knitting 101

It's Been A Long Long Time...

2010-02-09T11:28:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone. It has been far too long since my last post. Lots of personal knitting to blog about, but I wanted to start with my new batch of knitters! Today is the first day of second semester and I have 16 returning knitters and 16 brand new knitters. I paired them up today and the advanced kids are teaching the new kids how to do a slip knot, cast on and knit/purl. Next class the advanced kids will begin DPNs. Very exciting.

I designed this canvas tote bag a few weeks ago. I have been wanting to try stenciling with "freezer paper" and it was a huge success.

Seen recently at Anthropologie at the Grove. A knitted clock. Super cute and really easy to make. I was shocked by the $150 pricetag.

Shark Seen In the Palisades!

2009-10-11T14:04:00.000-07:00

This week, the big news at the beach was a great white shark that was photographed jumping out of the water! Local surf shop owner Randy Wright took all of the pictures from a kayak. Check out that height!

In honor of our newest neighbor, I crocheted a shark. Not nearly as cool as the real thing but the pattern (found at ravelry.com) was pretty easy to follow. I changed the fins to better reflect what they really look like.

This is Griffin, who comes in and has lunch with me a few times a week. If I am lucky, he brings his knitting and we eat and knit for our lunch break. He is in my Knitting class and is a beginner, but I think if he really tries he can get really good.

And finally, my Oregon Ducks flew into town and beat UCLA 24-10 yesterday. We have a 5-game winning streak and I love Saturday afternoon football games. Way to go DUCKS!

I Learned How To Crochet

2009-09-28T16:49:00.000-07:00

As a teacher, one of the best parts of my job is getting the summers off. A few summers back I built a deck off the back of the house, before that I built a knitting room in our garage. This summer I decided no major construction jobs were in the cards, but I did have a few projects in mind to keep myself busy. I wanted to learn how to crochet. I have been avoiding it for years, thinking I never needed to learn. So I sat down with Beverly at Stitching is an Art and she gave me some pointers.

These two little guys were gifts for the teachers in my summer Botany class I took at The Huntington Library.

I knitted a few gifts for them as well.
Here is another DNA baby toy for Martha, who is a DNA expert. The anatomically correct flower is a teaching tool for Mike, the other professor who is a plant expert. The coolest part of the flower model is that each part pulls down to reveal the next layer. Sadly, I didn't make one for me and I didn't write down the pattern.

Paris Yarn Shop

2009-09-18T21:36:00.000-07:00

This summer I spent some time in France. While in Paris, I was told I had to visit La Droguerie. Once we were settled I set out to find this mythical yarn shop. It was 100 degrees that day and very few places in Paris have air conditioning, so I trudged all over using weird directions I had found on the internet. Then, after 30 minutes of wandering around near St. Eustache Church, I spotted it on a tiny side street. Once inside, I was blasted by a hotter-than-outside air, but I pushed the door open. What was inside?

PARADISE!!!!
This is what greets you when you enter the shop. Both walls covered in yarn. Each hank of yarn has a #tag. You write down the # you want and go to the counter and they disappear in the back to get your selection. There are cute samples knit up with each yarn. Not just squares, but actual baby sweaters and tops. Awesome stuff! Look at that great one with the star on the chest.

This is a multi-colored bench with more yarn hanging over it. I sat down and just soaked it all in.

This is a wall (floor to ceiling) full of buttons and beads. All in perfect jars. I was tempted to run my fingers through each, just like Amelie.

FInally, jars of feathers and threads. Everything was displayed perfectly, and I wanted to buy it all.

BACK TO SCHOOL!!!

2009-09-08T15:18:00.000-07:00

After a LONG hiatus, I am back at this blogging thing. School started 09.09.09 and the kids were knitting by the end of the week. I have so much personal knitting to post, but can't wait to show you what my kids have been up to. My students will be starting off with blanket strips to get the hang of knitting and to start on their community service right away.

And your eyes do not deceive, there are actual BOYS in my class this semester! We are up to 5 boys now, and they are all doing a fantastic job of casting on and knitting blanket strips.

Speaking of fantastic knitting, here are some pics from last semester.

This first hat was done by Sarah (who is off to college this week...). It is double knit, with a pattern showing on both sides. She got the pattern from a Stitch 'N Bitch book. I love the way it is gray one way and black the other. She knit it for her dad who LOVES it and can't wait for it to cool down so he can wear it.

Next up is a hat by Gabby.

She designed it herself, wrote the pattern then knit it in a few days. I told you these kids are awesome!

Final awesome hat is by Michelle.

She designed it, using the cable book by Vogue Knitting, wrote a pattern and knit it quickly. The little bobbles (berries) are so cute!

I have more of my stuff to show off soon, as well as some Paris knitting store pics. Drool.

My Students are AWESOME!!!!!

2008-12-02T13:28:00.000-08:00

This week my students are finishing up lots of projects for themselves. Finally. I am so glad they are knitting stuff to keep. They donated over 50 baby hats and 11 bunnies to Stitches from the Heart last week. Their baby sweater final project is coming soon. It will be a set with a hat, booties and a baby sweater.

Here are a few of the finished projects this week. This is Lizzy. She is a brand new knitter and was "over" the bunnies (after making 3) and decided to tackle cables. She made this super-cute purse and even went to Michael Levine's downtown to shop for the perfect handles.

Here is a close up of her black cable purse. Super cute!

This is Iliana. She is a beginner who is such a fast knitter that I keep having to come up with new projects to challenge her.

Here is a close up of the purple cable purse. Love it!!!!

Here is Hannah in a hat she knit out of chenille yarn. Very pretty.

And finally, here is Erin. My most advanced knitter. I wanted her to try entrelac knitting, so she did this headband. The pattern is from Knitty.com It was foggy and chilly yesterday so her headband kept her ears nice and warm. I love this pattern and plan to knit a few as x-mas gifts.

Buddha and all things felted

2008-11-23T17:02:00.001-08:00

A few weeks have past since my last post. I went out of town to visit my cousins and family in Arizona. I delivered all of the fair isle hats and am now finished with the big project I have been working on for the past few weeks. I love felting and I have recently learned to love fair isle, so I decided to combine these 2 into one monster project. First, I charted a buddha image. Then I ordered yarn for the job. I chose Knit Picks Wool of the Andes. This stuff felts perfectly. I have never had a problem, and it comes in all sorts of colors. Next was to start knitting the bag. Oh yeah, I decided to put the Buddha image on the face of a purse. Reading the chart was really hard since there are no repeats! Just follow it row by row. 122 rows in all! As the bag grew, so did the pile of knitting on my lap wherever I went! This project reminded me why I like to knit small things. My favorite project is one that fits in my purse.
Here is Charlie with the bag before felting...

And here it is after felting. It measures about 13" x 15" and is the perfect size for my gym clothes or a knitting project.

This afternoon I was thinking of a way to combine knitting with beads and felting. I decided to knit a swatch of the leftover wool with some chunky beads I got from Ellene. My idea is to design a bag with the beads embedded in the felt, to give it a bumpy feel.

The swatch before felting...

After felting.

Not the exact result I was hoping for, but it is interesting. The beads are on top of the fabric (except the one that was pushed through to the purl side and felted that way). I don't think this would look good on a purse. They look sewn on after the fact. Definitely not what I was going for. Oh well, back to the drawing board. If anyone has any suggestions, please pass them along.

Ahh, Halloween. This year I dressed up as part of a group costume. 3 students and I were the dance crew Jabbawockeez. That is me on the far left with the handkerchief around my calf. All of the kids at school knew who we were...none of the adults did.

Here is a picture of the Obama lantern I carved this year. I didn't get any good pics of it lit up.

My class has knit so much lately. I have 2 huge bags to drop off at Stitches from the Heart this week. I will try to photograph it at work tomorrow so I can post their donations. Up next for them is to begin working on holiday ornaments. There is a "holiday tree" in my classroom (goes up right after Thanksgiving) that they can decorate. I encourage them to make ornaments to put on top of gifts they will give this year. People love that!

Happy crafting.

Fair Isle Hats and Charlie's Halloween costume

2008-10-26T16:47:00.000-07:00

First things first. My knitting class is so amazing this semester. These girls (no boys this time, sadly) are fast knitters and are genuinely interested in learning new stuff. Most are still working on their baby hats (they have 3 due by Nov. 7th) but there are a few girls who whipped out their hats in a weekend and are hungry for more. I tossed out the idea of this cute but simple bunny. Basically, you knit a square then with the magic of seaming, you turn it into this precious little bun bun. I am making a family of them, a mommy, daddy and 4 little babies. This is one of the babies. About the size of a tangerine. I found the pattern years ago and made a few when I was just learning the basics. The kids are gaga for them and more and more are appearing each day (sorta like real bunnies, right?) We have pink ones, brown, fluffy blue and rainbow. Once they are sewn up into pocket pets, I will show their work off.

My latest projects have been hats. Lots and lots of hats. No idea why. I do know why, but am embarrassed to say. I have fallen in love with a new yarn. Maybe it is just a crush, too early to know for sure. The new yarn in my life is Berroco Comfort. Don't get me wrong, Bernat's Satin still has a secure place in my heart as the best baby toy yarn, but this Comfort is a dream. Knits up so soft and the color choices are great. One thing I love is that the skein seems to never have an end. I have made a few more Swell earflap hats, like the one in my last post. The first one is using the Swell chart.

Then I decided to try my hand at chart design. I did a repeating jolly roger skull and crossbones...

...and a repeating heart pattern that I have been drawing since i was a little girl. I used to fill pages of notebook paper with rows of these hearts, then color them in with markers. It was nostalgic and comforting (oh, using Comfort yarn!!!!) to knit this hat last night.

...then I decided to try a non-repeating chart. I did one hat with Obama '08 on one side and Biden '08 on the other. I love the result but let me tell you, writing this chart then actually having to use it was no walk in the park. But it was worth the experience, right?

Finally, Charlie Brown can't decide who he wants to be for Halloween. We want him to be the Dark Knight...

...but he is secretly leaning towards The Joker.

My Halloween costume is still a secret. I'll post pictures after the big day. This year I am part of a group costume with a few of my students. I am really excited about it since it is EASY and requires no tattoos unlike Amy Winehouse last year. Also, no wig! Have a great week. Hope to see you at SnB at Farmer's Market this week. Looking forward to the costumes and the yummy treats.

Blanket Donations!

2008-10-12T15:36:00.000-07:00

The kids have finally finished their baby blankets. I took pics of the blankets with each knitter who contributed to that blanket. There are a few stragglers, so I hope to have 3 more blankets by tuesday.

The kids are doing great and eager to move on to baby hats. Almost everyone has started a hat and I am hoping for 90 hats to donate by the end of the month. I dropped off 5 hats with these blankets on Friday to Stitches From the Heart and Stitching Is an Art. It had been WAY too long since I sat at the table and heard the shop news. Nancy and Sandy are doing well, knitting and crocheting up a storm. I hit the giant sale wall and bought up a few dozen skeins of terrycloth yarn. The kids will make plush toy bunnies with this beautiful yarn, so watch for tons of little bunnies in the coming months.

My advanced knitters (2 this semester) are tackling knitty.com projects. Cristyn is sewing her Sheldon turtle together, and Erin is working on Swell. To help Erin understand the concept of knitting with 2 yarns, I decided to try the hat myself. Here is my version.

This hat is cool, there is a subtle peace sign on each earflap, and the waves are connected and roll all around the hat. I love it so much that I am already finishing up my 2nd one, in purples. I will post pics of Erin's progress next time.

Tubby by Mochimochiland

2008-10-05T15:56:00.000-07:00

As you might already know, I have an obsession with amigurumi knitting. This is my latest completed project, Tubby by Mochimochiland.

Not sure why I need a knit bathtub with bubbles, but I just do. Some of you are nodding your heads in agreement. Others are questioning my sanity. Just look at the bubbles close up! Super cute!
The pattern called for something like 25 bubbles. At first I was enamored and never wanted to stop knitting these tiny delicacies, but by the end, I was counting down to the final one. Last night while watching USC stomp all over my Oregon Ducks I finally finished the last one. Today I assembled the whole thing and boy did it take a lot of stuffing. I knit this on size 7 needles. I recommend trying a 6 of even a 5. I think mine is too loose and floppy. Next time (not sure when this will be) I might do it on 4s, for a baby tub.

At school. the baby blankets are whipping together quickly and I should have 10 or so to take over to Stitches From the Heart by the end of the week. Of course I will photograph them with their knitters before we donate them.

Did anyone see this funny article? An elderly knitter/criminal was ordered to knit sweaters as part of her punishment. Funny stuff.

Happy knitting.

karyn

A Few Of My Addictions...

2008-09-08T17:44:00.000-07:00

I am going to be on TV this Monday, Sept. 22 at 3:30 pm on Fox channel 11. If you don't live in LA, check your local listings for the show. It is a game show called Trivial Pursuit: America Plays. Watch and see if I win!!!!! I love game shows and have been on a few in the past few years. This was the most fun, since trivia is sort of my obsession.

My dad came over last weekend and brought a big box of dusty stuff for me to go through. Inside I found some treasures! My grandma was an avid knitter (we spent so many afternoons at Super Yarn Mart in the Valley) who knit baby stuff for me throughout my childhood. He brought a few baby sweaters she had knit for me. They are a bit stained (I must have been a messy eater) and worn, but they are so dear and I am glad to have them back. She embroidered a lot as well, and this sweater has a row of little flowers down the front. I took a bunch of the sweaters to work to show the kids. They couldn't believe that they might be able to make something like this some day.

This new group has so much potential and I am excited for them to finish their first project. They are all knitting furiously and many have completed their first strip. They are knitting 2 strips that will be sewn together to make baby blankets. With 28 new kids knitting 2 strips each, I am hoping we will have at least 11 baby blankets to donate to Stitches From the Heart at the beginning for October. I will post pics of that as soon as they are finished.

One of my advanced knitters, Erin, said she wanted to knit a chicken. I suggested the "Which Came First? Chicken or Egg" toy from a past issue of Craft. I brought the magazine in and she fell in love with the reversible toy. I told her I would knit along with her, since she seemed to think it might be too hard for her to do on her own. I am a little bit faster than Erin, and I finished my chicken on Friday. Here is my version, both poses. I'll post pics of Erin's once she is done.

Finally, since it is back to school time, the kids are all decked out with new gear. THIS awesome backpack walked into my room the other day and I needed to photograph it. Alex told me that part of the sale price goes to helping stop shark fishing for Shark Fin Soup. I love this!

BACK TO SCHOOL!!!

2008-09-03T08:06:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is that time again. First day of school. Usually the kids say YUCK! but these kids are saying YEAH! because they are enrolled in Knitting at Pali High! This looks like another fun group of community service-doers, risk-takers, fun-havers, lesson-learners...ok you get my point.

Huge thanks to those of you who have sent me boxes and dropped off yarn and stuff for the kids. Melinda came by school this afternoon with a treasure trove of goodies. I met Nancy this past weekend (turns out we are neighbors) and she gave me a big bag of yarn. You have all been so fabulous to us throughout the years and our success is due to you. THANKS!

I can't wait to get the knitting club going again. We usually have another 40 knitters there, so all together we should have over 100 knitters this year!

After my summer off (from blogging and school work) I have a few things to show for my time away. I took a machine knitting class at Otis and love it! I have been designing a few sweaters for an evening wear collection that a friend is working on. My sweaters are not as cool as her gowns, but they sort of make the dresses be more funky and hip, less formal gowns. Can't wait to show you some pics.

I have also been working on a home improvement project all summer. My dad and I built a deck in my backyard. We used composite lumber which is made with recycled plastic and sawdust from mills. Totally recycled! Here is a before and a few after shots. This kept us occupied for 6 weeks. There was a steep learning curve and I have come away with such a respect for construction workers. We were beat at the end of each day because we did all of the work (including the landscaping) on our own.

BEFORE: old deck was 8 feet deep and was a waste of space. never used.

UP ON THE DECK: now I have room for a big table, chaise lounges, a BBQ and dance floor if we want it! 500 sq. feet

LANDSCAPING: so much prettier than before. I am a huge fan of bark chips!

Happy Father's Day

2008-06-15T21:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was WWKIP and I did so at the Farmer's Market with some really cool ladies. That WeHo group is so much fun! Thanks for welcoming me with open arms. Ellen even helped my with my WIP, an Alien, by crocheting the eyes for me. She is awesome!

I took Dad out for dinner at Todai, an all-you-can-eat seafood and sushi buffet place at the Beverly Center. He was in heaven. I was, on the other hand, really full and uncomfortable after my plate of yummy sushi followed by a strawberry and cream crepe. Yep, they have made-to-order crepes. Really cool. Our evening wasn't over yet, as Dad wanted to buy a Buddha statue for the garden. We went to Pier 1, where I just knew they would have exactly what we were looking for. Sadly, they did not. At 8:45 on a Saturday night, we were not prepared to admit defeat. We raced across Hollywood, through Silverlake, into downtown, took a left at Chinatown, and found ONE SHOP still open. Dad got the perfect garden Buddha and we headed back to my house to reflect on our successful mission. It was a fun night, Dad, thanks for always keeping it interesting. Love you!

In other news, I bought a knitting machine. The LK 150 pictured in my last post. I am determined to figure this sucker out. I practiced for a few hours and have this to show for it!

OK, I know it doesn't seem like I know anything, but that bit there on the right? That is real progress!

