Knit Run, Purl Run

Torn Heart

Posted on September 16, 2010 by H3Dakota

Torn Heart
I know I haven’t blogged lately. I just haven’t been able to think of the words. A week ago, I had a visit from the Sheriff’s Department. The kind of visit that no one wants. 3 people mean the most to me in the whole wide world – my 2 manlets and my father. Now I am down to just my manlets.

I firmly believe it was another severe insulin reaction that took him, which would mean that he wasn’t really aware nor consciously aware of pain when he went. It was sudden and not really expected.

Dad was the most down to earth guy you’d ever meet. He would do anything for anybody. He wasn’t a wealthy man, but he was the richest man I knew. He gave 110% to the community, participating in every event that his Kiwanis Club had. If anyone needed anything, he was right there, pitching in to help – along with his sidekick, Rocky (HIS Great Dane). For any of you that knew him & would like to honor him, either Seminole Kiwanis Club or the American Diabetes Association would be ideal. I’ve set up his tribute page on the ADA website, if you are so inclined.

I can’t really write everything that I would want to here, as it would probably the world’s longest blog post. :) So I’ll just end this bit with a “ciao for now, Dad – I will see you later – I love you”.

Running
Even though I am still in therapy for my tendinitis, last Friday I couldn’t stop myself from putting my feet to the street. Going for a run has been one of my number one go to methods of dealing with grief and I wasn’t about to let something like tendinitis stop me from it. I’ve been good, taking it very slow & easy. I ran 3 on Friday, 2 on Sunday and 3 on Wednesday. I did my best to be sure to include plenty of walk breaks as I went. Surprisingly, the runs seem to have actually sped along the recovery a little bit…?! My achilles seems to be feeling the best it has in a very long time since that run on Friday. Of course, I’ve been in therapy for a month, so it could very well be that the timing just worked out well… :)

Knitting
My knitting/crochet mojo has been put on hold, I’m afraid. I just haven’t been up for either hobby – I haven’t even been watching movies nor reading books, for that matter. However… I had this bad already crocheted – I just had to do the finishing work on it. I took that challenge this week & I’m really, really pleased with the end result! It is the Nordstrom Crochet Hobo Bag – an adorable crochet pattern that I already know I’ll be working again. I used Paton’s Classic Merino, which is sadly already pilling where the bag rubs against me when I carry it over my shoulder. :( Next time, I’ll use a pretty but hardy cotton, I think. I still love it, though!

Today’s Ravelry Search
Just a little one today. :) These aren’t mine – just click the photo to go to the Ravelry page!

From the brand new book 'Vampire Knits' - which I'll have another blog post about soon - SO cute!

Very pretty little doily!

* ZOMG, I love this so much that I'd almost be tempted to have another baby just so I could make one. NOT. LOL

* Scott Pilgrim!!! w00t!

* Market bag! I love it.

Ooh, very pretty!

* So the manlet has been playing Pokemon again for some reason, but I just HAD to include this one!

* Free Pattern

Happy Thursday, everyone!

Posted in Running | Tagged Free Patterns, Knitting, Running, Today's Ravelry Search | 16 Comments

Introducing Howie!

Posted on August 25, 2010 by H3Dakota

Running
I’m heading towards week 3 of no running & I have behaved! I’ve had 2 visits for therapy & it has done a world of good. I really think I might be able to start running in another week or two… or so I’m hoping, anyway!

Introducing Howie!
So yes, the manlets immediately got after me to make Wilfrid a friend. After all, we geeks might have a tendency to be loners, but we really do tend to travel in packs. ;) Here is Howie the Geek – Wilfrid’s new geek friend…

What you’ll need:
Yarn: Any Worsted Weight, 9-10 grams
Needles: Size 4 (3.5mm) DPNs
Scrap fingering weight or embroidery thread
Safety eyes
Stuffing
Pipe Cleaners

CO 6, join & split onto 3 DPNs. Recommended cast on: Emily Ocker’s Cast On.

Round 1: knit
Round 2: *k1f&b, k1* repeat from * to * around
Round 3: knit
Round 4: *k1f&b, k to last stitch, k1f&b* repeat from * to * around

Repeat rounds 3 & 4 until you have 9 stitches on each DPN (for a total of 27 stitches).

