My Latest Knitting Project... Buttoned Lace Vest

This project would be more accurately categorized under Latest "Finished" Projects... because I started it at the end of May... took a break from it July/August... and now in November just getting around to completing it!  The pattern is from Vogue Knitting... spring/summer 2011

I am pretty happy with how it turned out...

 The yarn I picked up for .50 cents a skein at an estate sale...  So my total cost for this number was a whopping $1.50...

Being my usual thrifty self, and only using what I had on hand...  A little problem on the back arose, when I ran out of the colored yarn... And to top it off  I only had a small amount of the cream... soooo... I basically just made up the top portion using what I had left... It was a make it work moment!

 Of course I finished it with mismatched vintage buttons...

Happiness is a completed project no matter how long it took...

Happy Knitting!

***Jennifer

Experimenting with color... Knitting...

OK... so I know I'm suppose to be organizing my office, but I thought I would share with you my latest knitting project...  I am still struggling with color changes, and thought practicing on some mittens for my kids would be a good way to try out a few techniques... 
I came across this cross stitch pattern and thought... hmm... could this translate easily to knitting?  I didn't see why not so I gave it a try...



It worked great!  And because the boxes of the pattern were roughly the same size as the knit stitches...
 I did not have to alter the pattern at all...

I found this free pattern on line for a basic mitten. To make them fingerless I stopped at the first [body]decrease round(3rd page half way down) and did a 2 by 2 rib for 6 rounds... then bind off... For the thumb (after I slipped my stitches back on to the needles) I picked up 3 stitches... K1 round ... then did a 2 by 2 rib for 6 rounds...


For my daughter I thought I would practice fair isle color change...  They turn out cute too!

Well... I am still not a pro, but I do have a better understanding of color changes... my knitting is still a little tight at the switches... but I guess i still need  more practice... If I come across a secret trick to make the changes smoother... You'll be the first to know... or better yet, if you have any advise I'd be grateful!  Happy Knitting!
***Jennifer

Knitted Gifts...

I started knitting a couple of years ago... and it has quickly become an addiction... Being so easily portable, I can take it anywhere(unlike sewing)...  I take any opportunity that I can to snatch up materials... manly estate sales...  I purchased a box of knitting patterns recently for a $1 ... So my next knitting project came from that treasure trove... 


1961 Pattern book...

I could not resist knitting these slipper for my kids for Christmas... they bring back memories of my Grandma, because she knitted me a pair of slippers every year...

Here are the girl's

And these are the boy's

 Since it is well known that I have a home for unwanted crafting items...  My next knitting inspiration came from a gifted knitting book... I just had to knit them for my friend's daughter... I can't wait to see them on her!


These came from a 1955 Bernat Handicraft magazine...

Well these are the knitted gifts I've done so far...(at least the ones I can show to prying eyes)...  If you love knitting like me, I encourage you to look at your local estate sales/garage sales!  You can pick up knitting items for pennies vs. dollars it cost you at the craft store...  Happy Knitting!
***Jennifer