Summer Yarn Hot Fun

Best Quote I Heard All Day

“To me, the raveled sleeve of care is never more painlessly knitted up than in an evening alone in a chair snug yet copious, with a good light and an easily held little volume sloppily printed and bound in inexpensive paper. I do not ask much of it - which is just as well, for that is all I get."--Dorothy Parker

Yes, my beloved Dorothy Parker was a knitter. Read her biography here. Wikipedia. YouTonstant Weaders know I've had her quoted here for years. 

Sock It To You Big Heat

Yes, ain't working but writing and knitting directions editing these days are not retirement for me. Love designing socks, although have designed a lace shawl and will be designing an Aran sweater and a few more. Probably put them up on Ravelry via Fiberality, the name I created for my "knitting business." And will submit to Knitty.com too.

Here's the latest sock design, slightly. The bottom is just a bunch of the yarn, not knitted yet.

This yarn is Schachenmayr Regia Cotton Summer Smile Color, which is 41%virgin wool, 34% cotton, 25% polyamide. Gotta make lace socks with cotton, although as this has wool too and many summer sock yarns include wool too. Wearing wool lace socks aren't sweet for summer, heating up your feet. And wearing them in the winter makes your feet cold via the yarn overs. Good for spring and fall. Cotton sock yarn amounts are limited.

I love writing this book too. It's important to add tips for the readers. Usually sock knitters get freaked out via the heel. Yeah, the heal gusset. I've added special tips for that, along with other tips.

Magic Loop Technique

Here's a little info, on tin can knits. I do this but occasionally work a design on double-pointed needles, aka DPNs, too. Usually the cables become huge and screw up your hands.  The directions are written for DPNs, obviously.

So next fun will be designing sweaters. Yeah, I wasn't a math expert back in school. And Mom was amazed that I was able to create the knitting design numbers. 

Happy Labor Day, skanks girls and boys! I am going to Garden State Sheep Breeders Festival next weekend, Saturday and Sunday. It's down on the Hunterdon County Fairgrounds. See you then? Hope so!

Long Knitting Summer

Best Quote I Heard All Day

“Part of me suspects that I’m a loser, and the other part of me thinks I’m God Almighty.”--John Lennon

My darling Beatle's quotes make me happy. Yes, usually put up Dorothy Parker quotes, my dearest lady. Both have been long-gone but I love them. Daddy gave me "In His Own Write" published in 1964...when I was 14. Me and my dear best friend, Dottie, were impressed by his writing--me and drawing--Dottie. 

So haven't written this lately and I am pissed off that I stopped writing the blog again. Have been busy designing the socks and writing directions for "Sock It To You" which I love doing. Lately this is one of the designs.

I have taken basic pictures on my foot, putting in on the coffee table, using the IPhone. Ultimately, I use my Nikon Digital camera on the mannequin's feet that granddaughter Liz gave me when she worked at a teen clothing shop at the mall.

Should have written back in July because the blog's 13th anniversary is July 25. Yeah, 2002. And this was the first blog title:The Fall 2002 Vogue Knitting.  
Back then, I was opinionated about the magazines. Here's the first paragraph:

The state of knitting magazines being what it is lately, I was more than pleasantly surprised with the decent designs featured in the Fall 2002 issue of Vague. Mind you, there are still enough designs for the HYUKs (Hip Young Urban Knitters, a ghastly acronym invented by the ubiquitous Lily Chin) and some silly ones at that. But I understand Vague's marketing needs...and I can appreciate their bowing to demographics. 

So it's time to leave this so I can get back to the book designs. And yes, can design sweater, lace shawls, caps, and wish I could design for babies. No babies in the family anymore.

So long, my dear skanks! Yeah, have to keep writing so beat me up, dear readers.

Back to Blog!

Best Quote I Heard All Day
“Now I know the things I know, and I do the things I do; and if you do not like me so, to hell, my love, with you!”--Dorothy Parker

I'M BACK PALS!

Sadly, it's been 6 months since I've written here, back in December 30. As of this month, on the 25th,  the the blog will be 13 years old. One of my friends who was a big blogger stopped writing because he said he had nothing left to write. And that's how I was feeling.

So WTF do I have to write about now??? I'm back to writing and designing a second knitting book. Yeah, it's :Sock It To You!" with a bunch of chapters: Lace, Fair Isle, Multicolor, Texture, and a few more that I haven't yet determined. Up on Facebook I've inserted a few of the sock designs and my friends loved them.

I don't just write directions but include hints for the knitters. Here's a picture of one.

Just a little tip for the readers...you can't insert your counter on the double-pointed needles or on a circular needle if you do Magic Loop Technique. Using a locking stitch marker...here's the link for you, on Amazon. Just hook the circular stitch counter to the bottom initially. 

I have a counter app on my iPhone, Knit Counter Lite, Cordless Dog. I only use this counter when creating the heel flap.

So here's on of the book designs at it's beginning. It's named..."Chevron Chase Socks." Yeah, a pun. Chevy Chase. Heh.

 Years ago I bought the Signature Needle Arts double-pointed needles.  Hugely expensive. They are now $47. When knitting the sock designs, I tend to do Magic Loop but am lately going back to double-pointed needles. Here are my lovely Signature Needle Arts #2.

Well, finished writing now. But I am going to blog frequently again. I just read my first blog post. A review..."The Fall 2002 Vogue Knitting." I am not a curmudgeon as much as I was back in 2002. Vogue Knitting magazine is much nicer now. Obviously I don't buy knitting magazines because I design what ever I want. Having Trisha Malcolm as the editor has greatly improved the mag. 
Yes, miss being a knitting editor. I have done some freelance knitting technical editing and would love to do that full-time job. Am going to design a website for my talents. LOL!!! My little knitting business is Fiberality Designs.

So that's it now. Have missed you,Tonstant Weaders.