Knit 1 round
Purl 1 round
Knit 15 rounds.

Add the eyes & embroider the smile.

Decrease round: *k2tog, knit to last 2 stitches on needle, ssk* repeat from * to * for each needle.

Repeat decrease round one more time & stuff the body. Repeat decrease round one more time. You should have 3 stitches on each needle – s1, k2tog, psso on each needle so you have 3 stitches left. Cut a long tail, thread through a needle & run needle through the 3 stitches to bind off. Secure the end & weave it in, passing through the stuffing inside.

Arms (make 2)
CO 6, join & split onto 3 DPNs.
Knit 18 rounds & bind off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Legs (make 2)
CO 6, join & split onto 3 DPNs
Knit 20 rounds & bind off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Poke one pipe cleaner through the body to form the arms and another at the bottom to form the legs. Slip the knit arms & legs over the pipe cleaners & sew them to the body. All done!

Knitting
So I’ve worked on a couple more gifts, working my way towards getting the list done before the holidays. I also knit a great deal on the new sock pattern – only to realize that it was twisting terribly. *sigh* Back to the drawing board on this section.

Today’s Ravelry Search
I tried several things for today’s search, but finally settled on a simple one. None of these are mine, but if you click the picture, you’ll go right to the Ravelry pattern page. :)

* Seriously - how cute is this sweater? :)

* Very pretty hat!

* I've linked this pattern before, but I just LOVE it, so it's here again! LOL

* Another repeat, but TOO cute not to include! ;)

* Adorable dress, seriously.

* Stunning!

SO sweet!

VERY pretty!

* Cute! The right yarn makes this just adorable.

A fellow Rubbernecker's project - isn't it gorgeous? :)

Very pretty shawl - this would look awesome in laceweight too!

* The crochet verison of the sock yarn blanket! ;)

* SO awesome - and this project is in my fave colors, too! ;)

My sister's favorite flower - this one is SO pretty & realistic, it would be worth brushing up on my French to crochet it! :)

Totally worth digging up the magazine for this pillow, I think!

* I really do love blankets/afghans like this - as you can see! LOL

* Free pattern

Happy Thursday, everyone!

Posted in Knitting, Running | Tagged flowers, Free Patterns, Geek, Knitting, Running, Today's Ravelry Search | 3 Comments

Wilfrid the Geek

Posted on August 21, 2010 by H3Dakota

Running
I have been good & managed to stay off my feet for almost 2 weeks! :D Last Sunday, I had my first ART session with my friend. Let me tell you, if you ever have an injury, whether an overuse or not, seek out an ART specialist!! She is simply fantastic! Sunday night after my session, my leg has zero pain & stiffness. It was felt so good, it was as if the tendinitis had never hit me. When it feels that good, it’s really hard to not go for a run, but I have managed not to! Plus, Monday morning rolled around & some of the pain was back. This tendinitis is going to take several sessions with her & still more rest. *sigh*

Wilfrid the Geek
I had a wee bit of Malabrigo Silky leftover from my “Severus has the Blues” mitts… so, what to do with it, hmm? After recently getting my toy/amigurumi love rekindled, I decided to create some new critters. Since I’m such a geek myself, I’m calling them geeks. LOL So here is Wilfrid! The oldest manlet picked out his name, for the record. :D

Yarn: approximately 8 grams DK weight
Needles: Size 4 (3.5mm) DPNs
Safety eyes
Fingering weight scrap yarn for embroidery (or embroidery floss!)
Pipe cleaners (use the same color as your yarn for his antennae, if possible)
Stuffing of choice – craft stuffing or maybe leftover yarn scraps

CO 40, divide on DPNs (10 stitches per needle) and join, be sure to mark the start of the round with a stitch marker or piece of yarn.

Knit 12 rounds stockinette.