It is that time of year for me to bid farewell to my senior knitters. It pains me to see them go, but i LOVE the time we spent together, knitting and learning. These kids really make my job meaningful and fulfilling.
This is Brittany and Orchideh, two of my seniors. Brit (on the left) is holding a bacteria rattle I made, and Ochideh is showing off the Spongebob toy she INVENTED! She said she couldn't find a pattern so she made one up! Oh, really? That's easy enough, go for it!

Next up is Amanda. Ah, Amanda. She is on Ravelry and is always searching for new patterns to challenge herself. This is a little bird that she knit a few months ago. She is so fast! She can whip out two of these little dudes in one class period!

Amanda was also one of the first kids to try the Sheldon turtle from knitty.com Here is an orange version:

I am really proud of my knitters this year. Not only have they donated more items than any previous class, but they have advanced the furthest and learned the most. Goodbye seniors! Keep knitting!

As for my own knitting, I have been slowly finishing toys and such this week.
This is a set of baby rattles modeled by 1-day old Josh! I went to visit him in the hospital on Friday. A good friend from work made him! We are so proud and the happy family is now at home and comfy.

This is my attempt at the Robot doll by Jess Hutchison. I saw her toys on the cover of Craft magazine and was sad to see that the pattern was not inside. I wrote to her to buy the pattern, but it is no longer available. So, I drew out what I wanted, using her photos as a guide, and I knit one up (I actually made 2, but the second is armless). This is a prototype, since I messed up the seams and I think the body doesn't look quite right.

Charlie has been sick this week, moping on the couch and getting to eat human food. Ah the life. Here he is in a typical pose at the end of the couch in Mike's office, watching "daddy" work.

Happy Father's Day!

Machine Knitting Class and more!

2008-06-08T11:39:00.001-07:00

Thursday night I took the first in a 10-class series of Intro. to Machine Knitting. i really thought that my hand knitting experience would come in handy (heehee) but it turns out that machine knitting is NOTHING like hand knitting. Unfortunately. So, I sat down at the drafting table with the big piece of equipment strapped to it, and i was immediately intimidated. By the end of the 3-hour class I had made tons of mistakes and a few small swatches. What I love: how fast it goes when you are doing it right. The evenness of the stitches. What I don't love: casting on, trying to fix dropped stitches, binding off. I keep reminding myself how frustrating it is to learn to knit. I see it on the faces of my students each time I teach them something new. There are women in my class who are there for the 4th, 5th and 6th times. They are still trying to master it. Can I do it? The appeal is this: being able to come up with a sweater design then voila! it pours out of this machine with a few swipes of the carriage. I know there is more to it than that, decreasing and increasing, but I think I get it and with more practice I can really get into it.

All of that said, I want to buy a LK-150 Silver Reed knitting machine. I am looking to borrow one at first, make sure I like it. If any of you know of one floating around out there gathering dust, I would like to talk to you. I promise to be gentle with it and return it in great condition. At the end of the class I am hoping to buy my own machine, but I can't quite commit just yet. Big purchase, you know.

Hand knitting update: I just finished the Hansigurumi Deep Sea Angler Fish. This one was great to knit. I made a few modifications for myself, but the pattern, as always, was a pleasure to work with.

I am not sure what is next to cast on. There is a cute alien toy at ravelry that I might try. I have lots of bright colors in lamb's pride bulky that I can use up.

School is almost finished, 2 weeks to go, and that means my knitting students will be turning in their final sweater sets. I hope to have them all delivered to Stitches from the Heart by the end of next week.

Have a great week and don't forget next Saturday is Knit In Public Day. Go out and knit!

Monsters and a few cute sweaters

2008-06-01T15:25:00.000-07:00

I always feel like such an older version of myself when i catch these words coming out of my mouth..."I can't believe it is June already!" and "where has the time gone?" OK, I am starting to come to terms with the fact that time does pass more quickly now that I am no longer a kid. But, really, when did this happen? As a teacher, i am always eager for summer to get here, but I feel like this year it has snuck up on me. I honestly still have Christmas gifts to return. Late last week, I realized that I needed to get my summer project planned. See, each summer I pick something that I am going to learn to do, or repair or make better in my life. One summer, long ago, it was to learn to knit. Two summers ago, Dad and I built the knitting oasis out in the garage. For awhile there, it looked like this summer's project was going to be me building a new fence between our house and our northern neighbor. Dad and I still might get that done too, but I really needed something to DO that would be mine and would be fun.
I googled different types of classes that I am interested in and found a Machine Knitting class at Otis College. Otis is an art school near LAX that has an awesome Continuing Ed. program.
My official summer project is to learn how to use my knitting machine. And I will do it in 10 weeks. 10 classes, 3 hours each, and my utmost determination. Should be enough. If any of you are interested in signing up for this course, it begins this Thursday evening, 7-10 pm. Give Otis a call and you might be able to register over the phone. The teacher has knitting machines for us to borrow and she also sells them at wholesale.

I have some finished projects to post. Here is the Daisy sweater written by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. One of my knitting prodigies, Brittany, knit this for a family friend. This is a pretty cute baby wearing a wonderful sweater. I am sad to see Brittany leave my knitting class, but I am so proud of her accomplishments and her desire to challenge herself when picking out her next project.

Here is an update of the companion cube I posted a few weeks ago. This is Griffin, the kid I knit the cube for. He LOVED it!

This is the Wonderful Wallaby sweater knit in cotton 2-ply (blue and white). I am keeping this sweater for a kid I might have one day. This sweater is what inspired me to become a better knitter. Years ago, when I only had one knitting friend (her name is Marcy) I was always so jealous that she could read patterns and actually make more than scarves. She was working on this sweater (a bigger version for herself) and I was in awe of the front pocket and how she just made it appear out of nowhere! YEars have gone by and I have since been let in on a few of the knitting secrets. The biggest secret so far? Don't be afraid of a pattern. Just try it. If you are afraid, do not ACT like you are afraid. No one will notice.

This is the latest Hansigurumi design to fly off my needles. It is the Loch Ness monster, of course. I LOVE the way her patterns are written. The shaping is perfection. The face is adorable and there is always so much personality in the finished animal.

I finally have completed my version of the flying spaghetti monster. This one is for a student named Chauncey. We made a deal. If he earns an A this semester I will knit him something, my choice. I chose this strange creature and I can't wait to give it to him.

Amigurumi toys!

2008-05-25T11:20:00.001-07:00

As you may have noticed, I am obsessed with Amigurumi. It is a Japanese word that literally means "knitted stuffed toy". I am now on Ravelry (add me as a friend! I am "knitting101") and have spent hours looking through all of the awesome patterns out there. I have been buying patterns from "Hansigurumi" on Etsy.com I love her patterns and the shaping is out of this world. Hansi is a fairly new knitter who is definitely making up for lost time. Her creativity and skill amaze me with each new pattern. She currently has 16 patterns on Ravelry, but only a hndful of these are currently being sold on etsy. If you see something you want the pattern for, I suggest emailing her from etsy and she will make it available. I can't wait for her next pattern!

Here are a few things I have been knitting lately.

This is by far the most difficult toy i have knit so far. The Hansigurumi Hermit Crab. The legs are each knit separately, then sewn into the opening of the shell. The face and eyes are done last and sew in on top of the legs. It was sort of a mess the first time I assembled it, so I took the entire thing apart and added pipecleaners to each leg. This allowed me to move the legs into position, so that they lay down correctly.

Next is a jelly. This guy was EASY and so fun. Shaping the bell was beautiful, and the frill around the outside is perfect. I think the next one will have multi-colored tentacles.

This is a teat for me. As a Marine Biologist, of course I have a favorite sea creature. Surprising to most is that my favorite animal is actually a sea slug! They are so beautiful and come in every color of the rainbow, plus their body forms are limitless. Hansi designed this one to be like a "Spanish Dancer" sea slug. I changed the colors to match a lucky baby's new nursery, but the final slug looks pretty close to real life. I love the antennae as well as the external gills that are coming out of the back. Perfect!

I have made Hansi's octopus (last post) so this time I tried her squid. Some of you may remember my giant squid hat from a few years ago, but this little guy is more hand-held toy. I didn't use any pipecleaners, so a baby could play with it and not get poked. More of these will be knit for sure. I used Lamb's Pride bulky ad got a bigger squid. The eyes are great, so exactly what squid look like.

This last toy is an amigurumi but the pattern is not designed by Hansi. This one is from Susan B. Anderson. It is called "Elefante" and I found it for free on ravelry.com A group of my students are also making this one, some are using it as their final project. I chose to do mine in different colors, again for a lucky new baby I have yet to meet. I work with her mom and ned to go meet little Molly soon. I'll take her an elephant.

I have a ton of stuff still to post about, but I want to spread it out to another post. My students are working on their final knitting projects and I will post their work as soon as I get them turned in. Enjoy this 3-day weekend!

Gifts I Have Given

2008-05-10T21:11:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post some pics of the cutest kids I know. My cousin Kristyn's daughters got a care package of cupcake hats last week, and their talented mom (who is a professional photographer ) sent me some pics.

This is Chayse, the middle daughter.

Brooklyn is the baby.

Big sister Weslie.

Also, Ellery up in Portland (her mom, Jen, was my college roommate and life-long friend) is seen here modeling the roll neck sweater I knit with hand-dyed yarn. Check out the matching hat. I made the hat for Jen, but Elllery thought it looked better as a set.

I have finished some pretty cool new toys. I'll post pics in a few days.

Happy Mother's Day everyone!

Ravelry.com

2008-04-23T21:51:00.000-07:00

hey everyone,
I am finally on ravelry.com! I LOVE IT!!!!! I have already spent hours pouring over all of the patterns for toys.

Look for me on ravelry as "knitting101". Anyone have any tips on cool stuff to do on the site? Right now I am still navigating.

:)
karyn

Octopus and Companion Cube...what?

2008-04-19T21:30:00.000-07:00

Now that the baby shower season has past (see previous posts) I am knitting for myself again. Or so I thought. I set out at the beginning of the week to knit up some super-cute amigurumi octopus. I purchased the pattern on etsy.com and have been trying to find time for them for months now. The time has finally come. I knit up three of them, in various colors, and can't get enough. They are pretty easy to do. Each tentacle takes about 5 minutes, then assembling them and adding the body takes a few hours. This is a one-day project for sure.

I am getting requests for these little guys, but all are spoken for, they will find a place of honor in the knitted aquarium in my classroom. I also have patterns for a small squid, a cuttlefish and a dumbo octopus. Not to worry, all of these will be in the aquarium someday. One of my favorite parts of this pattern has to be the head shaping. I love how organic it looks. Also, I love the way each tentacle curls a bit at the end. I didn't put anything in them, they just naturally do that.

A few months ago, one of my favorite students (he is reading this...hi Griffin!) asked me to knit him something. I said I would if he pulled his grades up in Marine Biology. Well, he did, so I had to follow through. I asked what he wanted, thinking he would like a nice, simple beanie or something like that, but he had a very specific item in mind. A knitted companion cube. Not really knowing what this was, I agreed. Turns out it is one of the most challenging projects to date. 3-color fair isle, knit in the round, with spacers between each side of the cube. So, I knit this strange looking tube. Seen here with the guts showing.

Then, I ran it through the sewing machine a few times, to strengthen the seams and help keep it from unraveling. Then, I CUT IT INTO 6 PIECES. It was pretty tough to do. Cutting something that I spent hours working on. I took my too-sharp Gingher shears and CUT.

Then I spent my Saturday evening seaming the sides together. I cut squares of high density foam and layered them into the knit box.

Once the last piece of foam was settled in, I seamed around the last 4 edges.

The result is a strange not-quite-square "thing" that is exactly what he wanted. I am unclear as to the purpose of this item, Griffin says it is a cube that you carry with you in video games. So I said, oh, like a security blanket when you play? Nope, more like a virtual friend. The cube is actually an image that appears within the game, not in real life. Until now. Now Griffin will be the envy of all of his friends, as he now has his very own, non-virtual knitted companion cube. Enjoy it, and remember that we have a test on Monday.

The Last of the Baby Showers...for now

2008-04-11T17:03:00.000-07:00

The last of the baby showers is tomorrow. BUT, another friend at work just announced her pregnancy. Seriously, an epidemic at our school. Here is a picture of the diaper cake for baby Josh. Since we know he is a boy, it was so much easier to come up with stuff to knit. I made him a "j" sweater with roll neck and raglan sleeves. This might be my new favorite sweater. Whips up in a few evenings. Also pictured here, the "guess the birthday" calendar for the shower tomorrow. If you guess closest to actual delivery time, you win a huge gift basket full of fun stuff. This shower has close to 80 people coming, so we decided to skip the typical baby shower games and the gift opening, and treat it more like a BBQ. There will even be a pinata! The weather looks great, so the party should be awesome.

Here is a close up of the "j" sweater. I am gifting it on a bear I bought at an after Easter sale. Love those sales!

The banana rattle has a few new friends. Corn on the cob rattle and eggplant rattle. Don't they all seem really happy to be together? I got the patterns for corn and banana from Kimberly Chapman's website, but I invented the eggplant pattern on my own. It was really fun! Not sure what fruit or veggie I will attempt next. If anyone has any suggestions...
Also, check out the pretty flowers Mike sent me for our 5 year anniversary. So sweet!

This is what is in the wash right now. I was doing a KAL with one of my students, Amanda. We chose an entrelac purse pattern from Felted Handbag Workshop and set to work. The pattern has 6-7 different purses and we each chose a different one. This is my "before" picture. I was hoping the base would be bigger, so I am afraid this might turn into a make up bag or a knitting needle bag. Amanda felted her bag and I will post pics of her finished product next time.

Next up for me? I am working on a few more marine biology animals for my knit aquarium. Currently on the needles (my multi-colored wood knit picks dpns) is a blue ringed octopus. Hope to have pics in the next few days.

Went to Stitched From the Heart on Wednesday and dropped off 2 huge shopping bags of scarves, hats and sweaters. The kids are furiously knitting, as their community service hours are due by the end of May. Each student needs 10 hours per year (40 hours total) in order to earn a diploma from our school. I love this service requirement. It teaches the kids the importance of giving back. The kids are so proud when they turn in an item for donation. I am pretty proud of them all as well.

Baby Showers every weekend!

2008-04-06T11:53:00.001-07:00

Hey all,
Seems like I am on baby shower overload. There is a baby shower every weekend this month! Yikes! We have a record number of pregnant women at work. So many that the local paper is writing an article about the baby boom at our school.
Last weekend we threw our boss, Amy, a baby shower in Topanga. A beautiful day and a fun crowd. I made a diaper cake and wrapped it in tulle. I love it and was sorta sad to give it up.
With no tulle...

With tulle...

Here we are with the mommies-to-be. Amy and Julie are preggers, Maggie and I threw the party. Baby Fin is the cutest, by far. Julie's party is this saturday. Watch out for more diaper cake and many more knit surprises!

Of course we dined in style. We had homemade quiche, scones, salads and cheese plates.

Tea and lemonade completed the brunch

Little Fin modeling my latest gift, a simple hat made form some hand-dyed yarn I got at the yarn exchange at Farmer's Market SnB.

I have a ton more to blog. So much more that I have knit. I sent a few boxes with knitted gifts to some friends with kids and am awaiting pictures to post.

Up next? I am knitting a corn on the cob and turning it into a rattle. For a shower. This weekend. Gotta go knit!

New Group of Knitters

2008-03-02T16:57:00.000-08:00

Spring semester has sprung and I have 35 knitters to show off. 16 are returning (a few for the third time). Here is a group of pictures from class last week.

This first group is affectionately known as the "soccer girls". They are on the team and this year made it pretty far in the playoffs. Way to go, girls! They are all returning knitters, and are currently finishing up cupcake hats.

Here is LaTijera, she is in her 3rd semester of knitting. Here she is working on a cabled beret on dpns. She also has a matching scarf and will do a purse for the set next.

This group is made up of all new knitters. They are learning the basics and working really hard. I am excited to see what fun scarves they design for their next project.

Another few new knitters. Check out their yarn color choices. Very nice. They are all knitting squares for baby blankets that we will donate to Stitches From the Heart.

Remi and Tiffany. They are new to the class and new to knitting. They went out the first day and splurged on supplies like luxury yarn and neat needles.

Here is Sarah and a few more returning knitters. They are making sure she understands the basics...knit and purl. sarah is a fast learner and has already moved onto the scarf design project.

Here is Breanna using the swift to wind a hank of yarn. She has designed the coolest scarf! It is red, yellow and green and will have a peace sign in knits and purls repeated in each color change. I can't wait to see her progress.

Bridget: cupcake hat knitter extraordinaire! She has finished the cupcakes and moved on to a beret in black. The Boho beret by Shanitta. So many of the kids have been knitting it.

Jordan and the girls. He is a returning knitter and loves to knit presents for his girlfriend. So sweet.

I have been knitting a lot lately as well. So many cupcake hats! So many friends having babies! I decided I needed a break from the baby hat and dove into the banana rattle. Naturally.

The banana actually is knit in 2 pieces, and can come completely out of the peel. I stuffed it and added some jingle bells. It is for a friend who is due in June.

I want to thank all of the generous knitters at the WeHo SnB last week who donated 4 huge bags of yarn to my kids. I have been passing out various fun balls of yarn for them to sample. What a sneeky way to get them hooked on knitting! We are corrupting the youth of America. heehee...thanks again!

This is a batch of berry tarts I made a few days back. Blueberry and apples. Delish!

Stuff Is Flying Off The Needles

2008-02-01T16:41:00.000-08:00

Howdy all. My students have finished up their final projects, and I am so proud to report that we donated 18 baby sweaters, 42 baby hats and 27 pair of baby booties to Stitches From the Heart.

