating properties of felt and wanting to use the same Fibonacci sequence I used for some laptop sleeves years earlier.

The closure was contrived using a bit of I-cord from the handle and a Blue Moon Beads glass leaf that I picked up several years ago.  Definitely speaks to the advisability of picking up items like these, even if you don’t have a purpose yet.

To my eyes, it’s almost too pretty to use for a lunch bag.  I have the notes on how to make this but have apparently put them in a “safe” place and can’t find them.  When they turn up, I will put the pattern up on Ravelry.

Back to finishing a pair of socks.  Have a great week everyone and thanks for stopping by.

Nettie

This list becomes mind numbing when you look at it in black and white.  The sad part is, this is the tip of the iceberg.  There is so much out there that I haven’t even tried and when reading the above list, keep in mind I was practicing some self control by dumping the zoo and amusement park while avoiding bingo, poker, gangster wars, scavenger hunts, virtual pets, and fairy kingdoms.

The point of this rant is that overindulging in this activity is the death of creativity.  I got involved as a distraction from being in a knitting slump.  The problem was, I was so busy distracting myself that I didn’t notice when the slump ended.  The time I used to use for thinking and evolving ideas and designs was wholly involved in considering how I would rearrange my cafe or farm.  The time I would spend talking with my husband was subverted into making sure nothing went bad on the stove in my super duper cafe or rotted in the fields of my virtual farm.  Think about this as you let your kids play these games for hours.  They are powerfully addicting and will stunt a person’s ability to be creative in valuable, tangible ways.

So I give you my latest real, tangible project.  Something that I have to show for my time.  Below is a picture of my Streaming Leaves Lace Scarf made with Malabrigo Silky Marino in Stone Chat.  The pattern is available through Ravelry from Fiber Trends or your local yarn shop.

and

By the way.  Last week I finished the Modern Log Cabin style lap blanket for my sweetie.  A little late for Christmas but close….  I skipped the edging because he didn’t want it.  May sneak one on this spring but it’s okay without it anyway.

Have a great week and thanks for listening.

Nettie

I also got some hearing aids.  When I first ordered them, I felt quite guilty for spending the money.  They are not cheap at all.  However, as soon as I started wearing them I started noticing all sorts of things I wasn’t hearing.  To name a few:  birds outside, conversations inside, and the squeaks in the floor.  I have pretty much gotten past hearing my own voice and am very happy I took this step.  I think I’ll keep them.

After I came up with this dishcloth, I found that there are other Lacy Diamond Dishcloths available.  I guess great minds think alike.  In any event, this is my version.

Using the recommended needle size of 6, this pattern will make a cloth about 7 ½” by 7 ½”.  You can have a larger cloth by using a larger needle.  Note you will also require a bit more yardage.

Materials:

Size 6 needles

45 yards of Worsted Weight Cotton

Cast on 31 stitches (Note: You can make a larger or smaller cloth by adding or subtracting stitches in multiples of 6.)

Knit 4 rows for bottom border.

Begin the Lacy Diamonds pattern.  You will always be knitting the first 3 and last 3 stitches as a garter stitch border.

Lacy Diamonds Pattern:

Multiples of 6+1

1^st row (right side): K3, *k1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, k2tog tbl; repeat from * to last 4 stitches, k4.

2^nd and every even row: K3, purl across to last 3 stitches, k3.

3^rd row:  K3, k2tog, *yo, k3, yo, [sl 1] twice, k1, p2sso; repeat from * to last 8 stitches, yo, k3, yo, k2tog tbl, k3.

5^th row:  K3, *k1, yo, k2tog tbl, k1, k2tog, yo; repeat from * to last 4 stitches, k4.

7^th row:  K5, *yo, [sl 1] twice, k1, p2sso, yo, k3; repeat from * to last 8 sts, yo, [sl 1] twice, k1, p2sso, yo, k5.

8^th row: K3, purl across to last 3 stitches, k3.

Repeat these 8 rows another 4 times.

Knit 5 rows and bind off loosely.  (I used a size 10 needle to ensure this.)

Lightly block if desired.

A PDF file for this pattern can be downloaded here.

Copyright Nettie DiLorenzo 2009

http://nettieknits1.wordpress.com or Ravelry: Nettieknits

All rights reserved.  Permission to reproduce is required.

To add insult to injury, we were supposed to leave tomorrow for a camping trip to Maine for a week.  A week that is shaping up to be one of the best weather weeks of the summer.  Granted we will have the same good weather here, but it’s just not going to be the same when your tow vehicle is now undrivable and stuck in the depths of a body shop waiting for an insurance adjuster.

Because I was on vacation next week, and no matter how shaky I felt, I needed to go to work and finish up a few things.  My husband brought me, and I still feel bad at how I had to call him and turn his “happy to hear from you” voice into one of worry.  Even though it wasn’t my fault, I feel pain that his trip was ruined too.  Everyone at work was wonderful to me and it reminds me anew about how much I like working with them.  I can’t tell you how many people were offering suggestions on how I could get a tow vehicle to use for camping.  Unfortunately, it’s not just getting a tow vehicle, but one that is up to pulling our trailer and that has the right towing package installed for proper braking.   I finally finished up my stuff around 7:30 and my husband picked me up.

So now I am trying to shake it all off and wishing that I didn’t give my Durango a personality, gender, and name.  It been fun hobby most of the time but now it’s become a habit.   I find myself wondering how “Joey” is, and wincing at the memory I have of him leaking pink radiator fluid onto the ground like a mortal wound.  I wonder and fear too that it was the last time I would drive him.  You can say that it’s just a truck and logically I agree, but we had a lot of adventures with that truck.  That truck was part of some of the best and worst camping trips we’ve ever taken, and part of the memories.

I am sorry for such a sad post.  I keep trying to find a way to go funny/amusing with it but it’s still too fresh.  Several people mentioned that everything happens for a reason, and that perhaps we were not meant to go on a trip next week.  Maybe something will happen that will allow me to agree with that.  Probably we’ll never know…..

I have a new dishcloth pattern that I would like to share.  To me, it seems to suit summer time and is listed as Foaming Waves Dishcloths here and on Ravelry.  There are two sizes in the pattern, so that individuals who prefer a smaller cloth, have that option.  The PDF can be downloaded here.

Just in case you want to see, my Kindle came in and, as an avid reader, I am delighted.  This is a Kindle:

and this is the Kindle sleeve that I designed for it:

I am pretty pleased with how it came out and will post info about the pattern once it is neatly written up.  I just spend the morning on the dishcloths and need to do some stuff around the house.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week.

Nettie