Beginning with round 13, decrease every round as follows until you have a total of 16 stitches (8 on each side):
Needle 1: k2tog, knit to end
Needle 2: knit to last 2 stitches, ssk
Needle 3: same as needle 1
Needle 4: same as needle 2

Use the kitchener stitch to bind off/seam the top. For those of you that have not done this stitch before, I find the instructions here to be fantastic. :)

Antennae (make 2):
If you like i-cord & have pipe cleaners that will blend with your yarn, then CO 4 on a DPN & knit an i-cord around a 6″ length of pipe cleaner. If you haven’t knit i-cord before, you can learn how to do so here. Otherwise, you can knit a tube – CO 6 on DPNs, join. Knit stockinette for 6″. Bind off by cutting a long tail – thread it through a sewing needle and run it through the stitches on the needle. Secure the yarn & weave in the end. If you chose to knit the the tube instead of the i-cord, slip the length of pipe cleaner into them before attaching to Wilfrid.

Finishing:
Attach the safety eyes & embroider his mouth how you want it to go. If you want to add any other features, do so now before sewing him shut. Sew the antennae in place, where you want them – bend them in the shape you want. Using your stuffing of choice, stuff the toy, then sew the bottom seam together. All done!

Today’s Ravelry Search
In a conversation on Ravelry, I confessed to my utter love of doilies. Anyone that has read my blog for any length of time already knows all about it, but I decided it was time to have a post dedicated to one of my favorite things! Keep in mind – most doily patterns can also net completely STUNNING blankets or shawls, so don’t dismiss the power of the doily pattern! ;) As always, these aren’t my patterns – just click the picture to go right to the pattern page on Ravelry!

* Alita

* I love the Yarn Over site - it's full of stunning patterns like this one!

* This is actually the one that I knit! ;) It was my first knit doily (I've crocheted MANY over of the year).

* There are some seriously gorgeous free patterns out there!

* I'm not sure how long this pattern will be available online, but I'm really glad it is now! :)

* This pattern is breathtaking in blue, but the picture was too small to post here - DO go take a look!!

* One more incredible pattern from Yarn Over! :)

* And now for the crochet patterns! :)

* See? Not all crocheted doilies have big roses or pansies on them! ;)

* Some of the names are almost as pretty as the doily itself! Midsummer Moon - Nice!

* They are just as lovely in color!

* The 40's & 50's really did result in some gorgeous patterns!

* I love the pattern anyway, but this crocheter made it even more beautiful with the color choices!

* It's another one that is stunning in color!

* Another Crocus variation - just as gorgeous!

* I bet this one would be stunning in color, too!

ZOMG, THIS IS JUST STUNNING! Sorry for shouting, but it's just incredible!

* Free pattern

Happy Saturday, everyone!

Posted in Running | Tagged doilies, Free Patterns, Knitting, lace, Running, Today's Ravelry Search | 11 Comments

Déjà vu

Posted on August 13, 2010 by H3Dakota

Déjà vu

*sob*

I knew better than to run every day on vacation. I knew better than to kick up my long run too soon. Yet I did it anyway. *sigh* I am hoping to get in to see this utterly fantastic doctor that specializes in ART (Active Release Technique) soon – with one visit to her, she just about fixed my cubital tunnel syndrome (one more visit & that should be done, I think!). I have high hopes that she’ll be able to help me speed along in recovering from this irksome issue. I’ve got races coming up, dammit!!

The hardest part will be keeping me from getting out there running before it’s fully recovered. It always is, I am far too impatient.

But at least I’m moving right along in my 100 Push Ups & 200 Sit Ups programs! Still sticking to it, though I did have to resort to girl push ups. THAT was incredibly humbling. :(

Knitting

I finished up my Severus Has the Blue mitts! Woo Hoo! Check ’em out…

Before I added the buttons...

And after I added them! :)

Still working my way through Voldemort – hoping to have it close to wrapped up this weekend. We’ll see how it plays out, anyway.

Today’s Ravelry Search

As always, these are not my patterns – click the picture to go right to the Ravelry page for each one. :)

* Adorable baby blanket! It could really get fun with the colors, I think.

Such a cute hat!! Old fashioned, but still so cute.

You just can't go wrong with Kaffe - gorgeous!

* This cute bracelet reminds me of my friend, Monica. I think she'd like it. ;)

* Phone Gnome!! How adorable is that?! Hee!

* Wow, what a wonderful little scarf!

* A quick knit cowl - nice!

Ok - this pattern HAS to have more than one picture so you can fully appreciate how awesome it is...

This is the bag from the top - how ingenius is that?! I LOVE it!

* Cute idea for a dishcloth/washcloth! It would make a terrific addition to a pretty gift basket.