This past semester, my knitters were so motivated! Luckily, 17 of them are back for Spring semester, so we have a lot of wonderful knitting to look forward to. All of the advanced kids will start by learning double pointed needles, and will be making the umbilical cord hat from Stitch N' Bitch. Cute hat, plus it is easy to personalize with color changes and duplicate stitch. There are also 16 brand new knitters joining the class. Today was their first day in class and the energy in the room was HIGH. These kids are really excited to learn how to knit next week. I can't wait to teach them! I will post pictures of the new kids next week, learning the basics. Remember those days?

OK, so here is what is new from moi. A good friend at work is having a baby and I wanted to knit something unusual for her, but something that she would actually use. I am not one to do a big blanket so I chose this...

...a DNA model. Complete with color-coded base pairs. Little Nathan isn't due to arrive until June, hope I can wait that long to give it to her. I am throwing her a baby shower (word got out that I am good at it) so will present it to her then. My friend is the AP Biology teacher at Pali, so this DNA toy is the perfect baby toy for her and the baby. I feel like she will play with it more than the baby! Heehee.

Next is a lobster.

I have been looking for some new animals to add to the huge knit aquarium in my classroom, and I don't have any crustaceans. This pattern is good, very clearly written, knit flat (not my preferred method) and turned out super cute. I added the antennae since all lobsters have them.

Last item to share is this seahorse.

Good story behind this guy. I have recently learned about something called Amigurumi. This is the Japanese art of knitting (or crocheting) small stuffed animals. Who knew there was a word for what I love to do? I got this pattern from a cool woman on Etsy. In addition to the seahorses, i also bought patterns for squid, octopus, cuttlefish and a dumbo octopus (that will be my next amigurumi, btw) from her. Her patterns are complicated but not confusing. Sidney (his official name) required kitchener's stitch (not my favorite) so I brushed up on this technique and settled in for the task. After repeating it 48 times, I have it down pat. This guy will have 5-6 seahorse friends and will be presented to my boss (who is also having a baby in June) as a seahorse mobile to hang in the nursery. Any suggestions on how to construct a mobile? Send me a comment! I need help!

I am putting the finishing touches on a set of cupcake hats for my cousin in Arizona. Her 3 adorable girls NEED cupcake hats. Stat! Kiki, they are on the way soon, I promise! Once I get the sprinkles stitched on, I will post pics then package them up for shipment. It is on the agenda for tonight.

Fianlly, my dad came over last weekend and we cooked. I love this habit we have fallen into. We made mushroom risotto, rosemary chicken and for dessert...

...berry cobbler. Holy cow! This was so much fun to do. I used my brand new food processor (x-mas gift from Mike) to make the crust dough and the berries were so simple! Plus, the resulting little tarts were so perfect with a little vanilla ice cream that we all ended up eating way too much. Delish!

I am a terrible Blogger!

2008-01-16T08:56:00.000-08:00

It has been almost 2 months since my last post. Please forgive me...
the holidays, being sick, moving my best friend to Chicago, teaching, taking down that darn x-mas tree...it is all too much!

Now I am back at school with finals fast approaching (need to write my finals this weekend) and I wanted to show off some of my December knitting.

First up, the fair isle beret from the current Knitty.com I chose tiffany box blue with white and knit it for Andi to wear in Chicago. I messed up reading the chart (my first time with charting) but loved the experience of knitting with two yarns. I highly recommend it!

Next off my needles was an old favorite. I made a penguin (also from knitty archives) for myself. A few years ago I made these for everyone's kids, but never one for me. Sometimes you have to knit for yourself. I never do. This guy will be part of our Christmas decor for years to come.

The final dinosaur. Also the only one I kept from the series. I gave the other 4 away as Christmas gifts, but the triceratops was just too cute to part with. These patterns, from Jimmy Bean Wool, are awesome and easy to read. I will definitely make them again some day.

And finally, I made a cupcake hat. This is the first attempt and I was very pleased with the result. The second one I made is even better! I added sprinkles! Pic coming soon, on a baby! This will have to do for now, I gave this one away to our housekeeper who has a 3 year old girl. Everyone looks good wearing a cupcake!

That about catches me up to the end of December. I have been busy knitting in January but not photographing anything, so there is a big pile of FOs to shoot. I'll post again soon.

Knitting class update: the kids are rushing to finish their baby sweater sets for their final. Everything is due by Jan. 29th, so I will have lots to show from them soon.

Happy new year to all!

Keeping Busy Knitting...

2007-11-18T18:51:00.000-08:00

I finished an entrelac scarf a few weeks back but am just now getting around to posting pics of it. I was really intimidated when I began this project, but my motto when knitting is to always try something that seems a bit too hard for me. At least that way I know I will learn something along the way. This scarf is from knitty.com and was designed by a man. I LOVE it when guys knit, and I LOVE telling my students that this beautiful scarf is man-made. Heehee. Mine is woman-made, but you get the idea. Turns out that entrelac is FUN! I added a little splash if pink to keep it interesting. LaTijera is knitting one in class, so I will post pics once she finishes.

Last weekend I was at Banana Republic and saw this hat:

I instantly fell in love then checked the price tag. $49.50 for a ribbed hat with a garter stitch border sewn on and a button that is purely decorative? Hey, I said to myself (I might have said it aloud, since I was getting some stares as I stood there in the accessories section), I could knit that. I took a few stealthy photos with my iphone and wrote out a pattern.

Here is my first attempt:

I hate how pointy the top is and the band is a little too tight, so I tried again.

Their hat, on a model:

My second hat, on me:

I still need to add the decorative button, but you get the idea. I think I solved the pointy top issue, and the pattern is very cute and flapper-like.

Here is the pattern, sort of:
size 8 straight, dpns and circular needles
worsted weight yarn (I used Bernat Satin)
tapestry needle

Hat:
CO 100 sts. Join in the round and knit 1x1 rib for 25 rounds. Place a marker every 25 sts (I use a diff. color for the first marker).
Decrease row: *k2tog, knit to 2 before next marker, ssk*, repeat around.
Rib one round.

Repeat these 2 rounds until you have 5 sts in each section (total of 20 sts).

Cut yarn and pull through the 20 sts and cinch up.

Brim band:
CO 110 sts (straight needles).
Garter st for 2".
Bind off loosely, leaving a really long tail once you tie off the last st. Use this tail to sew the band to the edge of the hat (I used a whip st). Be sure to line up the sts from the ribbing (stretch the ribbing a bit) to the sts from the garter st. The band should overlap itself for about 2". Sew on a matching button onto this overlap.
Voila!

Short week at school this week, only 2 days, but I hope to have some more finished projects to show you soon. The kids are starting to think about holiday gifts. My next project is bracelets. Lots of bracelets.

Have a great week and a Happy Thanksgiving!

Halloween...my favorite holiday ever!

2007-11-04T14:43:00.000-08:00

I took a week off from blogging to get ready for my favorite holiday of the year, Halloween. I love everything about it: candy, costumes, pumpkin-flavored stuff, trick-or-treaters, and candy corn. Here are some highlights from our Halloween this year.

Our pumpkins are all "funkins" a foam pumpkin that you can carve like a real one but keep for next year. Mike does such intricate carving that we decided to "invest" in these fake guys so that we can save them for years to come. Cheesy, i know, but this is the one holiday we go all out for. We had hundreds of trick-or-treaters come to our door for candy and a look at our newest Halloween addition: a front yard graveyard. I made the tombstones with styrofoam and gray spray paint. Pretty easy!
Charlie Brown as a pumpkin.

Igor from Young Frankenstein.

Here is my costume. This year I was Amy Winehouse, complete with tattoos and huge beehive hairdo. I had so much fun putting this costume together.

Here is another picture of me with a few students at school. Paul is a paparazzo and Brittney is Lindsey Lohan's arrest photo. Fun stuff!

Had a few more cooking classes in the past few weeks. Here are some of the things that Andi and I made.
Salmon and tamatillo salsa. This salsa was so good that I made it again that weekend for our pumpkin carving party.

Vietnamese chicken salad. This was so delicious and not too bad for you. The palm sugar dressing was the best.

Tonight, for more practice (I guess it is like doing my homework, right?) I am making a tri-tip, roasted beets and roasted potatoes. The tri-tip is from the butcher at the Original Farmer's Market on 3rd and Fairfax. Awesome guys behind the counter, they really helped me pick out the perfect cut of meat.

My Marine Biology students turned in a fun project last week. In groups, they had to bake and decorate a cake to represent a cell. Here are a few of their creations.

And, on to knitting.
I added another dinosaur to the herd. This is a Brachiosaurus. Next up is the Triceratops.

A few days ago someone posted a link to an EXPENSIVE bangle that was cabled. Here is my take on that, for about 3% of their price. I love these!!!

Amanda, one of my knitting students, has fallen in love with making toys (a girl after my own heart). She recently completed this pig wearing pants. Her next project is caterpillar finger puppets. I taught her how to knit with DPNs and she is finishing up the puppet. Photos next week.

Another Dinosaur and CRAFT MY RIDE!

2007-10-21T16:24:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone. It has been a long week and I spent many nights crafting my heart out, and I am proud to unveil my "Craft My Ride" submission. A set of three re-usable grocery bags covered in graffiti. They roll up and all 3 fit into a carrying bag that stores in the glove box or the door pocket. It was so much fun designing these bags and drawing the graffiti was amazing. I had students guide me with the graffiti and I really learned a lot about how tough it is to do.

OK, back to the classroom. My speediest knitter, Irina, has finished another project (last week she made 8 baby hats). This week's project is a scarf that she designed herself. I tell you, this group of knitters is blowing me away with their ambition! Next week I will post a dog sweater that one kid is finishing up. Pretty!

Coming off of my own needles this week is a companion to the T. Rex...a Stegosaurus! This guy is too cute!

Friday night, my best friend Andi and I took a cooking class in Culver City. SO MUCH FUN!!! It is at the New School of Cooking and it is a 4-week course. We learned soups and salads. Here we are with our creation. So proud! Next week we learn seafood and chicken. Yummy!!!!! Tonight I did some "homework" and made a spinach and white bean soup and a california chopped salad with roasted beets. Almost everything the recipes called for I found at the Larchmont Farmer's Market this morning.

Hope everyone is safe and out of the way of the fires. Have a great week!

Another Pidge and a T.Rex!

2007-10-14T14:10:00.000-07:00

I saw the cutest patterns in the Holiday issue of Vogue knitting! Yeah, there are some wonderful sweaters to dream about knitting, but I was immediately drawn to the dinosaurs from knittingatknoon.com I went to their website and purchased the dinosaur pattern set. The patterns arrived Saturday afternoon and I dove right in. Today, I have a T.Rex.

Really easy and I think it turned out pretty cute! I sure hope the little kids on my X-mas list like dinos! There is also a stegosaurus, brachiosaurus, and a triceratops left to knit. I used worsted weight wool for this guy, about 80 yards did the whole thing. His face is sweet. If you like DPNs and lots of shaping, then these are the patterns for you. Fairly straight-forward pattern.

I also knit another Pidge. This one is Misti Alpaca bulky. So soft and warm! Love it and it will be a x-mas gift for someone.

The kids were busy this week as well. Baby hats were due on Thursday, so as they came in I took pics before they were donated. Notice that they all have Stitches From the Heart tags on them, ready to be shipped off to deserving new babies!
This is Anastaysia. Very pretty hats.

Here is Irina. She has made 8 hats so far. This girl is ADDICTED to knitting!

Johanna and her baby hats. I love that her nails match a hat. Perfect!

Natalie made these hats. Awesome!

One of our boys, Nick. He donated 3 hats. Way to go!

Sinai (continental knitter) is getting really fast at making hats. Watch for more to come.

Next up for the kids is to make something they want. A gift, a toy, a purse, whatever. If any of you have suggestions for the kids, post them in the comments.

My So-Called-Pidge

2007-10-07T10:13:00.000-07:00

I initially saw the Pidge Scarf listed on SnBLosAngeles and realized I had to make one. The $275 price tag made me want to do it cheaply as well. Everyone was buzzing about this simple neck scarf with two wood buttons, so I figured I would try to make my own version. I used the stitch pattern from "my so called scarf" and did some basic measuring to come up with my version.

Here is the pattern I used:
60 g Cool Wool (bulky)
size 11 needles
Finished length: ~22 inches, but you can measure on yourself for the best fit. Button holes should be about an inch from one end.

Cast on 22 stitches, or any even # +2
Row 1 (RS): K1, *S1, K1, PSSO but before dropping the slipped stitch off the right needle, knit this stitch*, repeat from * to *K1
Row 2 (WS): P2 tog but before dropping the stitch off the left needle, re-insert the right needle into the first stitch (of the 2 purled together) and purl this stitch by itself, then drop the 2 stitches from the left needle (leaving 2 new stitches on the right needle). Repeat this across the remaining stitches.

Repeat these 2 rows until you reach the point where you want to add the button holes. I did my button holes toward the beginning, figuring if I messed up, I could start over without wasting too much time.

Buttonhole row:
On the WS, repeat pattern stitch twice, then bind off 2 sts, repeat pattern st 5 more times, bind off 2 sts, then repeat pattern st two more times.
RS row that follows: K1, S1, K1, PSSO and K into the slipped st, S1, M1 onto right needle, PSSO and K into slipped st, M1 onto right needle, K1 from left needle, PSSO and K into "made stitch", repeat pattern st 4 more times, S1, M1 onto right needle, PSSO and K into the slipped st, M1 onto right needle, K1 from left needle, PSSO and K into "made stitch", S1, K1, PSSO and K into the slipped st, K1

Bind off once you reach the desired length. Add 2 fancy buttons and wear with pride (and keep the $275 in your wallet)

Not sure how "easy" this is to understand. I read the stitch directions a bunch of times before I figured out exactly what I was supposed to do, and I worked this buttonhole row at least 5 times before I finally got something that sort of worked. I know some people were tossing around the crochet button hole and I am curious how that turned out for people.

I am currently knitting another Pidge with Misty Alpaca bulky. Yummy yarn.

My students are knitting maniacs and I have lots to show you from this week's classes. First, Lesly is assembling our 6" squares into a pretty cool baby blanket.

She is a really fast knitter who has already finished her baby hat assignment and was looking for something to do while waiting for the rest of the class to catch up. Gotta love it when a kid asks for more to do.

Here is one of my "advanced" knitters from a past semester, LaTijera. She soared in the beginning class and decided to come back for more. Here she is with the Elbac scarf from knitty.com winter '06. She just learned cables last week and is making some real progress on this piece. I admire her skill and patience with so many cables!

Here is Halie, another returning knitter from last year. She is knitting the final leg for Sheldon, a turtle we love from knitty.com. I made many Sheldons last Christmas and Halie couldn't wait until she was "good" enough to do one. Little do any of them realize that you just have to think you can do it and you probably can. She picked up the DPNs and jumped right in. We will assemble this guy on Tuesday, so look for more pictures of her finished turtle next week.

Here are more knitters. Johanna and Sinai are furiously knitting. Sinai is a crocheter who picked up the knitting needles and taught herself to knit continental. I love watching her zoom through rows. So elegant!

This is Cristen, who is a bit wacky, but that fits right in with most of the knitters I know, so she feels right at home. She made this baby hat that is for a pretty big baby. For some reason, my kids are obsessed with the pom pom maker, so much so that I think I need to invest in a few more. They like to put pom poms on everything!

Here is Delyla, showing off the purple yarn that I wound into neat little balls for the kids. I bought pounds of worsted weight yarn and used my new ball winder to make center-pull balls for the kids to knit with.

And finally, our most recent donation to Stitches From the Heart. 5 baby sweaters, 4 dolls, 30+ baby hats, 10 scarves and 25+ purses and other teen-related items. I dropped in to Stitches Friday afternoon and was reminded how wonderful it is there. I really recommend you get yourself there to enjoy the people, yarn and always at least one good cookie on the big table. Friday I met a new grandpa who just learned how to knit so he could make stuff for his new granddaughter. He was chugging away on a scarf, then he put that down to show me the doll he is kitting for Hannah (I also saw the album of pics he carries in his impressive knitting bag).

I had a fun little adventure with my best friend Andi this afternoon. We went to the Museum of Natural History here in LA to hear one of my marine biology idols, Jean-Michel Cousteau, speak. His 2 hour lecture was on the state of the oceans and how we can change what we do to help the earth. His father taught him many things, but the most resounding message he learned from Jacques Cousteau was this: "People will protect what they love. We must show them how to love the ocean, the earth and all of the inhabitants, then they will care to save it." Here is a small, grainy picture of him up on stage answering questions following the lecture. My iPhone to the rescue!

Before the lecture, Andi and I toured the museum. Here she is in the Kid's section, standing in front of a really tall polar bear. Watch out, Andi!!

Next up for me is to work on the Scion Craft My Ride project. I have a super-secret idea in the works and I promise to reveal it once I have submitted my entry. Is anyone else out there entering this fun contest? Tell me what you can about your entry.

Local Dog Attacked By Gator!

2007-09-30T11:05:00.000-07:00

I have officially finished my first Christmas present of the year. Mike's sister went to Univ. of Florida and loves all things alligator-related. I knit this gator for her son, Christopher. I think mom and son will have a fight over who plays with it.

I found the pattern in a knitted toy book I bought online (i'll post the name in another post, forgot it at school, sorry). I like the cute animal patterns they have, but everything is knit flat then stitched together. I would prefer to knit something like this in the round, and stuff as you go. There is a really cute dog that I might try to rewrite before I knit it. For me, knitting in the round makes so much sense, less finishing at the end (my least favorite part of knitting).