* At first glance, I naturally thought this one was crochet. STUNNING!!

SO adorable - and it IS crochet! ;) Amy O'Neill Houck is another fantastic designer.

* Free pattern

Happy Friday, everyone!

Posted in Running | Tagged achilles tendonitis, Free Patterns, Knitting, Running, Today's Ravelry Search | 2 Comments

Brioche, You are Not the Boss of ME!

Posted on August 8, 2010 by H3Dakota

Running

I’ve gotten my feet to the street this week, yay! Not only have I been running, but I also downloaded the apps for the 100 push ups & 200 sit ups programs, thanks to J (and NO, I haven’t registered for a full marathon YET, J, so don’t ask!). :D I did the initial test, which totally sucked for me. Hard to believe that 2 years ago I was doing 4 sets of 25 full push ups without a problem, yet I struggled to get 10 done. *sob* Ah well – that’s going to change again! ;) The thing that I really like about the app is I put my iTouch on the ground with me & I’ve got the plan right there – no need to “drop & do 20”, then jump up, go to the computer to see what the next set is to be.

I’ll admit to being bad, though. I’m too impatient to wait the full 90 seconds between sets. So I do my push up set, hit the timer, then switch over to the sit up program & do that set. LOL

Brioche, You are Not the Boss of ME!

I recently knit a project that incorporated the brioche stitch. It makes for a wonderfully smooshy fabric and I fell in love with it. The best place for loads of information about this technique is Nancy Marchant’s site, The Brioche Stitch. I’ve yet to experiment with all the different variations of this stitch, but I finally managed to lick the 2 color stitch. I’ll admit it, it took me about 5 tries to finally get it right. Even then, the resulting headband (which I’m about to share with you) has a few mistakes in it, but only my fellow knitters would spot them. ;)

I have leftover yarn from my Doctor Who inspired sock pattern, Ten – and I SO wanted to make a headband using Brioche to give me the same Ten look. I think I finally succeeded, WOO HOO! :D One side looks like his brown suit while the other looks like his blue suit – how awesome is that?! I’m very, very pleased with the end result.

Yes, you can spot one of my mistakes in this following shot. LOL

So… how to go about working up a brioche headband? Easy – here we go! ;) FYI – gauge doesn’t matter for this pattern, as you simply knit until it is the desired length, then sew the ends together.

Yarn: Fingering Weight – 2 contrasting colors
Needles: Size 1 (2.25mm) double pointed needles (DPNs)

Tie the ends of the 2 colors together in a slip knot. Using the loop now formed, cast on using the long tail cast on, but alternate the colors. Rather than trying to explain exactly how to do this, I thought a video would be best. I did actually make a video, but it proved to be rather difficult to get a really good, clear one without at least a tripod for my camera! So I did the next best thing & found a good one on YouTube. ;)

Cast on 10 using this method so you have 5 stitches of each color, thus:

First we need to do the setup rows – you only need to do these 2 “rows” this one time. For these instructions, I’m going to call the black yarn in my photos the main color (MC) and the variegated yarn the contrasting color (CC).

Setup Row 1: With the MC, *P1, S1, YO* to the end. Do not worry if your yarnover slips off the needle at this point.

Setup Row 2: Slide the stitches to the other end of the DPN. With the CC, *WYIF, S1, YO, bring yarn to the back and BRK* to the end. At the very end, make sure to include the MC yarnover in the final stitch.

Now that you have the setup rows done, you can proceed to the stitch pattern you will follow for the remainder of the project. Continue in this pattern until your headband is the length you desire. I prefer to keep it to about an inch too short to fully meet when I wrap it around my head because it WILL stretch with use.

Each row is worked twice – one time for each color. So first, you will work the MC across – then slide the stitches back to the other end of the needle & work the CC across to complete the row. At the end of the 2nd pass through, you will turn your work like you normally would.

Row 1: This row is the purl side of the MC and the knit side of the CC
Using the MC – *WYIF, S1, YO, BRP* to the end. Slide stitches to the other end.
Using the CC – *BRK, WYIF S1, YO* to the end. Turn.

Row 2: This row is the knit side of the MC and the purl side of the CC
Using the MC – *BRK, WYIF, S1, YO* to the end. Slide stitches to the other end.
Using the CC – *WYIF, S1, YO, BRP* to the end. Turn.

Here is the knit side of the MC (purl side of the CC) after I’ve knit a few rows:

And the purl side of the MC (knit side of the CC):

Continue with rows 1 & 2 until you have knit the length you need, then bind off as follows:
Using a larger needle (I used size 4 – 3.5mm), you are going to bind off using both your MC and the CC. The key is that you will be working this row with the opposite color.

If your last row was the knit side for the MC, you will bind off thus:

BRK with CC, then P with the MC. Slip the CC stitch on the right needle over the MC on the right needle to bind off 1 stitch. Now BRK with the CC and slip the MC on the right needle over the CC to bind off the next.

If your last row was the purl side for the MC, you will bind off thus:

P with the MC, then BRP with CC. Slip the MC stitch on the right needle over the CC on the right needle to bind off 1 stitch. Now P with the MC and slip the CC on the right needle over the MC to bind off the next.

Continue until all stitches have been bound off & leave a long tail – you will use the tail to sew up the seam. Block your headband, then sew the seam. I hope you enjoy the challenge as much as I did! :)

Knitting

So besides the side trip I made to brioche land, I have also been working on the latest sock pattern as well as another pair of Severus Mitts for myself. I have this gorgeous malabrigo yarn that just begged to be mitts & I thought I’d take on the challenge of thinking outside the box for Severus & follow my friend Down Under who knit the pattern in colors that Severus Snape wouldn’t be caught dead wearing. Mine are blue so far & I haven’t decided what color to trim them with yet. ;)

Today’s Ravelry Search

Interested in more brioche? How about one of these patterns? ;) These aren’t mine – just click the picture to reach the Ravelry pattern page!

* The pattern that started it all for me - they are TOO cute!

The beauty of brioche - it's reversible, as is this hat! :)

* Scarf! This one is single color using variegated yarn - nice!

Another cute hat!

* Ooh, how about a cardi to go with the booties?! :)

This scarf pattern? I *love* it & have since I first saw it!

* Jesh's adorable tam pattern! I love it!

See, you can even make shawls using brioche! Nice!

* Another baby brioche cardi - also very cute!

Ah, Lily Chin - how I love thee! :) Such a pretty wrap, isn't it?

* Gorgeous scarf! Pattern is available in both German and English.

* A dishcloth would be a terrific way to start off with brioche! And it must be said, I could not resist this adorable face!! :D

* Free pattern

Happy Sunday, everyone!

Posted in Running | Tagged Brioche, Doctor Who, Free Patterns, Knitting, Running, Today's Ravelry Search | 15 Comments

A Bit of a Revamp

Posted on August 2, 2010 by H3Dakota

Running

I was bad. I admit it! I did not go for a long run on Sunday. I was struck with insomnia again Saturday night & ended up getting about 5 hours of sleep & didn’t climb out of bed until 10:30 – a totally unheard of event for this early bird, let me tell you!! LOL

This morning I struggled again, as I didn’t drop off last night until after 1am – but I finally managed to get in a good 3 mile run. The humidity was 98%, which made for a really miserable run – but I managed to keep my pace at a fairly decent level, anyway!

A bit of a Revamp

I’m sure any regular readers have noticed the revamp, of course! Sunday morning I decided to play around with my blog, updating links & such. I found that the template I prefer for my blog doesn’t allow me to sort my links in any particular order… which annoyed me to no end. In reading up on it, I also found that printing from this template was fugly at best… not that I’m sure anyone is actually printing out my blog, but hey – you just never know! LOL

So I found a new template to use… and spent a good bit of time tweaking it. I’m not sure yet if I like it or not, though. Some things I don’t like, other things I really do like. I like the clean look/feel to it, but I’m not too sure about it having the default text be quite this large of a font – though it’s supposed to make it much easier to read. Hmmm. What do you all think?