Here is Charlie, patiently posing with the gator. Charlie is so funny. When I try to get him to pose for me, he won't. But this time I just brought my camera and the toy over to him and put the gator on him and he was like "OK, but hurry up".

Charlie was investigating the gator jaws and teeth. Be careful, boy!

Finally, the gator attacked him. Poor Charlie Brown.

I have a few more Chrostmas presents coming soon. I really want to reduce my stash this year by knitting presents. The Pidge scarf will be happening one of these days.

Back To School, year 3!

2007-09-23T11:25:00.000-07:00

YES!!!!!! The Yarn Harlot was in the house! Ellene and I went to see the woman in person. The blue arrow is pointing to my head, Ellene is sitting to my right. (photo borrowed from SPM's blog) We had a blast, laughed a lot then had a surprisingly good lunch at the Downtown Library cafeteria. We ran into Ellen Bloom who helped me convince Ellene that Pinkberry is the world's best food. Period.

Stephanie (I feel I can call her that now that we have been in the same room together) asks for hat donations at her speaking events. I have been experimenting with fair isle, so here is the hat I donated. A friend of mine had tagged it as hers, so I think she will be upset when she finds out I gave it away. Sorry, Andi. I'll knit you another one.

I have picked up the needles again after taking a month off this summer, and have finished the Baby Surprise Jacket. Here it is before the surprise...

and here it is after the folding. This is such a fun and challenging sweater to make. I am hoping my more advanced knitters will be up for the challenge. I did this one in a lightweight cotton that has a great drape. Now someone I know needs to have a baby boy. Come on, girls! Get to it!

In my science classroom, we are currently finishing up a unit on the properties of water. I took some white roses from our garden and put them in food coloring. Capilary action! Adhesion! Cohesion! So much science, but I am posting it because the flowers turned out so pretty. Pretty is a bonus!

A generous friend handed over some awesome Dodger tickets a few weeks ago. Here are my best buddies enjoying the game. Sarah, Chris and Andi.

School has started again and I am beginning my 3rd year teaching knitting at Pali High. My 5th class full of eager, new knitters. This crop of students is one of the best so far, and they are all knitting away. Here are some pictures from our last class together.

This is Rebecca wearing a sweater she made herself. She is an advanced knitter (self-taught!!!) who is zipping through my assingnment patterns. I see great things in her future.

Jordan is trying so hard!!!! I am really proud of his determination to get the stitches right. He isn't the fastest knitter in class, but he has the most heart...and that says a lot.

Evan (nicknamed "Evan the Pro" by the girls who sit around him) is a natural who takes his knitting home to actually work on it overnight. Expect wonderful projects from this guy. The girls LOVE him and he likes to help them fix little problems as they come up.

A big group of happy knitters. Their smiles tell it all. These kids enjoy our time together, probably as much as I do! It is the highlight of my day!

Another big group. This is typical. Once I take roll, the kids move around the room and sit with their friends. They think they invented "stitch and bitch" but I informed them that there are groups of knitters meeting weekly all around LA doing the same thing. I hope to get some of them to SnB meetups some day.

Cathy and Johanna. Both girls have been in my science classes in the past, but they are new to knitting. Making great progress so far. Keep it up!!!!

Diana and Elvira. Also from my past science classes. I am glad to have them in knitting class this semester.

Finally, my boy, Charlie. He is lucky enough to get to go out all day with his friend Keith (human) and a group of dogs including Ghetto (seen here cuddling with Charlie). Keith takes them all over LA: hiking, walking other dogs, exploring, etc. Charlie comes home exhausted at 4pm and won't lift his head until 6 or so, when he hears the food hit the bowl. Keith is amazing and we thank him every day for giving Charlie such a great experience.

I am currently knitting an entrelac scarf that is so cool! I can't wait to finish it so I can post pics of it. Up next? Probably the Dark Mark scarf (for a special Harry Potter fan I know)

I am off to the Thai Cultural Festival at Barnsdall Art Park in Hollywood, to enjoy good food and some much-missed Thai culture. You might not know this about me, but I lived in Thailand for 3 years while in the Peace Corps. I have always felt a special kinship with the Thai community and try to go to their events around LA. Plus, I get to speak Thai again, which doesn't really come up that much in my daily life.

Summer Knitting!

2007-08-08T19:44:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics of a few things I sent to my favorite kid up in Portland, Oregon. This is Ellery. Her mom and I were college roommates. I guess it is strange to think someone I knew in college can have a baby, but then I realize we graduated 13 years ago, so then I freak out about THAT. Was it really that long ago? What have I been doing since then? Dropping eggs like they grow on trees and living my life. Teaching, learning, traveling...I guess time flies when you're having fun. Holy cow! Did I forget to have a baby? was that supposed to be on my to-do list?

Enough ravings of a lunatic, here are the knitted gifts I recently sent up to Ellery.

The Pinwheel sweater from elann.com LOVE KNITTING THIS SWEATER! Seriously, as I look at it here I feel the urge to knit another one. Oh, choosing colors! Ellery models this with her inquisitive look, called "huh?" I knit this in different shades of blues and greens to go with her hair.

This is Ellery clutching her gigantic version of the Sheldon turtle from knitty.com I knit this with chenille and loved every minute of it. So soft and fun to touch. I miss Sheldon. Hmmm, maybe another one of him is in order as well. Just a thought.

I still need to post pics of my finished sweaters. All blocked and ready to wear...just waiting for the cold weather.

Sweater blocking and a fun craft project to save the planet!

2007-07-15T13:24:00.001-07:00

We are back from Cabo with tan arms and a suitcase full of laundry. So glad to be home since we really missed Charlie. Here is a photo taken with my new iphone. Pretty good picture from such a small phone!

I got a lot of knitting done on the trip, but that will have to wait until another post. I also read four wonderful books that I suggest to all. "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert is a life-changer. Go get it today. Really. Also, "Water For Elephants" by Sara Gruen, "The Known World" by Edward P. Jones and "The Inheritance of Loss" by Kiran Desai. All great books that I am so glad I had the chance to read. This is why I love summer so much. I get time to read and knit...my two favorite things to do.

On to crafty things...
I finished knitting this gray sweater from "Fitted Knits" by Stephanie Japel (glampyre.com) over a month ago and just couldn't find it in me to block the darn thing. So, this morning I got up, had a chai latte then set to work. I followed an online tutorial for sweater blocking and really had no problems.

Here is the pre-blocked sweater. The sleeves are to the elbow and the ribbing of the lower body needs to stretch out and be able to wrap around more of me.

first step, get it wet. No wringing or twisting, just soaking.

next roll the soaking wet sweater into a towel to absorb the excess water.

blot. change the towel if you need to.

carefully stretch out the sweater to the shape you want and pin in place. I set up a towel on the top of the dryer and pinned to that. Our laundry room gets really hot during the day, so I am hoping the sweater will be done by tomorrow.

Close up of the bottom edge.

Ok, so we all have the drawer. You know the one. Every plastic bag you ever received from every market, shoe store, downtown back alley shop, etc. These plastic bags seem to multiply in the drawer in our kitchen, to the point where I am constantly taking a bag full of bags back to Ralph's to turn in for credit. (did you know they give you 3 cents per bag you bring in and reuse on the spot? not a ton of cash, but at least you get a little reward for being a friend to the planet) So I have recently become obsessed with eliminating these bags from my life. I bought something called "Envirosax" which is a nylon bag that contains 5 folded up tiny nylon bags that each hold more than twice those plastic Ralph's bags. I found them at www.envirosax.com They are rolled up really small and I keep them in my car for my weekly trip to Ralph's. Plus, they are so cute! So, in my quest to never use plastic bags again (lofty goal) I have been looking for some way to reuse the bags that I still seem to be accumulating. I read on Betz White's blog how she turned these flimsy plastic bags into something more useful. Following the onine tutorial at Etsy.com, I found myself fusing these flimsy bags together to form a much stronger plastic. According to Etsy and Betz, you can sew this new material into all sorts of stuff.

I cut up some bags from Target and lined up the bullseyes. 6-8 layers of plastic seems to work well.

Place these bags between parchment paper and iron on an ironing board. I set the iron to rayon and ironed for 15-20 seconds, keeping the iron constantly moving.

Viola! The finished "fabric".

For this one, I used plain white bags and drew flowers on one layer with a Sharpie. I also stamped some flowers on there too. I ironed the same way, making sure to put a plain bag over the layer with the writing on it.

Close up of the flowered plastic.

Now that I have the fabric, I am going to try to make a "make up bag" with a zipper. From what I have read onine, this stuff will sew on a regular sewing machine. I am really excited to see what I can do with it. I'll post more when I do more.

And finally, the weird picture of the day. This is a whippet with a genetic mutation that makes his muscles grow to giant proportions. Some mutations can be so strange and wonderful! This guy looks like a Japanese cartoon superhero dog.

San Fran was great, now off to Mexico!

2007-07-05T18:37:00.000-07:00

I went up to visit Larissa in SF last weekend. We had a great time! Thankfully, she understands my knitting addiction, so we spent many hours knitting together. We have known each other since 7th grade and when we are together it feels like we are back in junior high.

We walked from her place down to the Ferry Building for Farmer's Market breakfast, produce shopping and some knitting in the sun. Somehow I got a shoulder burn in an hour. It was fun eating, knitting and people-watching as the big boats went past. We then went to see Ratatouille (so good!) and did some shopping. Then more knitting. Then even more knitting. Here I am sitting in the sun with the Fitted Knits sweater almost complete. I got all of the yarn at Black Sheep Knittery right as they were closing their doors. Sure hope they come back soon.

Larissa models my sweater. Almost done!

Sweater back

I wrote a pattern for a tunic-type sweater for Larissa to knit. I got her this yarn from the Suss Outlet (which I drove by today and was sad to see they are moved out. I knew they were closing, didn't know it was so soon) for her b-day last year and I am so excited that she is knitting with it! The mohair has a gold thread running along with it. Pretty.

Here is a close-up of her knitting. I love the openness of the sweater. Eventually she will add long bell sleeves and the rest of the body.

Like a good consumer, I got an iphone last Friday. We didn't have to wait in line at all. And when I say "we" I really mean Mike. He went to the Grove Apple store around 10pm that first night and waited a few minutes. He bought 2 no problem. So I have been spending the past few days playing with it. I really like it a lot! I am getting caught up on Heroes (missed it this past season) and can now watch it on the phone while working out! So handy. Also, makes the workout fly by. I have been reading that people are having trouble with the keyboard aspect of the phone, but i love it! Really easy to use and the phone guesses what you are typing and finishes a lot of your words for you.

Mike and I are headed to Cabo on Saturday for a week of relaxation at Sunset Beach resort. I am taking books and lots of knitting. I am so ready to relax and do very little. Will post pics of the knitting when we return, as well as the 2 sweaters I have made from "Fitted Knits". I still need to block those suckers.

Final Projects...

2007-06-17T19:21:00.000-07:00

My blog turns 2 today. Time really flies when you are having fun. I searched online for a birthday or anniversary picture with knitting involved and got side-tracked by some really great pictures of knitters. I found this great image of a Nepali woman knitting. So wonderful.

Then I found this one of a girl knitting. These pictures made me think about the faces of my knitters. My students are all so different but the one thing they have in common is an overall appreciation for knitting. The highlight of each day is when I get to help someone sew up a seam or pick up a dropped stitch. I am so proud of my knitters this year. I wish them all a great summer and hope they all keep knitting and donating their efforts to charity.

This is how I see my student knitters. This is Alla and Jeff. Alla finished her baby sweater and both kids will graduate on Thursday. Congrats!

This is Evelyn. Evelyn was in my first knitting class ever, Fall of 2005. She has been knitting on her own, and this semester she rejoined the knitting class. She is one of the most dedicated knitters I have in class. She can take home a few balls of yarn on Friday afternoon and come back on Monday with a finished sweater. I really admire her drive.

This is Michelle. She has been knitting since February, and here is her final baby sweater and baby hat. Michelle is also a senior, so she is graduating this week. Way to go!

This is Christine's first sock ever! She has promised that she will finish the second one this summer. She was so happy that it actually fit her foot.

This is Jennifer. She took knitting in the fall and her talent was obvious right away. She could read a pattern on her own and whip out something that seems too tough for her. She has been knitting on her own this semester, but drops by periodically to show off her latest creation. This is her "Sheldon" turtle from knitty.com She told me that she made 3 so far, and had many friends who still want turtles.

First Baby Pic and tiny Booties...so cute!

2007-06-12T22:03:00.000-07:00

Mid-week post. That almost NEVER happens. Must be something pretty special to get Karyn blogging on a weekday.

Finuola Rose born Sunday morning. I met her today for the first time. She took an hour-long nap (i think her mom might have dozed off too) in my arms, sucked on the pacifier for the first time with me, and we changed her first diaper at home. Wow, so many firsts today. She came home from the hospital this afternoon and I drove over for a visit. Not quite 60 hours old, and already the prettiest girl in the room. I am smitten.

When I got word that she arrived (a few days early) I found a cute pattern for maryjane-type booties and knit them up really fast. I used two colors of pink with light pink buttons.

Thank goodness I went over today, these booties fit perfectly. A few more days and she will be out of them. This girl has some long feet!

The first socks are in!!!!!

2007-06-07T13:09:00.000-07:00

School is winding to a close and the kids are knitting away! We have 2 weeks of classes left so everyone has lots of time to finish up their projects and even get in one more. Keep it up, knitters. Many of the sock knitters are closing in on the toes and here are some pics of their progress.

Mishana with her zigzag stripes.

Christine's really big sock. Love the color!

Shannon made this sock...

and here is Shannon posing with her pretty purple creation.

Evelyn M. is working the cute colors. She is almost to the toe decreases!

Jeff learns the basics from Alla, as she begins to separate the arms from the body of her baby sweater.

Jeff (our class clown) wearing baby booties on his head. These were made by Halie (she made 7 pair so far!!!).

Briana finished her whole baby set: a sweater, booties and one big hat. Way to go!

Frogging and re-knitting...that's the way it goes!

2007-06-05T15:36:00.000-07:00

Recently I was inspired to get Fitted Knits, a great book with BEAUTIFUL sweater patterns. I instantly fell in love with the yellow cardigan...

this picture isn't doing it justice, the top is sorta like this (minus the puffy sleeves)...

So, i started knitting it after CAREFULLY measuring myself in all possible spots, doing the math, knitting all of the swatches (both in ribbing and in ss) on multiple needle sizes then began the sweater. I got his far...

back view

side view

before i realized this sweater was just too small. I was stretching it, pulling on it, but still there was no way i was going to get the buttons to button. I really refused to believe it wouldn't fit. I had been trying it on throughout the process and I kept tricking myself, saying i could add more to the button hole border, or knit just a few more rows of ribbing, but in the end, as these pictures attest, it was just too small! I photographed my progress, then spent a sad hour ripping out my work, balling it back up and recalculating. The pattern is well-written and SO EASY but I needed to jump up a needle size to get the right fit. Woe is me...

After an evening of rest, I jumped back in sunday morning and am well on my way to finishing the sweater now. I have the body and one arm complete. Once I get the front button panels on and the other sleeve, I will post pics of before and after blocking.
Anyone out there looking for sweater patterns with SHAPE, go check out this book. I have purchased yarn for 4 other sweaters in the book. My summer knitting!

In dog news, Charlie got a pool. We don't have a real pool, so last weekend I got him a plastic one and he was so happy. The water dog was right at home in the kiddie pool. This was his first taste of the wet life and he was splashing around and jumping in and out all afternoon. Our neighbors have invited him over to swim, hopefully the weather will warm up so we can take them up on the offer.

Next post: photos of socks and other final projects by the spring 2007 knitting class at Pali High!

More Knitting Updates and some animals too...

2007-05-25T13:38:00.000-07:00

Here is another picture from the Long Beach aquarium. This is my favorite fish: the Leafy Sea Dragon. A few years ago in Australia, we went diving in search of these little guys. I was disappointed after the first dive when we didn't see any! Back on the surface, the dive guide asked if I got enough pictures. I said I didn't see any! Apparently, they were all over the place, but so well camouflaged that I missed every single one. The next few dives were better and I saw lots and lots. The display at the LB Aquarium is the best I have ever seen. The dragons are in a dimly lit tank with lots of seaweed to hid in.

My friend Todd Shattuck runs the Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro, so I called and asked if I could bring my students out for a field trip. He took us on a tour of their facililty, as well as did some short educational activities with the group. The facility is open to the public and free. If you have kids or are interested in seeing some seals and sea lions up close, I urge you to make the trip. They are located in Point Fermin, up at the tip of San Pedro at Fort MacArthur. You can see the rehabilitation techniques used to heal the sick seals and sea lions. When we were there they had over 100 sick animals. Some are abandoned babies, others have domoic acid poisoning from an algae bloom in the ocean. This is a neurotoxin that literally makes them "crazy". They do not eat, they haul out on the beach and starve to death. Todd and his group of amazing volunteers (including college students, veterinarians and other health care professionals) feed and give medicine to these poor guys until they are ready to be re-released. This is a group of sea lions who are still sick enough that they need to be separated from other animals.

ON TO KNITTING NEWS...

Here is how far I am on my second sock as I knit along with the kids. We are all doing the Jaywalker socks. Nice, simple pattern with a tiny bit of pattern thrown in to keep you on your toes. I have more done now, and am approaching the toe decreases, waiting for the kids to catch up to me.