I also finally bit the bullet & registered my domain. I’ve had this blog for coming up on 3 years now. Wow! I’ve thought about getting my domain many times over the past 3 years, but just never quite got around to doing it. While I was revamping, I spontaneously went for it. LOL

Knitting

I’ve been working on the new pattern this past weekend. I think I finally have a winner for this colorway! Yay! As you can see, my design process is just as chaotic as ever, with scribbled notes crossed out & new notes jotted down as I knit, frog, knit, rip back…

I’m also working on a Storm Cloud Shawlette, using Malabrigo Silky Merino in the Stonechat colorway. It is a super easy pattern to knit – perfect for watching Doctor Who or maybe some movies. :)

Today’s Ravelry Search

So for today’s search, I decided to take full advantage of Ravelry’s newly revamped search feature as well. Revamp for my blog; revamp for Ravelry – why not? LOL As always, these are not my patterns – click the picture to go to the Ravelry pattern page!

Brand spanking new to Ravelry today! ;)

* No counting? Sweet!

Very pretty! Wonder how this one would look in a laceweight? ;)

I have the sneaking suspicion I'm going to run out of synonyms for "gorgeous" soon.

* I've linked this pattern before, but it is so lovely, I have to include it again!

Another repeat, I think - but I LOVE this one!

Another wonderful crochet shawl for my fellow crocheters!

Wow! Very pretty for worsted weight - it looks so warm & comfy!

* Whoa... incredible. The pattern is in both German and English.

* MMario. Do I really need to say anything more here? He is just amazing.

Girasole by Jared Flood - I have this pattern & one day, I WILL knit it! LOL

This one? Crochet. ;)

* No charts for this one, but still gorgeous!

I normally like to show off little known projects here. This pattern has a bunch of projects on it, but it is so stunning, I had to include it! ;)

* Free pattern

Happy Monday, everyone!

Posted in Running | Tagged Free Patterns, Knitting, lace knitting, round shawl, Running, Today's Ravelry Search | 8 Comments

Note to Self: Bananas are Good

Posted on July 31, 2010 by H3Dakota

Running

I had another run in with insomnia Friday night, so I didn’t get up at my normal before the sun rises time… so today’s run was miserably hot since I didn’t get out on the road until almost 10am. I had decided to give GU another try before this run, which once again proved to be a huge mistake. By the time I hit the 2 mile marker, I knew there was just no way I was going to make it for a full 5 mile run, so I turned back around & kept it to a 4 mile run instead. My pace suffered a little bit, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it wasn’t TOO terrible in the end. Yay! :)

Note to Self: Bananas are Good

I had decided to give the GU a try because I found I had run out of bananas. Bananas are my usual go to pre-run fuel. As the Doctors (Nine AND Ten) loved to say, “Bananas are good!” Naturally, during my entire run, it was all I could think about. LOL Fortunately, I had added some more songs by The Real McKenzies to my running playlist. Punk, bagpipes, visions of kilts and laughing over the Doctor & his love of bananas helped me to push through the rest of the run.

I couldn’t find a decent clip of Nine talking about bananas, but I did find a clip of Ten! ;)

I also found a few clips of The Real McKenzies, so here is one to give you an idea… they are usually labeled as “celtic punk”.

Knitting

I knit up another Smidge headband from the leftover Cherry Blossom colorway while I was watching movies last night. When I finished that, I pulled out the new design & frogged what I’d gotten done to that point. I came up with another idea to try, so I wrote down the game plan & cast on to see if my idea is going to work. It’s too early to tell just yet if my idea is going to work or not. I really hope it does because it’s something a little different & I really like it. I just don’t know if it is going to work with this colorway…

Today’s Ravelry Search

Some fun patterns today! ;) None of these are mine – just click the pic to go right to the Ravelry pattern page.

* Excellent use for leftover cotton!

* So pretty!!

* Gulp! I have no words. SO gorgeous!

* Doris Chan. Need I say more? :)

* Wow! How have I missed this one before now?

OM NOM NOM. Can't speak, drooling too much. LOL

* Stunning!

* Placemats - very pretty!

* Takes your breath away, doesn't it?!

Very cute potholder!

* I do love stoles, they are so pretty!

What a really great idea for a front door mat!

* Totally bowled over by this one, it is beyond gorgeous!

* These squares could make a stunning afghan put together!

* Different style than the one above, but still SO terrific!

*Free pattern

Happy Saturday, everyone!

Posted in Running | Tagged Celtic, Doctor Who, Free Patterns, Knitting, Running, The Real McKenzies, Today's Ravelry Search | 9 Comments

Luscious Lucius (Do you think JKR planned that?!)