Here is Evelyn C. showing off her version of Jess Hutchinson's Bunny pattern that is free on her blog. Evelyn added a face and buttons down the front. Very cute. We donated this one to Stitches From the Heart in Santa Monica, along with a huge bag of other knitted stuff. Way to go, Evelyn! She was in knitting class last semester as well, but didn't get as advanced as a few of the other girls. What a change I have seen in her knitting recently! She decided to go back and reknit the assingments from last semester because she didn't like how they turned out before. She is on the home stretch of the 5-hour baby sweater then will begin her socks. I am really proud of her effort, and love that she is appreciating the time and dedication that knitting takes. Way to go, Evelyn!

So much to blog about...

2007-05-20T16:50:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, I am writing after a few weeks of hiatus, with a house guest, standardized testing, lesson planning and senior finals happening, I had to set the blogging aside for awhile. But I am back! With 80's hair and glasses! I took my students to the Long Beach Aquarium for a Marine Biology field trip and they talked me into dressing up like I did when in high school. Lucky me!

Here is the life-sized blue whale that hangs in the central room of the aquarium. This is the largest animal ever to live on earth. Wow! Speaking of the LB Aquarium, last Friday night was the senior prom at the aquarium. I was, as always, a chaperone, and had a blast taking people on tours of some of the exhibits. It was really cool when former students came up and told me they remember our field trip way back in 10th grade. Back when they were just "kids". Sigh.

In addition to the aquarium, we visited a Marine Bird Hospital in San Pedro, as well as the Marine Mammal Care Center at Ft. MacArthur. Very interesting stuff. I'll post more pics in the next entry.

I finished another Sheldon turtle (from the archives of knitty.com) and this one is a super-sheldon! I used chenille that I got at the 99cents store, so the entire turtle cost (besides my precious time, right?) about $6. I knit him on size 11 straight needles, and 10.5 dpns. If you have some chenille and don't know what to do with it, try a Sheldon! I doubled the yarn throughout. This one was sent up to Portland for Ellery and her mommy for Mother's Day.

A few weeks back I was at the Black Sheep Knittery (dangerously close to my house) and coveting all of the bags of yarn, dreaming of the fun things I will knit this summer, when a woman asked me if I was Karyn Newbill. Sure am, I replied. She said she reads the blog and wanted to give me a donation for yarn and stuff for the kids to use! I couldn't believe it! So, here is what I bought with the GENEROUS donation made by Therese from Pacific Palisades!!!!! She overheard me asking about DPNs and sock yarn, to teach 16 kids how to knit socks. I searched and searched online and finally found the best deal out there and purchased some sock yarn on clearance and 16 pair of DPNs. So awesome! Thank you so much Therese! The kids are well into their first sock, and three of them have turned the heel and are heading for the toes! Your fabulous donation is much appreciated! I'll post more pics when there are some finished socks. In the mean time, I will post my progress on my sock, as I knit along with them. We are all knitting the Jaywalker Sock, btw. Great first-sock pattern, and it has an easy pattern repeat! Go for it, everyone!

Catching Up...

2007-04-23T13:08:00.000-07:00

I finally finished Andi's birthday present. I made her the yellow cable computer bag with leather straps. It turned out really great! Look how cute Andi is!!!!!

Instead of a cake, I bought a dozen world-famous Sprinkles cupcakes (my second favorite...since Saint Cupcake is only in Portland, Oregon) for Andi's big day. We stuffed ourselves with too many yummy cakes and had some pretty great pub food (baked mashed potatoes!) at the 3rd Stop on 3rd street in Beverly Hills.

The next morning, bright and way-too early, we headed up to Malibu for Maggie's baby shower. It was a windy but beautiful day and the party was great. So many fun people, some very creative gifts and delicious food.
Here is Maggie opening presents with her son, Charlie

Knitted presents from me

We decorated onesies with fabric crayons for the new baby. They turned out really cute!

Our Malibu view. Spectacular!

Me and Maggie

I have made a new addition to the Knitting Oasis. I took some embroidery hoops and stretched bits of my favorite fabrics. Then I hung these on the wall up the stairs. I saw this on someone's blog and loved the idea. The hoops were $1 each at Michael Levine downtown and I used fabric that I already had. What makes this so special is that I get to see fabric from past projects that are long gone. It is sort of like making a quilt, but with almost no effort.

This is a new addition to my classroom. I saw it when I took my students to Catalina in February. It is an outline of a sea lion and one of a surfer, as seen from below by a shark. I made these out of black felt. Sharks are not the smartest animals out there, so they are easily confused by these similar shapes. Humans are mistaken for sea lions (a big source of food for great white sharks) and occasionally sharks take a bite of the wrong food. I will hang these two outlines on the ceiling of my classroom with some basic facts about sharks. Swim at your own risk!

The latest project to fall off my needles is another Jess Hutch bunny with really long ears. I jsut took her pattern and added 20 rows to each ear. I used a hand-dyed wool that turned out really awesome. Next up is another Sheldon Turtle from Knitty.com

Spring Break...Portland, Oregon!

2007-04-07T22:19:00.000-07:00

I spent the beginning of Spring Break up in Portland, visiting with my great friend Jen, her hubby Jake and their cute baby Ellery. She's 18 months old. Here is Ellery wearing Mr. Potatohead's glasses.

Jen and I drove down to Eugene, the scene of many college exploits. We hadn't been back there together since I graduated in (gulp) 1994, and it was so strange driving around checking out our old haunts. We dined at the Glenwood, home of the famous tomato and cheese soup. We can highly recommend it next time you are in Eugene, Oregon and looking for something to eat. Here is Ellery feeding herself a pear. I think she REALLY likes eating that pear.

then Ellery fed Jen a bite. The people sitting around us at the restaurant clapped when they saw this! So funny!

I got a ton of knitting off the needles while up in the Pacific NW. I made a pair of Jess Hutchison bunnies. I embroidered "e" on each one. "ee" are Ellery's initials.

Here is Ellery test-driving the bunnies on the morning I left. This kid is so much fun to be around. Seriously. She is getting really adventurous with talking and will parrot whatever you say. Sometimes it is right, other times we get a good laugh. Jen kept pointing at me and saying "Karyn...Karyn". Ellery, would think for a second, then clearly say "Donna...Donna". Well, close enough for now, she's only 18 months old. Maybe by my next visit I will get to hear my real name. Or, maybe I'll forever be Donna when up in Portland. No biggie!

The big baby shower is a week away and I am getting ready. I spent most of today finishing up the party favors. I made soy candles scented with jasmine. I poured them into little jars that look like baby food jars, and made a cute label. Then, I tied a baby bootie to each one. I can't believe I made 48 of these! They turned out so cute, I can't wait to hand them out at the party. I'll post pics of that next time.

Planning a Baby Shower and Teaching DPNs...what a week!

2007-03-23T17:38:00.001-07:00

Whew! Made it to the end of another crazy week. One week to go until Spring Break! I can make it...I can make it!!!!!

This week I sent out the invitations for my friend Maggie's baby shower. I am planning the whole thing. A simple task, I thought. Then she handed me the invite list. 50 people. Yikes! I quickly decided that I could not afford to buy that many printed invitations, so I made them myself. I am pretty proud of the results...the vellum overlay has a pink bow (Maggie is having a girl, Finn)

The vellum slides to the side to reveal the invite details. My next task is to find an economical party favor to give to 50 people. Of course, didn't I mention that everyone is RSVPing YES??!!?!?! Great. I think I have settled on jasmine candles in glass jars. I'll wrap the whole thing in tulle and tie it with a pink bow. Maggie insists on lots of pink!

This week in yarn land, my advanced girls are learning double pointed needles and are knitting with the yarn they dyed last week. Pretty cool! Here is Jordan getting the hang of it.

Christine is shy and didn't want her picture taken. Here are her hands...

Shannon is shy too. Her hands...

We Put the COOL in Kool-Aid Dyeing!!!!!

2007-03-19T18:03:00.001-07:00

My advanced knitters are really fast learners, so I am constantly trying to find new stuff to teach them! This past week we tried Kool-Aid dyeing. I had never tried before so it seemed like a perfect time to do it. First, we wound the wool into loose skeins. Here is the wool and the kool-aid packet. I am trying Cherry.

Next step is to wet the wool first in plain water, letting the water completely soak into the wool. While the wool is soaking, pour the powdered drink mix into a microwave-safe container and stir. ** the amount of water does not matter, since all of the dye will absorb into the wool. We found that one packet of mix dyed about 1 oz of wool (maybe a bit more). Put the wet wool into the drink and push it down so that the wool is completely covered by the dye. Add more water to cover it.

Put the container into the microwave for 2 minutes on HIGH. Let it stand for approximately 10 minutes (or until it cools down a bit), then repeat again until all of the dye is gone from the water.

Before microwave

After microwaving 2 times. Notice how the dye has completely left the water. It's all in the wool!!!!

Grape drink. The neat thing is that the wool now smells like kool-aid. We found that the scent fades after a few days, but it made my classroom smell lovely for a few days!

Cherry yarn. I took this sample over to Stitches From the Heart so they could see what we were doing with their generous donation. Our next step is to knit up some toys to felt! This wool will be perfect for that. It started out a beige color and was pretty plain. Now with added color, it can have a whole new life! Today, the girls brought in some new colors to try. Orange and green. I can't wait!!!!!

Last week in Marine Biology (my other teaching job) we had a Crustacean Feast! The kids brought in different foods containing crustaceans and we had a huge feast after the test on Arthropods. Here is the feast table. Looks so good!

I tried so many variations of ceviche that day that I am now an unoffical expert.

Trays and trays of sushi! And shrimp cocktail! The kids brought food in during 5 of my classes! I can safely say I have had my fill of shrimp cocktail for the time being!

A giant lobster. This guy was cool, he even had barnacles growing on his exoskeleton. Another crustacean! The kids enjoyed pulling this lobster apart and seeing how his joints work. Who says science isn't fun??!!!?!?!

Hope you all have a great week. Next week I will post pics of our dyed yarn put to use. And my advanced kids are learning dpns. The beginners are each working on baby hats, so I will have another big donation for Stitches coming soon!

CABLES CABLES CABLES!!!!!!

2007-03-07T12:20:00.000-08:00

My students have been hard at work with cables these past 2 weeks. I assigned 4 different cables for them to sample. Once they got the hang of it, they can now design and make a project with cables.
Here is an assortment of their efforts:

this cable is called "TAFFY"

this is HORSESHOE and CORNROWS

this is SIMPLY TWISTED

I got all of these from the Vogue Knitting Stitchionary Vol. 2: Cables. Such a great book! The kids are using the book to get ideas for cables they can use in their designs. Just to be fair, I decided to do this project along with them. One can never get enough practice with cables, right?

Here is my project, a definite work in progress:
1. My materials. The yarn is a soft yellow bulky weight that I got at Jo-Ann's 4 years ago. It was intended for a sweater that never happened. It feels so good to use up stuff that has been sitting in the knitting oasis for so long! I knit this based on the purse I posted in my last post. That is my goal purse. So, no pattern to follow! FUN!!!!! Also pictured is the fabric I will line the purse with, as well as the piece of "plastic-board" that will help the purse be purse-shaped.

I cut the plastic to fit into the knitted shell and scored it along two lines so I can define the bottom. Cutting this stuff is harder than it looks! I ended up using a steak knife. Not so safe. I was pining for my rotary cutter, but it is at home and I am at school.

Here is the purse with the plastic inside. Check out the cool SnB calendars! The kids were so happy when I handed them out today. They couldn't believe I got them presents! I bought 36 calendars, one for each kid. Hopefully they can find some inspiration in the daily bits of wisdom. It was so cute watching them flip through the pages and saying "Oh, I'm going to make that sweater" and "Ms. Newbill, can youteach me how to make socks?"

Next step: lining the purse. I have a sewing machine in class, so later this week we will be lining a few purses. Once I have the lining in, I will take it to a cobler and have him add brown leather straps. Hopefully not too expensive. The last one only cost me $15 for the leather and the labor.

Happy President's Day...How do you celebrate?

2007-02-19T11:59:00.000-08:00

I saw Wicked at the Pantages Theater here in LA yesterday! Such a treat! My aunt Barbara, cousins Kori and Kristyn, Kristyn's hubby Justin, and their daughter Weslie came over from Arizona for the long weekend, and we saw the Sunday matinee. If you have a way to get tickets (apparently tough to get through the end of the summer) GO GO GO! I had a wonderful dinner playing catch-up with Kori and Barbara and really miss my extended family, most of whom live in Arizona. They read my blog, so I want to give them all a little shout out! I gave Kristyn a few knit items I had stashed for her youngest daughter, Brooklyn, and the Kate cat from Knitty.com was a gift for Weslie. She dragged it around the theater, to the bathroom and was still deciding on a name as we walked to the car.

I finished another pinwheel baby sweater! Seriously folks, knit this sweater. It is easy with a dash of challenging, and knits up really fast. I will start my third one within the next week.

here is the front of the sweater, when worn by a "kid"

back of the "kid" sweater

back of the "baby" sweater

front of the "baby" sweater

This one is for my friend Leslie in Chicago. She and her husband are expecting any minute now, a girl with bright red hair! I thought the greens and greys would look great with red hair.

Next up on my needles! A cable tote bag like this one. I have to write a pattern for it, but I have a general concept in mind.

My advanced students are all learning cables right now. I assigned a sampler of 4 different cable types. Once they have these 4 down, they can pick a project with at least one cable. Hat, scarf, purse, clutch, tote, sweater. Knitter's choice. I am going to show those interested how to write a pattern from an idea. From yarn selection all the way to finishing. My plan for this tote is to have a cobbler add the leather at the top (with straps) as well as a bottom piece of leather that keeps the knitting off of the floor, and gives the bottom some strength. Later in the week I'll post picks of the cable samples that they are working on, as well as progress on their cable projects.

Spend some time knitting each day. Even if it is only 5 minutes. :)

Pinwheel Baby Sweater is Complete!

2007-02-11T12:56:00.000-08:00

Last night I finished the Pinwheel baby sweater. I LOVE THIS SWEATER! Seriously, it is the perfect sweater. It has no seams to sew up and all you have to do when you are finished is weave in your color changes. Not a big deal at all. My favorite thing about this little gem is that it will fit for 4 years. Turned one way it fits a baby 6-9 months old. Just fold up the sleeves to the right length.

here it is from the back

and from the front

Once the baby has grown out of it in this position, you just flip it over and you get a whole new sweater! Wear it in this position and it will fit a 4 year old! Just keep unrolling the sleeves for the right arm length! A concern of mine when knitting baby sweaters is that the kid grows so fast that the sweater is worn once then put away forever (or until another baby comes along). This sweater postpones that for a few years. Makes all of your hard work worth it!

here is the back

here is the front

Here is the yarn for the next one. I am seriously addicted!

Here is a link to the pinwheel baby sweater pattern. I also bought the yarn from the elann.com website, each skein was only $2!!!

All is well and I am looking forward to Valentine's Day. Mike is always thoughtful and sweet, sends me flowers at work. Brightens my classroom and makes me feel great. I am not sure what to get him this year. Probably just a card and some kisses. Hopefully we can find time to go out to dinner. Wednesday night is a tough night to schedule a date. Smack dab in the middle of the week. Can we change V-day to always be a Saturday night? Who should we write to?

Finals are OVER!!!!!!

2007-02-02T20:15:00.000-08:00

Finals week is officially over and I am wrecked. heehee. I did get a lot of knitting done during the actual 4 hours of finals each day, so there is a silver lining, right? Here is a photo collage of some of the sweaters that the kids finished and donated to Stitches From the Heart! I am so proud of all they accomplished this semester.

I met my new batch of knitters today. I have 16 returning stitchers and 17 newbies. First task: get the new kids knitting! The advanced kids are working on pattern reading for the first few weeks then we dive into CABLES!!!!! Am I nuts? Probably! but they have been asking for cables and dpns. ok, sure! I honestly think these kids have no fear! I am hoping to use up some more of the donated yarn and have the kids knit blanket squares or scarves with cables. I have 6 boys in class this semester, which is great. The class seems to be getting more popular and there is a 20-person waiting list! Yipee!!!!!!

On a personal note, I finally finished the Kate cat from knitty.com. I changed the colors a bit and LOVE the results! This was FUN TO KNIT and really has some great shaping written in. I think my students might like to make this one! There are so many knitted toys out there. Since I am still waiting for my yarn from elann to show up, I am knitting a crab for my deep sea display in class. So far it has a main body and 3 legs. It is a start but 7 legs to go. Hopefully I'll post pics of it by next weekend.

Miss Dashwood is complete!

2007-01-28T11:56:00.000-08:00

Another week another finished gift for Maggie's little bun in the oven. Everyone is really excited that we have a baby girl to buy for, andI am over the moon that I get to knit for a girl. I love her son, Charlie, but I never got into knitting for him. It will be different for Finn. She will be showered with knitwear, from day 1. :)
The Ugg booties are for her, and this week I finished Miss Dashwood, from Knitty.com

Here is Charlie modeling it for us. Thanks, boy.

Next on the needles is the Pinwheel baby sweater from elann.com This site is great! Tons of free paterns!

Here are the colors pallets I have chosen to knit.

Each sweater has 7 different colors, with color #4 as the arms. The greatest thing about this sweater is that it is basically a big circle with sleeves thrown in. The sweater can be worn with the sleeves toward the bottom when the baby is 6-9 months old. Roll the excess sleeve length up and it has a little hood as well. Once baby gets older, you flip it over and the "hood" becomes the bottom back of the sweater. The pattern says it can be worn up to 4 years old! Seems like a winner to me. I ordered the yarn last night, so I can start when the big package arrives this week! So excited!

My students will be turning in their baby sweaters this week, so come back next week for pics of their finished work! I can't wiat to see them!

First Post of the New Year

2007-01-20T14:52:00.000-08:00

20th day of 2007 and I am finally finding a few minutes to blog. I have been knitting a lot, working a lot and that's about it! School has been back in session for 2 weeks and the kids are frantically knitting their final project. Over the winter holiday break, they were designing and knitting their own ideas. Here are some pics of what they came up with:

Ronald knit a patch for the back of a jacket. It is a playing card: the ace of spades

Kiera knit some earrings. Very fashionable.

Lucy made a warm hat with ear flaps and pom poms!

Jennifer made another doll! This one is for her baby sister.

Heather models a black and gray beanie.

Donations are rolling in for Stitches From the Heart. Here is Lauren, a senior, who made 30 baby hats! Way to go Lauren!!!

My personal knitting is doing well. I have made 4 of the Sheldon turtles (enough!!!!) from knitty.com and have discovered this great pattern from DIY for baby UGG boots. I can't stop making them!

Next onto the needles will be the trellis baby cable sweater from knitty.com My friend Maggie is having a girl in June, and she is asking for the girliest stuff so we can play dressup with her baby, Finn. Can't wait for Finn to wear her Uggs!

Last week I took a group of students on the UCLA Research boat out of Marina del Rey. We had an awesome time!

Here is a buoy with sea lions laying around. Lucky guys!

Three snowy egrets landed on the back of the boat when we were pulling back into the marina. My supre-cool new digital camera captured this:

Merry X-Mas and all that...

2006-12-27T13:51:00.000-08:00

We had a great holiday here at our house, Mike's mom just left this morning to go back to Philly. I have been kitting like a mad-woman for the past 2 weeks, trying to get everything ready for x-mas. Thankfully, i finished with a few hours to spare, even managed to knit a little for myself.

Here is the finished purse with pretty lining that I felted for my step-mom. I think she was surprised when she opened it!

My first attempt at the Sheldon turtle from this season's Knitty. I knit it on size 10 1/2 dpns, so it is gigantic! Perfect for my knit undersea display in my classroom.

Since the big green one turned out ok, I decided (last thursday) to make a smaller one for the tot in our family, Ridgely. He is Mike's nephew. That gave me 4 days to get the whole thing done. I finished assembly on x-mas eve around 10 pm. argh, what a relief to get that off the needles. This one was done with worsted weight yarn and size 4 needles. I love how cute this patern is! Also, kudos to the author, since it is so readable and very easy to understand. If you are looking for a challenging but do-able double-pointed project, try Sheldon. Trust me! I have a purple one on the needles now, with a pink shell. My friend Leslie in Chicago is having a baby in March. Plenty of time!!!!!

No sure when my next class will be. We need to put on our thinking caps and come up with something fun to teach. Any suggestions? Call Yarn Garden or email me.

School is out for another 2 weeks, hopefully the kids are home knitting their fingers off. They have a design project due the first day back from break, along with a pattern that they wrote. Then, the final! A baby sweater and beanie. The more advanced kids will probably want to add a pair of booties as well. These kids are unbelievable! We have 3 weeks left in the semester. I'll post picks of their work as it comes in.

Have a safe and happy new year!

:)

Another week, another purse!

2006-12-10T19:25:00.000-08:00

This is the zig-zag felted purse from the Felted Handbag workshop. Very cool purse patterns available at Diane's website. I changed it a little to fit my needs. You can see my soap of choice is Ajax dishwashing soap. Very nice. This one is a gift for x-mas. I am adding leather straps tomorrow (recycling a really long belt). I'll post pics once it is finished.

My next project, starting tomorrow, will be Sheldon, from the latest issue of Knitty. SO CUTE and the perfect addition to my marine biology corral of animals. My favorite part of the pattern is that the shell is made like a little sweater that he wears. Adorable.

Tonight I worked on X-mas gifts for people at work. Here they are. Cucumber-melon candles in vintage china, with really awesome bows on the handles. My favorite part is the perfect little box of matches. These were so much fun to make!

This week I took my Marine Biology kids to the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium for a day of fun and adventure. We had so much fun! The pier aquarium is located underneath the pier. Go check it out! They just had a huge remodel, and are re-open for business. I think it is just a few dollars to get in. Very kid-friendly and lots of volunteers to explain stuff. Here are my students modeling our new binoculars that were donated by the Pali High Booster Club. Thanks, Boosters!

Here is the latest pic of our boy. He is feeling under the weather today, moping around and looking sad. Sad dog = good photo opportunities. :)

December Already?

2006-12-03T15:26:00.000-08:00

Wednesday we had a great knitting club meeting at lunch. Over 40 kids showed up. We distributed some of the yarn donated by Fayanne and The Gilmore Girls. Let me tell you, the kids were exstatic! They couldn't believe I was handing out so much yarn! I am eagerly awaiting the scarves, hats and sweaters they are going to make. Thanks again to everyone who has donated yarn this year!

Thursday, our Knitting class got a treat, when expert knitter and knitting book author Maureen Lasher (The Teen Knit Club) came and spoke to our class. She brought tons of cool items that she has knit, and the kids asked lots of questions about her knitting history. As a class, we are putting together a book of patterns and family stories. At the end of the semester, each student will get a copy.

This is what I am currently working on. It is the zig zag bag from the Felted Handbag Workshop. I am starting the center diamonds. Wish me luck. I am going to felt the whole thing and have leather strips added for handles. Fingers crossed that it will be finished in time for X-mas, so I can give it to my step-mom. She was admiring it at Thanksgiving as a work in progress.

Happy Birthday to me...

2006-11-27T09:02:00.000-08:00

I'm old enough to be president!!! Lucky me. :) A student-made cake. Yum.

We went karaoke-ing last weekend and had a grand old time. Here Andi and I are singing "Baby Got Back".

We also had a girls-only tea that afternoon at Chado Tea Room on 3rd street. Delicious!

On to knitting news...

i finished a beanie for my TA Jeff. He is on the basketball team (#23). Go Dolphins!

Here are a few student projects that were finished last week:

So Hyun made this totally cute pink and purple sweater vest.

Shannon made this lemon yellow baby blanket for a family friend.

Ivonne finished her stuffed bunny. Very sweet.

Yesterday, Andi and I got a wild hair and decided to make candles. Never done it before, so we channeled our inner-Martha and dove in. Here's what we did...

first, chop up the brick of wax...

then, melt the wax...ours is sage green with melon/cucumber scent.

then, pour the wax...

then, the candles cool...

...finish with a matching saucer and a cute matchbox.
LOVE IT!!!!!!

New Donations and Knitted Toys!!!!!

2006-11-12T18:16:00.000-08:00

Something wonderful happened today. Fayanne, a yarn angel, has donated TONS of great yarn to our class. This is her livingroom this afternoon, after many people came by and picked up yarn. Thanks so much to Fayanne for the generous donation! I will keep you posted throughout the year(s) of the great things my kids do with this stuff.

Speaking of great kids, this is Ivonne and Jennifer. They are beginners and decided to tackle a toy bunny. Jennifer made a baby sweater set for her third ever project (she is so good!) and they thought a knitted toy was the next logical step.

They knit the body in a single piece, then sewed up the toes and the legs and stuffed as they went. They are in the process of adding the finishing touches. Face, ears, jaunty scarf. Who knows?!? I am eager to see the progress they have made this weekend. I'll post pics of their finished bunnies next time.

Another super-motivated knitter is Shannon. On her own, with no prodding from me, she found this funny pattern for a little man. With no previous construction experience, she pieced this doll together last weekend. Here he is keeping my coral reef tank company. Way to go, Shannon!

I have been busy as well. I purchased some mohair from Suss Designs and made this tam. Charlie moved, i moved and the picture is weird, but the tam is fabu and I can't wait for a little bit of a chill so I can wear it and keep my head warm.

Last night I went to the USC stomping of the Oregon Ducks. Not fun, since I am a Duck fan. Graduated in 1994. A fun time was had by all, here is Jack (my favorite football fan) and me standing in front of the stadium. A little intimidating, to say the least!

Then, to top off a weekend of gluttony (Barney's Beanery for burgers and beer on Saturday afternoon followed by stadium food last night) we got up early to brave the crowds at The Griddle on Sunset at Fairfax. Holy Pancakes! Check out the size of my pumpkin pie pancakes! I got through the first one and had to admit defeat. Their selection is awesome, and the portions would feed a large group. My out of town friends enjoyed the LA-style diner, and I enjoyed the company.

It 's The Little Things That Make All The Difference

2006-11-05T11:39:00.000-08:00

I had a great week. Professionally and personally. My knitters are "getting it" and I am filled with joy when I see this appreication for knitting growing in them. Nothing could make me happier in the classroom. A great example this week is LaTijera. She found a simple pattern for baby booties and wanted me to show her how to make them. I was busy with another student, and asked her to read the pattern all the way through, and highlight anything she thought she didn't understand. She happily went back to her seat and began her task. I didn't hear back from her for about 30 minutes, when she proudly showed me the purple bootie she had finished on her own. "But what about knitting in the front and back of a stitch?" I asked. "Oh, you were busy, so I looked in the book's glossary and figured it out myself." This is music to a teacher's ears. I took initiative and figured it out on my own. Better yet, she then taught someone else how to do it. Now, there are booties springing up all over the room. They can go with our slew of baby hats. Hopefully, this passion will sustain through the baby sweater assignment!

the first bootie

LaTijera working in class

Mike and I carved pumpkins on Monday night in preparation for the onslaught of trick-or-treaters we were expecting Tuesday evening. Here are our favorite carvings, but we did 10 pumpkins total. They lined the driveway and our front walkway, and were accompanied by halloween music playing from the house and lots of scary skeletons and other decor. I really like Halloween. (sigh) We had about 400 visitors that night, and still managed to have leftover candy. I took it to school and my students got rid of it very fast. Scarily fast.

Hannibal Lechter

Dracula Burns

Jack Skellington

Charlie and I went on a few car rides on Saturday. He is obviously getting better at riding in the car. Here he is relaxing and using the arm rest.

My latest project. The tam. I have seen them on celebs lately (Kirsten Dunst and Ashlee Simpson) and yet I still want one.

The grey one I made is a little bit big, so I am trying to shrink it. I have started a new one, in pink mohair from Suss. I'll post pics once I have one that fits!

FLAVA FLAV!!!!!!!

2006-11-01T13:21:00.000-08:00

My alter ego...Flava Flav. 80's rap icon? VH1 reality star? You decide. Halloween was a blast yesterday. My students enjoyed my costume and I won the school costume contest. Yeah, BOY!!!!!

Charity! Halloween! and Charlie!

2006-10-28T15:30:00.000-07:00

I finally made it over to Stitches From the Heart last night to drop off our first big donation. 73 baby hats and 25 scarves. Thanks to the hard-working kids in class for doing such a great job, and THANK YOU (that's a big thank you) to everyone who donated yarn and supplies for these projects. Your donations are on their way to good homes!

Halloween is in a few days and I am REALLY excited! Charlie? not so much. Here he is acting like a vampire sleeping. Or, a bat. Or, a dead cockroach. You decide...

This is what I came home to last night. Very happy pooch standing on a chair, wanting to dance with mommy.

I LOVE Halloween, and wanted to give you all a hint about my costume. I really like dressing up as current reality show "stars". In the past years I was Anna Nicole Smith, Brittney Spears (my friend Chris was K-Fed and we were Chaotic), and Kelly Osborne. I think this costume is my greatest yet. I will post pics next weekend. For now, here is your hint...

Sidebar...Malibu Lagoon Field Trip

2006-10-22T10:56:00.000-07:00

Since my REAL job is Marine Biology teacher, I want to include a tidbit from my week that did not (for once) include yarn. This week I took a big group of my students to the Malibu Lagoon. It is a local estuary, one of the few remaining in Southern California. The weather was unbelievable, 80's in mid-October. The volunteer scientists taught the kids a ton of information, and it is really cool that this estuary is just down the street from our school, but none of the kids have evern been there. I am glad we had the opportunity to get out of the classroom and get our feet wet (literally) and learn about a local ecosystem. Lots more trips to come!

...the birds and the surfers off in the distance

Here is one of the groups that came along. These guys spent the first part of the morning cleaning up the beach and the estuary, earning community service hours in the process. Way to go, guys!

we played some team-building games while waiting for the scientists to set up their equipment...
the human knot

group chair

here is Jennifer testing the salt content of the lagoon using silver nitrate percipitate. very scientific!

there were dissecting scopes for us to use and get a closer look at the creatures in the lagoon!

learning about the fish of the lagoon

This week I taught the first of two classes on X-mas Stockings. We cast on our stitches, and everyone was happily knitting in the round when class was finished. Next week: we turn the heel and head for the toe. I'll post pics from Thursday's class.

Christmas Stocking This Week! and the Great Pumpkin!

2006-10-15T14:54:00.000-07:00

Leyla and I went to the Craft Fair at the Pomona Fairplex yesterday. It was such a blast! We did needle felted make and take pumpkins...

My next needle felting project is a little Charlie Browne. Should be cute! I bought chocolate brown roving, and light blue for his collar. I can't wait to get started! We also learned how to do punch embroidery. We made an apple that I plan to finish and make into a magnet. Really fun stuff. I know eventually all of my denim will have a little something added...
I also bought a simple weaving kit. I think it will be a fun way to use up extra leftovers from projects. More on that later...

THIS WEEK AT YARN GARDEN: X-mas Stockings...hung by the chimney with care.

This class will be 2 Thursdays, Oct. 19 and 26, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. You will need size #11 DPNs and a bulky wool. All supplies are available for purchase at Yarn Garden. Class is $40 for both weeks. You will learn the ins and outs of your first sock! Once you are done, you can add a name, embellish with snowflakes, stars, buttons, ribbon...sky's the limit! Call Yarn Garden for more info and to sign up! 818-980-6667

X-mas Stocking Update...Class Coming Up!

2006-10-08T21:01:00.000-07:00

Hi all. An uneventful week. My students are all happily working on their baby hats, which are due in 2 weeks. I'll post pictures when the hats are turned in.

This week I have been working on finishing the Brea Bag, which is this week's class at Yarn Garden. Next week I'll be teaching a 2-week class on knitted Christmas Stockings. Class will be Thursday evenings, October 19 and 26, from 6:30 to 8:30 each evening. Call Yarn Garden to sign up, and find out what supplies you will need. Here are two of the stockings I designed. I really like the pom poms on the skinny one. The newest stocking on my needles is red, green and white. Stay tuned for updated pics!

On a personal note, I bought a new car today. After many weeks of research, I decided on a small SUV. I love my new car!

We took Charlie for his first ride in the new car tonight, and he was pretty good. It has always been a pain trying to keep him in the back seat of Mike's car, but the new car has a fold-down area in the back. I put a big blanket down and he explored. Overall, it was a success. I think it is going to take a few more trips for him to realize that he can't sit in my lap when I am driving. Sometimes he forgets he weighs 65 pounds. The big guy thinks he is a lap dog. So sweet.

Next Satruday I am headed out to the Pomona Fairplex for the Sew, Craft and Quilt Fair. It is an all-day event that has tons of booths and lots of demos. Check out their website for more info: http://www.rustybarn.com/ There is a Pomona catalogue to download. Hope to see you there!

I Heart Socks!

2006-10-01T17:12:00.000-07:00

"Knitting Under the Influence" evening was a success! Thanks to Claire LaZebnik for coming out to Yarn Garden Friday night for a fun night of knitting, chating and yummy delights. It was so much fun meeting everyone and getting to hear a bit of the book. If you don't have a copy yet, it is for sale all over town. I recommend this novel, very funny and so true! Lots of knitting laughter as well.

SOCK WARS
As you know, I was killed by my assassin's "bullet" last week, and her package was so fun to receive. She (Karen from NY) sent me socks filled with goodies. Some tea, soap and candy, as well as some pretty awesome stitch markers with SKULLS on them! I sent my sock off to Karen's assassin, and she just sent me a message saying she had received my package. I went to her blog and borrowed this graphic for sock wars. Very funny.

Here is Charlie modeling my new wool socks. He likes them but they are mine. Sorry, Charlie! BTW, I know I am his mommy, but how cute is he? I Love this guy, and Mike and I are having so much fun watching him grow up and seeing how he changes each week. Practice parenthood is awesome!

Christmas is coming! Christmas is coming!

Since I am now a "sock knitter" I decided to try my hand at a very large X-mas stocking. I didn't really follow a pattern, just used the basic recipe for socks and let my creativity do the rest. I really like the results! I added the money for size reference. I will be teaching a variation on this sample at Yarn Garden, Thursday nights October 19th and 26th, from 6:30 to 8:30 each night. You will learn the basics of double-pointed needles, and the result will be a great x-mas stocking. No worries if you haven't ever knit on dpns before. This pattern is really basic (all knit), a great introduction into the world of socks. I am knitting a second version, longer and thinner. I remember having a big bulky stocking when I was a kid, but the long, skinny stocking might look cute too. We'll see. I can help you invent whatever type you want to knit. Call Yarn Garden for more information.

Such a busy weekend...whew...I need a nap!

2006-09-25T10:46:00.000-07:00

This was a crazy weekend. So much happened. Friday night and Sunday afternoon, Anne, Jodi and I volunteered at the San Gennaro Festival at Hollywood and Highland. Jodi and her hubby Mario taught mosaic tiling and Anne and I taught some knitting basics. The kids corner was hoppin’! All in all it was a great event that raised a lot of money for various charities.
here is Anne teaching a really good little knitter. These two girls were our best students of the night! Very quick learners! And there I am at the bottom teaching the bigger sister. Both got it so fast and seemed to be having as much fun as we were!