Posted on July 30, 2010 by H3Dakota

Running

I’m still not back to vacation style runs each day, though I’ve been better about getting out this week than last. :) The manlets have distracted me at night, so I’ve been staying up way too late & sleeping in again – so the runs have been of the 2 & 3 mile variety all week. But I plan to get out the next 3 weeks as often as I can because they’ll be on vacation at their father’s, so I will have a boatload of free time on my hands. My last run was a bit uneventful, taking place in the dark at 5:30am. The usual dog walkers & bicyclists were out & about and traffic was nothing since school is still out for summer. :)

Luscious Lucius (Do you think JKR planned that?!)

Lucius is a pattern that I’ve had done for some now. I finally found a test knitter & heard back from her a short time ago, so I am now able to put the pattern up on Ravelry.
YAY! :) I adore Lucius’ character – he’s actually a dream to design patterns for, as is Severus. For this pattern, Shelby B asked me to design a pattern for her Lucius colorway, so I wanted to come up with something that is classy & a bit understated so the colors are the main focus of the sock. I have a cable intensive plan for another design down the road, but with this gorgeous colorway, cables would have been lost. Take a look, see what you think – let me know!

Knitting

I’ve been working on gifts the past week. Gifts galore!! Whew! I’ve knit a bunch of Smidge headbands – I think I’m up to 6 of them now? :) I also knit an adorable baby sweater for yet another friend that has a baby girl. I’ve got far too many friends having or have recently had babies!! LOL I suppose I’m making up for the fact that I’ve never knit any baby stuff up until now, right? I finished up my Vintage Rocks Baby sweater last night…

Cherry Baby! I love this colorway from Cherry Tree Hill - it's Cherry Blossom - hence my project name "Cherry Baby". :D

All finished! I'm strange in that I usually love the finishing work. LOL

Today’s Ravelry Search

I’ve done this search before, but I did find some new things this time around! ;) Click the pic to go right to the pattern page on Ravelry.

Stunning shawl, just stunning!

What a cute sweater!

* Wow, these socks are seriously gorgeous.

Ok really - how adorable is this outfit?? :D

ZOMG, I love this one!

What a great pattern for when you have a little ball of yarn left!

* Very pretty beanie! The pattern is in Spanish.

I cannot express how much I LOVE this one! :D

* Cell phone sock! You could modify it to be really cute mitts for a baby, too, I'm thinking.

* Cherries! :)

* Pretty & warm shawl

* Very pretty & feminine tiebacks! I love these too!

* SO cute! :D

Cherry Blossoms - pretty!

*Free pattern

Happy Friday, everyone!

Posted in Running | Tagged Baby knitting, Free Patterns, Harry Potter, Knitting, Lucius Malfoy, Running, Today's Ravelry Search | 7 Comments

Smidge Headband

Posted on July 22, 2010 by H3Dakota

Running

I confess – I’ve been bad this week. I haven’t gotten out to run. But in my defense, I have been struck down by a few things, from insomnia to a migraine – it’s been one helluva week, at any rate. I intend to get out first thing in the morning for a solid hour long run, though – I’m in dire need of a good run!!

Smidge Headband

Ever have just a teensy bit of leftover variegated sock yarn that you just HATE to toss out? Maybe you’ve added enough of your leftovers to your sock yarn blanket already or you have a tiny bit leftover that won’t quite make a new square on it? You’ve got a smidge of yarn left – around 40 yds? Here you go!

SMIDGE HEADBAND

Yarn: 40 yards (or 8 grams) fingering weight
Needles: Size 4 (3.5mm)

Cast on 11 with preferred cast on method.

Knit 4 rows in garter, then begin stitch pattern:

Row 1: K2, YO, K2, S1, K2tog, PSSO, K2, YO, K2
Row 2: K2, P7, K2

Continue in stitch pattern until the headband is nearly long enough to wrap around your head at the desired point – leave at least 1 inch of space.

Knit 3 rows & cast off: knit 1, * slip the stitch back to left needle & K2tbl. Repeat from * until all stitches are cast off, leaving a long tail.

Use the tail to sew the ends together (be careful not to end up with a mobius!). Block your headband, but block hard widthwise, not lengthwise – else it might end up being too loose when you wear it!