SOCK WARS
I am a warrior in Sock Wars and I think I was unofficially assassinated late last night. Here’s the deal: each knitter has a target (the person they are knitting for) and an assassin (someone who is knitting for them and trying to “kill” them). My assassin is this really cool woman from NY, Karen. She emailed on Saturday morning saying that she was almost finished with my socks. Bummer. I was 1” into the cuff of my first sock. Her email motivated me to get my butt in gear and knit, so I did, finishing my first-ever sock! I am really proud of it! Then Karen emailed again last night saying that my socks (the proverbial bullet) were going in Monday’s mail, arriving around Wednesday. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted! Plus, I learned how to knit a sock! Next on my needles, a PAIR of socks in Debbie bliss cashmerino. Snuggly!

Many, many thanks go out to Julie at The Little Knittery for the amazing donation of yarn on Saturday. There is an assortment of wool, DK weight, novelty and even some ribbon. The kids are going crazy over this stuff. So many baby sweaters and hats will come from this donation! Everyone should get over to The Little Knittery on Franklin at Vermont and see and feel the great yarn she has for sale. The one-of-a-kind selection is to die for!

New Kids, Felted Project Bag, Volunteering...a very busy week!

2006-09-17T17:37:00.000-07:00

As you all know, school started 11 days ago, and my knitters are all new to the craft. Such a challenge! I have 30 kids in the class, 4 of them are boys. Yipee!!!! Here are some pics of the kids knitting with some donated yarn. The first assignment was to knit a square. Just a simple square. Perfect the knit stitch. Once they passed the inspection, they then tackled the ever-popular-first-project...the scarf. Everyone is knitting for Stitches From the Heart, so we should have a big bag of donations coming soon. I am surprised, this year's group is fast. I gave them a week to finish a scarf, and kids were coming back the next day for more yarn. I don't want to tell them to slow down, but at this rate, I'll run out of stuff for them to knit with! I guess that is a good problem to have, right? If anyone out there has any yarn they want to donate, please email me knewbill@earthlink.net and I'll figure out a way to pick it up. All donated yarn goes toward charity knitting.

Today I sat down in the knitting oasis and finished the felted bag from last post. I added clear plastic handles, lined it with Eifel Tower print fabric, and added a big polka dot pocket. I love it. It is now my official knitting bag. It is big, roomy and comfortable on the shoulder. Perfect!

All of us at Yarn Garden are pleased to announce that on Friday, September 29th, from 7 pm to 9 pm, Claire LaZebnik will be reading from her new novel "Knitting Under The Influence". We will have wine, cheese and yummy desserts to munch on while Claire reads from her book. I started reading it last night and LOVE IT! Very funny, and some of the characters remind me of some friends I have. We invite all of you to join us for this very special event. If you missed her first reading last week, here is your chance to meet the author, share some fantastic food with a really fun group of knitters. I can't think of a better way to spend a Friday evening. Please call Yarn Garden if you plan to attend. 818-980-6667

As if I didn't have enough going on, Anne and I have volunteered at the Feast of San Gennaro this coming weekend in Hollywood. We are in for a busy weekend. Friday evening and Sunday afternoon we will be in the kids area teaching 100+ kids how to knit. Anne and I made over 100 pair of knitting needles, balled red-white-green yarn and put together little knitting kits for each kid. Are we nuts? Probably. But it is a great cause and we both love the idea of passing on this skill to the next generation. Come on by and say hi! The whole thing takes place all weekend at Hollywood and Highland. It is hosted by Adam Corolla and Jimmy Kimmel, and there are tons of food booths, celebrity chefs, entertainment, rides, etc. I am really excited about the food! If you saw this festival on the Sopranos, or if you have gone in the past when it was at The Grove, you won't be disappointed this year. It sounds HUGE and, of course, all $$ raised goes to charity. Gotta love that!

This week's class at Yarn Garden. The Brea Bag. Finally, we get to this. I have made a few little changes to the original pattern, seen in the past in my blog, and I think it makes the purse easier to knit. This is a great way to expand your use of cables. This is a two-week class, $40 for both weeks. You will need size 11 or 13 needles, depending on how loose you want the stitches, aslo depending on the yarn you choose. I suggest a bulky weight yarn, like Lamb's Pride, my favorite. You will also need a cable needle. If you are interested, the class is Thursday evening, 6:30 to 9:00. We will be meeting this week and next. Please call Yarn Garden to sign up. Space is limited. 818-980-6667

And finally, my favorite non-human in the world. Charlie. My friend Andi was shooting a photo assignment and needed a model. Charlie jumped into the chair and she took some great photos of him. This one is my favorite. He looks so regal. I also love it because I love my livingroom drapes. I am such a girl sometimes!

Have a great week everyone, and I'll see you next time!

Felting class was a success!!!!

2006-09-09T19:33:00.000-07:00

We finished up our felting experience at Yarn Garden this past Thursday. Everyone did such a great job! Here is my project bag, before felting...

...and after felting. The next step is to add handles and a lining with big pockets. Tomorrow's project. I'll post pics when I am finished!

Here are some more purses made that night. Jeri, Madison and Pam all did a fantastic job. Can't wait to see how they look finished.

Here is Misha's messenger bag/backpack.

Emily made 2 purses, one for herself and the other as a gift. Love that color, even though it turned her needles blue.

This Thursday night at Yarn Garden we have the short-sleeved raglan sweater. So EASY!!!!! All you need is some bulky yarn and size 13 or 15 needles. I did this one with a fun yarn from Germany. I love the crazy colors. The class is one week only and costs $30 for the night. 6:30 to 9:00. Call Yarn Garden to sign up! 818-980-6667

Here is a close up of the raglan increases on the sleeve. Love this yarn!

Yep, it happened. School started on Wednesday. I somehow managed to get up at 5am each morning and get my butt to school. This was a tough week. Takes me a few days to get back into the swing of things. Here is a picture of my classroom. You can see some of the fish tanks and habitat displays I have set up. I am really proud of my room, but there is still so much I want to do.

The Knitting Oasis Is Finally Complete!

2006-09-04T09:49:00.000-07:00

Mike and I are not that handy, so when I decided to remodel the garage, I called my dad. After a few hours of planning, he and I jumped right in and spent the summer doing hard labor. Drywall, insulation, hanging a ceiling, patching, sanding, painting, carpet...whew! It is so good to be done. Built in 1923, this relic was never finished, just tar paper and studs. Bare bones. The weather got in, the growing vines got in and the spiders got it. I never liked storing important stuff out there since there was no guarantee that it would be safe. My summer project was to turn this dusty, dirty, scary place into a knitting oasis. A place where my friends can come over to do all things crafty. And play Ms. Pac Man, of course.
The garage is two-story, so I put a lot of the "stuff" upstairs in plastic bins, but kept the important junk downstairs. The X-mas stuff, Halloween decorations, etc.
Here is a view of the back corner, with stairs, BEFORE all of the hard work:

...and here is the same corner, after a few weeks of attention and many trips to Home Depot:

Here is a before view of the back of the garage, with window facing out to a big walnut tree.

...and here it is transformed into the sewing center and arcade. We leveled out the floor and put down carpet, even carpeted the stairs. You can sit here and sew something up while watching the squirrels play on the neighbor's garage.

Here is my desk. Since we moved to our new house (2 years and counting) I haven't had a desk. I use the dining room table, which is typically covered in whatever project I am currently working on. Forget about having a meal at the table, I have my sewing out, or I am blocking a big item. Now, I can retire to my knitting oasis, and dive right into whichever project I choose. The table and shelving came from Ikea. The silver cabinet is vintage from an old pharmacy, my dad gave it to me years ago, my first piece of furniture. I LOVE it! The chair was also from my dad. We have similar taste in second-hand furniture.

I had my first visitor on Saturday! Leyla, my friend from Yarn Garden, came over and we went downtown to Michael Levine's. We spent 2 hours picking out fabric for our felted purse lining (I got some great stuff, to be posted next week) and I picked up some needle felting supplies. Here are some of our victories! We felted onto felt, then felted onto a shirt. I even got it to work on paper.

I also have some punch embroidery stuff, seen here in the jars. I tried to get it to work, but I think I need more practice. I keep pulling out the previous stitches as I move forward. Practice, practice, practice.

The teddy bear project: I bought these little guys and am planning to knit sweaters for them. I am designing a cardigan and a pull-over. The book pictured is GREAT if you ever want to knit a bear. I have made a few of the small ones, and am gathering the courage to knit a really big bear.

Another Sunday, another Blog Entry

2006-08-27T10:33:00.000-07:00

A few crazy things happened this week. First, our pride and joy, Charlie Brown, got sick. He woke us up on Wednesday night (Thursday morning) with a swollen schnozz and puffy eyes. We rushed him to the emergency vet hospital in Studio City and they said it was probably a spider bite. Back in bed by 4 am, swelling under control, dog and humans snoring nicely. All was ok. Thursday, he was sluggish (so were we!) but the swelling came back around 4 pm, so Mike took him to our vet for another shot of steroids and antihistimine. We had another restless night, I was up every hour checking his face. Long story short, it is now Sunday and the boy isn't acting like his old self yet. He mopes around the house and sleeps a lot. The vet tells us this is normal, but I sorta miss the hyper guy who was demanding attention all the time. Here is a pic of his highness after our first trip to the vet. Note the "Rocky Balboa" face. Very puffy.

Latest Completed Project!!!

Here is the Fendi purse, interpreted by moi. I made it bigger, and skipped the bow on the front. It works, but let me tell you, knitting it in the round was a mistake. If youa re going to do something like this, I suggest knitting it flat as a long rectangle, then sewing it up. In hindsight, that would have been easier. At one end of the rectangle, just work 3 increase rows then 1x1 ribbing for 5 rows. Bind off and voila, you have a fendi-type purse. I added my favorite easy strap, the thrift store tie.

This week at YARN GARDEN!!!!!
The next knitting project class we will tackle is FELTING! This will be a 2 week class, meeting Thursday evenings, 6:30-8:30. Total cost is $40 for both nights. Bring your fancy yarns to add to the body of your purse and size 13 long circular needles. We will write your pattern once you decide what you want to do. First week will be yarn selection and overall design, and second week we will felt your completed bag during class, and discuss finishing techniques. Call Yarn Garden at 818-980-6667 to sign up!

2 Weeks Until School Starts! Noooooooooo.....

2006-08-20T17:24:00.000-07:00

The Brea Bag (pattern from Berocco) is finished. It was great to knit, and the directions are very clear. I added a thriftstore tie as the strap, I love it! These might be X-mas presents this year. Who knows. It took 1 1/2 skeins of Lamb's Pride Bulky.

The baby stuff class-PART 1 was such a success. Thanks to everyone who showed up. I hope you have time this week to do your homework so that we can finish those sweaters this Thursday. Also, we will be knitting the baby booties and a baby hat. So much to do! Our next class, August 31st (Thusrday evening 6:30-9:00) will be a felting class. This one will be a two-week class as well. I'll post more details later in the week.

This is the storage shelving I am buying for my knitting oasis. We are almost finished, maybe 2 more days of hard labor. Once it is all finished, I will post before and after pictures. I can't wait to load the shelves with my yarn. It is going to look like my own little yarn store.

NEXT PROJECTS:

This is a Valentino cashmere stole with pearls sewn on. I want one, but am unwilling to pay...brace yourself...$1950! For a wrap! I think I might buy some luxurious cashmere and just go for it.

This is a Fendi, the "Chef Bag". Retail price: $900. Ouch. I am rewriting a pattern for this little guy. Tiffany at Yarn Garden gave me a pattern she had but we decided the pattern has some issues, so this is my weekend project (in addition to the garage, um, knitting oasis.) I am knitting it in the round and am halfway up the body. I am going to make it a little deeper than the original, maybe 7 or 8 inches. I like purses to hold everything I own.

These are my teacher friends. We all have to report back to school next week for 3 days of "get ready for kids" meetings, etc. Then we have Labor Day weekend, then the first day of school. I had a BBQ last week and they all came over (with significant others in tow) and we complained about the end of summer. The non-teachers in the group showed no sympathy. :)

This Week's Class at Yarn Garden

2006-08-14T13:39:00.000-07:00

baby stuff! easy sweater, booties and hat set. this 2-week class will get you ready to knit for every baby you know and for all those on their way!

straight needles you might want to bring with you (at the biggest point you will have ~140 sts on your needles, so longer needles are recommended, circular will also work, but we are not knitting in the round):
US 10 ½ (sweater for 9-12 month old baby)
US 9 (sweater for 6-9 month old baby)
US 8 (sweater for 3-6 month old baby)
US 6 (sweater for newborn baby *if doing the preemie sweater, you might want to use baby weight yarn
US 4 (sweater for preemie *if doing the preemie sweater, you might wan to use baby weight yarn)
***if you want a bigger sweater, you can use double (or triple) yarn and bigger needles. the booties and hat are similar in size ranges, so you can use the same needles.

week 1: we will begin the sweater, making sure everyone "gets" the fancy new stitch. the result is so pretty! for homework, you will get to the sleeves of the sweater, and (if you have time) you can whip out a hat and some booties.

week 2: we will continue the sweater, picking up from the sleeves and adding a few stitches. The sweater is knit in one piece, so there is minimal sewing together when you are finished.

Call Yarn Garden for more information and to sign up 818-980-6667

Home From DC

2006-08-05T10:14:00.000-07:00

I met up with my friend Donna and her little girl, Katie. Here she is modeling her cashmere hat in 110 degree heat. Such a trooper. I think the swiss darning turned out pretty cool. Remember that I am teaching Swiss Darning this Thursday at Yarn Garden. 6:30-9:00pm.

To the Smithsonian...

My favorite museum in the Smithsonian complex was, of course, the Museum of Natural History. The rotunda has a huge African Elephant running through the center. Awesome. I took so many pics that I can use in my lectures throughout the year, but my favorite has to be the collection of birds that Darwin actually preserved and brought home on the Beagle. Talk about history!!!! I trudged to the National Archives to see the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and the Bill of Rights, but the no flash photography rule made it tough to get good shots.

My last night in town I took a night tour of the monuments. I recommend this to anyone headed to DC. This pic is from the World War II Memorial that opened in 2004. Spectacular. Not like you can tell from my picture, but I was just having fun with the fountains and the light. Pretty cool effect.

Next post: the finished Brea Bag. I have all the pieces finished, now I need to assemble. Not sure when that will happen. Also, I am spending the weekend working on my garage. My dad is helping me turn it into a knitting oasis. A place for me to escape and get my craft on. I'll post before and during pictures. Hopefully we will be finished soon. I can't wait to move my stuff in!

Thanks to everyone who saw my gameshow. I ended up winning a trip to Cabo San Lucas. Mike and I are thinking of going for Christmas Break. I am so glad my useless knowledge of celebrity gossip has finally become useful. :)

Knitting in the Capital

2006-07-31T16:24:00.000-07:00

Hey all,
I am in Washington DC this week for a science literacy conference. Fun stuff. I am meeting up with a friend I haven't seen in years, since I was in the Peace Corps in Thailand. Loooooonnnnnnggggggg time ago. Anyway, She has a baby, so I made her a little hat. I used swiss darning to put her name on it, inspired by the "geek" baby hat I made at my last class at Yarn Garden. Thanks to Leyla for the advice.

Also, I am going to be on a game show tuesady night (August 1st) on the GameShow Network. It is called "Starface" and is hosted by Danny Bonaduce. It airs 6:30 pacific time, and 9:30 eastern. Check your local listings for time and station.

I am currently knitting a pretty little thing called the Brea Bag. LOVE IT!!!! I have all the pieces and must assemble it and add a handle. The color I am using is cranberry-like. Can't wait to use it!

Oh, the craziest thing happened on Friday at home. My neighbor across the street heard a loud noise (we heard it too) and she went into her backyard to see what happened. Her neighbor to the back had driven his car through their shared wall, and into her POOL!!!!! Her housekeeper jumped in and rescued the older man who was driving. He was in shock. The fire dept. showed up and all was ok, except that Christine had a Honda Accord in her pool. Saturday morning a giant crane came
to haul it out. Lots of people, the news crews, etc. Here is a pic of the car "flying" over Christine's house and into the street. It was a sight to see! Her pool is a mess, and it looks like they will drain it and repair it. Bummer, since this is prime pool weather!

Hope to see some of you at Yarn Garden next week for the Swiss Darning class. Third time is a charm. 6:30 to 9:00. All materials are included. Call Tiffany for more info. That is August 10th.

My New Obsession!

2006-07-23T20:26:00.000-07:00

I am in love with Swiss Darning! It totally rules! I bought this really cute shrug sweater at Banana Republic (on sale at the Camarillo outlets!) and decided the back needed a little pizzazz. I used the simple Swiss darning technique to add a crown and some jewels to the back of the sweater.
I LOVE IT!!!!!
Here's how I did it:

1. I found a picture that I really liked of a crown. I did a google search for images of crowns.

2. I plugged the image into a cool program I found here: http://www.microrevolt.org/knitPro/
This website turns pictures into knitting charts.

3. I printed this chart and found that some of the squares were not clearly defined, so I used some blank graph paper to map out the exact crown I wanted, with the help of the computer-generated graph.

4. I used my new graph to add the crown to the back of my sweater. I finished with some jewels at the tips of the crown.

Now i just have to wait for the heat to go away so I can wear the darn thing.

I am teaching a class on Swiss Darning with TONS of pattern ideas and tips this Thursday night (6-9 pm) at Yarn Garden in Studio City. Call Tiffany if you are interested in signing up 818-980-6667. $30 for all the materials you will need during class, plus a huge packet of graphs I have done and loads of blank graph paper. And, I think Tiffany is still offering an incredible discount on yarn to people in the class. Call for more details. You don't need to bring anything with you, but if you have a sweater of other project that you want to add an image too, bring it with you and we can go from there!

IT IS SO HOT!!!!!!

2006-07-16T17:01:00.000-07:00

I found this cheap purse at PacSun. So I bought three of them. Great. I decided to try dyeing them different colors then I thought I'd give them away. My first attempt at adding color was sort of a failure. The lime green dye, turns out, is NOT for cotton, only protein-based fabrics, like silk and wool. I dabbed the dye on, let it soak...

...and the finished product looks like a highlighter leaked in my purse. Not exactly what i was hoping for.

So, I went with the tried-and-true RIT DYE. I donned my gloves, and filled the washer. First I did pink, and I like the results.

Next came dark green. I love this purse and am considering keeping it for myself.

Since I had a washer full of dark green dye, I rummaged through my stuff to find a few more things to dye. I came up with a flower hankie and a slip. The hankie is great and the slip didn't work. Let me tell you...when the package says that polyester will not dye, they are telling the truth. I let it soak for over an hour. I did everything I could think of, researched online, pulled out a few-too-many-hairs, and still, as the results show, polyester will not dye. At least not with RIT or anything else that is super easy. Oh well, I am thinking of cutting it into a short dress and wearing a tank top and slip (redundant).
Something else I finished up this week was the felted revolver purse. I added a scarf handle and it is perfect! I love it!!!!!

Here are a few pics of my garden. It was such a hot day and normally I would be inside, but the flowers and the orange tree were posing so well.

This week, I am teaching swiss darning (easy intarsia) at Yarn Garden in Studio City. Call Tiffany to sign up. $30. All materials are included for use to practice during class. Plus you get a big packet of patterns and knitting graph paper! If you want to bring your own supplies, I suggest a tapestry needle, and maybe some size 7 or 8 knitting needles. This Thursday from 6:30 to 9:00 pm.

Finished Pirate Purse

2006-07-12T15:25:00.000-07:00

Here is the pirate purse, felted and with handles.

I have felted the next one, a clutch with a revolver on one side and "BANG" on the other. The lettering was hard to do and I am not sure how it turned out yet, i'll post pics when it is finished. Here is the revolver side, pre-felting.

Thanks again to everyone who helped with chart making. I found some pretty cool stuff out there. If anyone is interested in making their own graph paper, I found this great website. Who knew there were so many kinds of graph paper out there!!!!! http://www.incompetech.com/beta/plainGraphPaper/

Pirates of the Caribbean, I salute you!!!!!!

2006-07-09T15:02:00.000-07:00

What kind of socks was the pirate's wife always knitting for him?

...ARRRRgyle.

Mike and I went to see Pirates Part Deux on Friday and LOVED IT! In honor of the movie, I am knitting then felting a Jolly Roger purse. Pink on pink, of course. Here is the purse before the handles (which get added after felting), sitting on a chair (for reference size). I'll felt it this afternoon then take more pics later. I used Lambs Pride (from Yarn Garden,Tiffany has a GREAT color selection!!!) since it knits up so quickly. I did this on a #11 needle. So easy!!!!!!!

Thank you to all of my fellow stitch-n-bitchers (am I allowed to use the entire name?) who advised me on how to go from jpeg file to intarsia graph. I settled on http://www.microrevolt.org/knitPro/, an awesome website that converts files into charts. Go check it out! That is how I did the skull! Simple. Jules pointed me to them. Thanks, Jules.

On my drive home from YG this afternoon, my thermometer in the car said it was 97 degrees in the valley. As soon as I crossed over into Hollywood, the temp. went down to a managable 84. I don' tknow how all of you valley folk do it. Stronger than i, that's for sure. I would be melted into a little puddle in my livingroom, not leaving my house until midnight.

I am teaching another class this week at Yarn Garden. SHHHHRUGS and SHHHHAWLS: secrets exposed!!! Here are some pics of things you could do. If you are interested in the class, please call Tiffany at 818.980.6667 to sign up. Space is limited.

here is a pic of the shrug with a close up of the sleeve. so pretty!

this is a basic shawl, front and back.

Happy 4th of July everyone!

2006-07-04T12:47:00.000-07:00

A few things I have been working on lately involve absolutely no patterns. The best kind of projects. I decided that I should be able to just cast on some stitches and "go for it". I had a few creatures in mind, kept them in mind every row, and increased or decreased when needed. This all started when I was designing a Deep Sea display in my classroom. The background is black felt, runs floor to ceiling, and will be filled with hanging creatures fromt he deep. The only problem, no one makes deep sea stuffed animals. I have found some plastic models, but they are too small and not ideal for my creation. My boyfriend Mike jokingly suggested I knit the scene, and after some thought, I realized it might just work. I ran to the yarn store, this time Joann's in Santa Monica, for some cheap and bulky yarn. Usually, I like comfy yarns that make my hands feel good, but these unknown animals needed a lot of yarn, so Joann's was my place. This weekend, while watching 2001: A Space Odyssey, in high definition no less, I began with a big red jellyfish.

I cast on 7 stitches, and started increasing each round. Trial and error was my motto, so i just kept going around until I got to the circumference I wanted, then I started decreasing. At this point, it looked like a weird red beret. I kept decreasing until about 15 stitches remained, then I stuffed it with fiberfill and cinched these last stitches. Voila! A jellyfish body. I added lots of long tentacles and I had my first animal.

I moved on to the gulper eel, my favorite deep sea creature, then added a club-tipped anemone and another small red jelly. My deep sea "aquarium" is shaping up nicely.

Somehow, I will also hang the giant squid hat in there so that it is "fighting" with a sperm whale I made from a piece of styrofoam. Pics to follow of the whole scene.

I have moved into my new classroom at Pali, a much bigger room with 5 saltwater fishtanks. This is a new experience for me, since I have never owned a saltwater tank before. I have been going in to school everyday this summer to feed the fish and make the move from my old room to the new room. I filled a dumpster with stuff from my old room and TWO dumpsters with stuff from the new room. The retiring teacher just walked away and never got rid of anything. I found specimens in his cabinets of preserved animals from the 50's. Scary. The coolest thing happened yesterday in the coral tank. The pufferfish blew up! i have unofficially been calling him Bloat (from Finding Nemo) and now I know he can do it. Here is a blurry pic of his exploits. Sorry for the blur, but he would not stay still.

FYI: I am teaching a lace bolero jacket class this Thursday evening (6:30 to 9:00) at Yarn Garden in Studio City. Should be fun, we had a blast with it last month, so it is back by popular demand! See you there!

Happy Father's Day...the weekend

2006-06-18T21:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Mike and I drove down to Newport Beach for a father's day bbq. We brought the boy along, his first long car ride with us. It was 1 1/2 hours of him trying to come into the front seat, and me trying to push him into the back. He won most of the battle. My arm got tired and I gave up. Here is our newest family portrait, taken by me, on our way home from dinner. Our boy, Charlie Brown, looks like a majestic hound.

Today, we headed over to my dad's house for another bbq. This time, Charlie stayed home. Here is a pic of the delicious bbq feast...

And here are the men we were honoring...my dad and grandpa. My grandpa is 93 and still has a bigger appetite than I do. Lucky man. I love them both so much and am so lucky to have them in my life. Happy Father's Day, Robert W. Newbill Jr. (grandpa) and RW Newbill III. Love you.

Knitting 101 Turns 1

2006-06-16T09:13:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe it, but my blog is 1. This first year of teaching knitting at Pali High has been awesome. The kids taught each other a lot, taught me a lot and we all made some mistakes along the way. We donated many bags of hats and sweaters to Stitches From the Heart, and the kids have all learned to knit and crochet. I am hoping to have a few returners next year, a sort of advanced class where we can do more challenging projects.

Last night at Yarn Garden, we had a great class for the lacy bolero jacket. Thank you to everyone who came and started a jacket. I can't wait to see everyone's finished product.

Next Thursday evening (6:30-8:30) we are doing embellished flowers, bows and other cute things to add on to a purse, hat or any project you are working on. These are quick, little projects that you can finish in one sitting. Call Yarn Garden to sign up. 818-980-6667

knitting before summer comes...senior-style!

2006-06-15T11:06:00.000-07:00

this is our last class with all of the seniors. they have been great this year, and I will be sad to see you guys go. please keep knitting and come back to show me your progress.

lots of love,
ms. newbill

some people will knit anything!!!!!!

2006-06-15T06:03:00.000-07:00

HERE’S a sports car you could pullover very smartly in — a Ferrari knitted from WOOL.
Art student Lauren Porter spent ten months making the full-size replica using 12 MILES of yarn.
The car, a cross between a Testarossa and a 355, is made of more than 250 squares over a steel frame and the horse badge is hand-embroidered.

I am so impressed with this feat that I might go ahead and knit that digestive tract I was eyeing a few months ago. The pattern is straight-forward and the results would be humorous. But a Ferrari!!!! Hats' off to this ambitious girl.

Summer is just around the corner, and final projects are due next week, so I am hoping for some great pics of the completed sweaters and things from the kids.

Check back in a few days for more.

Don't forget the bolero jacket class is tonight. 6:30 at Yarn Garden in Studio City. See you there.

Bolero Jacket Class at Yarn Garden this Thursday!!!!

2006-06-11T17:03:00.000-07:00

I taught my first class at Yarn Garden (such a cute shop in Studio City, I recommend everyone stop by and browse!!!) last Thursday evening and we had a blast. Everyone was working on the cable purse, and much progress was made.
This Thursday evening from 6:30 to 8:30 (or so) we are having another class, this time we are making the lace bolero jacket. Here is a pic from the archives...

Here is the current bolero in progress. I am using a yummy yarn called Bella Soft. It has such a great texture, which works well for the bolero. The jacket is so simple, a little texture really helps bring it to life.

If you are interested in taking the bolero class, call Tiffany at Yarn Garden 818.980.6667 to sign up. Space is limited, so call soon!!!!

Classes coming soon: felting, toys done on dps, purses, scrap class (stash reduction!!!). Hope to see you all there!

New Summer Classes Offered!

2006-05-30T10:40:00.000-07:00

Who Likes Yarn?

2006-05-25T10:55:00.000-07:00

ok, so i think i might be starting a little business. A student, Sarah, gave me a cute little poster she bought at the Fairfax Swap Meet (thanks, Sarah!!!) and my dad and I photoshopped it a bit to come up with my "business logo".

I LOVE IT!!!!!

The creation of a name has inspired me to make some stuff. My first venture was necklaces. That was going well (see earlier post) but the necklaces take a long time and I was getting impatient. Next I tried some earrings. The photos aren't that great, but I love them in person. And I love that the tag is my logo!!!!!!

Nautiloids Are Attacking Charlie!!!!!

2006-05-07T19:11:00.000-07:00

I finished a few of the nautiloids from knitty.com. Love the pattern, it is pretty easy and knits up quick. Thanks to Tiffany Jan, my student who inspired me to knit this project. She wanted to learn to use double-pointed needles, so I downloaded the pattern and knit along with her. Tiffany has a complete shell and is now working on the tentacles, her project is due Thursday. I'lll post pics when she turns it in.

Here are mine attacking a very patient Charlie Brown, my model.

Here they are in a yin-yang posture. So tranquil.

Pelican At Pali High!

2006-05-05T11:13:00.000-07:00

crazy day here on Wednesday. A pelican flew onto campus, and was disoriented and confused. The kids came and got me (the marine biology teacher MUST know what is up, right?) and took me to the sad guy. Turns out a lot of the local pelicans are "sick" and acting strangely. I called Tristan at California Wildlife Rescue up in Malibu and they came down to Pali and picked up the bird. So many kids were interested in hearing about the new arrival, but all of the noise from the kids was agitating the pelican. We kept him in a small area until help arrived. All told, it was a successful rescue. I am hoping to turn this into a classroom lesson, so I am currently researching this phenomenon. Could be that he flew into a building (apparently younger birds do that sometimes) or that he is sick. Tristan told me that they are seeing so many young pelicans that are malnourished and the cause is still unknown. Interesting! I'll keep you posted.

charlie brown turns 1. hooray!!!!!

2006-05-03T18:19:00.000-07:00

yesterday was my dog's birthday. mike and I got him a "dog cake" (a big dog bone-shaped cookie) and sang happy birthday to him. he just wanted the cookie. after one small bite he begged for the rest. as soon as my back was turned, he stole the entire cookie from the table and overindulged for his "big day".

afterwards, the glutton took a much-needed nap on the couch.

Nautie from knitty.com

2006-04-27T11:37:00.000-07:00

ok, i am addicted to all things related to marine biology, so when i saw the "Nautie" stuffed nautiloid, i knew it was for me. Since a few of the kids are working on it as well, I felt motivated to do one too. Here is my progress so far. I am almost finished with the shell. I love it!!!!!!!!

Donations Donations Donations!!!

2006-04-27T10:45:00.000-07:00

So many thank yous to give. It really means a lot to these kids when people send in supplies to keep them knitting!

Thanks to Knitzilla and Knitter's Studio for the big bag of various yarns. The kids went crazy for the ribbon yarn.

Thanks to Suss Designs for their donation of a gazillion pairs of size#11 bamboo needles. The advanced knitters are working on purses and these big needles will come in handy for those who are felting with big yarn!

The next thank you goes out to The Little Knittery for a big bag of wool. Along with the #11 Suss needles, we can felt this into some purses. Thanks, Julie!

Our next donation to Stitches From the Heart will be dropped of tomorrow afternoon. Hats, hats and more hats. I guess you can never have enough baby hats, right?

There are also some blanket squares that still need to be sewn together. I am going to offer some community service to a the kids to sew them into a few baby blankets. We'll see what happens with that.

Thursday Walk Through Class

2006-04-06T11:15:00.000-07:00

Halfway through the period I decided to take a walk around the room to check on project progress. Here is what I found:

Stephanie has made a Razor phone holder. Love the matching flower!

Yuriko and Amparo celebrate the completion of one cute baby hat with tiny pom pom.

Tiffany made an ipod holder with a litte crochet French guy on the top. Tres chic!!!!

Tuekeha has finished one little hat with a REALLY BIG pom pom. Really fun!

Mariana has made another baby sweater. The girl is a prolific knitter! She even put on little matching buttons! Love it!!!!

Easter Hits Pali!!!!!!

2006-04-06T10:47:00.000-07:00

Spring Break is right around the corner, and we are so ready for a week off. This week the kids have been working on their baby hats for Stitches From the Heart. They are coming along nicely. The hats are due in 2 weeks, and I'll post pics when they are all turned in. The advanced kids are being more daring. Some are designing their own creations, others are tackling challenging patterns. I am really excited to see their results in a few weeks.

In honor of Easter, and to keep everyone busy, I bought some plastic eggs and raided our stash to create some yarn eggs. They turned out so cute!!!!

Also, some knit bunnies. And chocolate. Gotta have the chocolate. And peeps. Yum.

Happy spring break, everyone!!!!!!!

the squid hat is finally complete!

2006-03-23T12:26:00.000-08:00

the squid hat is done! many months of creative pattern reading, and long tentacle figuring-out, and it is finished.

here it is attacking charlie while he naps on the top of the couch.

close up of moi surrounded by tentacles!

this is me wearing the masterpiece, holding up the 2 long tentacles. there are 8 short ones as well.

First Day of the Second Semester

2006-02-05T13:31:00.000-08:00

Classes began again for spring semester, and the knitting class is apparently a popular choice. We have 37 knitters, 18 of them are new to the class. Since the first meeting was a short day, class only lasted 30 minutes. So, we handed out yarn and needles, and got to work. A new person was paired with a "veteran knitter" and by the end of the 30 minutes, everyone could cast on and knit. I am looking forward to monday, when we have 100 minutes to get on this. The first project for the new kids will be 2 squares for baby blankets. I purchased tons of teal yarn, so we can be uniform. Square size will be 9"x9". Should be fun. The returning kids will make something for themselves. I have a growing library of knitting books, and of course we have the internet, so the sky's the limit!
Here is Ever, doing what he does best...teaching how to cast on. He is my go-to guy for that! Thanks, Ever!!!!!!!!!

Sarah Y. teaches with such excitement!!!!!!

Esther patiently waits for Ms. Newbill to get a good picture (this was the fourth attempt...sorry cutie!)

Se Mi teaches three girls at once!! She is a superstar. Quick story about Se Mi: she was close to finishing her final project, the baby sweater, when she realized she forgot to do the second sleeve. Oops. So, we ripped out her work back to the place where she could add the second sleeve, and she kept going. I am so proud of her for not giving up at that point. It was a big job to re-knit all of that and she did a great job. Her sweater will be donated to Stitches this week.

our baby sweaters

2006-02-02T17:50:00.000-08:00

here are some of the sweaters that have been turned in as donations for stitches from the heart!!!!! they are so cute! way to go kids!

Sweaters Newbill Made (and finally finished)

2006-02-02T07:44:00.000-08:00

Here is a sweater that I made last summer but just got around to finishing this week. It has been haunting me for months. I plan to wear it with a long tank top underneath and jeans. so cute!!!!

This is a little jacket i made by modifying the 5-hour baby sweater. I am hoping the kids who continue on in knitting next semester will start making things for themselves. Seems like all we did was donate things to various charities!

This is an experimental shrug-type thing I made that sort of looks like astroturf (super bowl homage). I will make another one, just not using this yarn. Too 3-dimensional. :)