Enjoy!

Knitting

So I finished my blues shawl Tuesday night in one of my insomniac fits. Wednesday I had the migraine, so wasn’t capable of doing too much – hence my Smidge Headband! :D I’m returning back to my sock pattern, hoping the teensy bit of designing the headband has cleared my head & gotten my creativity flowing again. :D

Today’s Ravelry Search

SO! May I just say… ZOMG I LOVE CASEY SO FREAKING MUCH FOR THE INCREDIBLY AWESOME NEW SEARCH FUNCTIONALITY!!! A-hem. Sorry for shouting, but I have been wanting these improvements to the search feature for so long now & I am over the moon at how fantastic it is!! Woo HOO! :D

Did I ever have fun putting together a search for today with it! ;) Casey – you ROCK!

* Cute! And the hat isn’t bad either. ;) Seriously – I love snowboarders’ hats, they are always so fun!

* Hmm, a guitar strap! I might find myself making one some day, the manlets are getting ready to start learning guitar! ;)

Whoa. This hat? GORGEOUS! I have no where to wear a hat like it, but that doesn’t stop me from totally loving it!!

* Very nice socks – classy, simple, elegant. Love ’em!

I always find something I love in Twist Collective – this sweater is just lovely!

* I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I totally LOVE Crochet Kitten’s designs, this blanket included! :)

Wow!! Stunning bit of lace & bead work, this.

* Cute little bag, I like it!

This jacket looks really intriguing – I wish there were more pics of it!

* Vintage Rocks Baby – hmmm… yes indeed, I think I just might know a baby girl I could knit this one for… ;)

* Free Pattern

Happy Thursday, everyone!

Posted in Running | Tagged Casey is awesome, Free Patterns, Knitting, Ravelry's New Search, Running, Today's Ravelry Search | 9 Comments

Fantastic Long Run!

Posted on July 18, 2010 by H3Dakota

Running / Fantastic Long Run!

As I mentioned previously, going back to work has made it a bit more difficult to get my feet on the street this past week. I didn’t log nearly as much as I’d hoped for runs on the weekdays. But I think I’m good because I made up for it with today’s long run! I started off my long run today & decided just to run for 2 hours rather than run for a set number of miles. I hoped to get close to 10 miles run and in the end, I was very pleased. I ran 9.5 miles in 2:01:20! The best part of it… 5 minutes into my run, I came across Larry. He ran with me for 8.5 miles of it, cheering/goading/encouraging me on for part of it. As always, we chatted non-stop the entire time and the time just flew by. He was so sweet, he even insisted that I take a few gulps of his Arizona tea when we stopped for his refuel break. He had already been out for 2.5 hours when I saw him, so he was long overdue for that break. As we ran & chatted, I was surprised by the number of runners & cyclists that gave him a shout out as we passed each other. Sure, he’s a very well known figure locally, but today had to have been the busiest day yet for hearing folks calling out his name in hello as they went by us. Of course, I think today was the busiest I’ve ever seen the Trail that I can remember as well.

What really impressed me today was the fact that I managed to not only get in a solid long run, but I also got home & mowed the lawn while I was reeking. All of this on only 4 hours of sleep, I might add! This blog post has taken me twice as long as usual due to the fact that I kept dozing off while adding the pictures… ROFL!

Knitting

YAY, I finished the manlet’s punky scarf! :) He wasn’t sure if he wanted tassels on it or not, so I’ve left them off for now. I can always add them later if he decides to have them. I kept it to a long & narrow scarf – it’s 9 feet long & only 2 inches wide. I really think he’s going to like it. I sure hope he does, anyway! :) If not, then I’ll have myself a new scarf, right? LOL

I picked up my Blues shawl again, hoping to get it close to done as well. I’m knitting it from this really gorgeous handpainted yarn that my friend Monica gave me for my birthday. It’s so pretty that I knew it had to be a shawl rather than socks. :) I can’t wait to finish it so I can show it off!

Today’s Ravelry Search

So since I mentioned Larry sharing his Arizona tea with me, how about a selection of tea related patterns? Fun! ;) Please click the pictures to go right to the pattern’s Ravelry page so you can fave/queue it! ;)