Sparkley Knitting Needles

A bit off the beaten path...

2007-07-26T19:13:00.000-07:00

One of my friends from Nationl Honor Society gave me a bunch of jerseys to create a quilt out of. After 2 months of hard work, this is what I came up with.

it was a piece of cake!

2007-06-27T20:52:00.001-07:00

I decided to knit a slice of birthday cake for my friend who just turned 18! Whoot!

pattern: http://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com/2006/09/27/let-them-knit-cake/
yarn: unknown random garage sale yarn, oh but the candle is sugar'n cream cotton yarn in hot green.

apple cloth

2007-06-24T22:54:00.000-07:00

yarn: sugar'n cream

color: hot green

needles: US 7

pattern: http://www.knittingknonsense.com/applecloth.html

And then there was one

2007-06-21T10:08:00.000-07:00

I just joined a monthly dishcloth knitalong group and I love it. I completed my first dishcloth yesterday using Lily Sugar'n Cream cotton yarn in a color called Hot Green.

It has been so long

2007-06-18T13:14:00.000-07:00

...but school has kept me from the blogging world. So sorry! I am now back for a little while to post knitting projects. I hope to update the blog more often.

Happy Birthday to Me

2007-01-27T08:40:00.000-08:00

And to celebrate, I made myself a lacy scarflet!

Knitted Flower Hair Barrette

2006-12-27T12:02:00.000-08:00

knitted with Knit Picks EssentialSolid-Petunia
Size 2 needles.

pattern ---> http://www.flickr.com/photos/norwayneedles/121174825

Back in Business

2006-12-26T18:28:00.000-08:00

I received a digital camera from dear old St. Nick, so now I am able to post my projects once again!

This is an evening bag I designed myself. The pic isn't the greatest because I used flash. I wanted to show the detail of the frills and the handles. The purse itself is actually quite dark because it is made from dark turquoise chenille yarn. It was knitted on size 11 circular knitting needles from Knit Picks ( I got knit picks options!!!).

first pair of socks... mission accomplished

2006-12-15T16:35:00.000-08:00

It has been so long since I started those socks. I'm finally finished with them. They will be a gift for perhaps my mom for Christmas. The computer is still down so camera capabilities are at an all time low. The socks are the green/blue ones.. like the one shown in the archives.

Due to the lack of funds, I am going to be making a lot of my gifts. I'm hoping on getting a lot of projects done this weekend.

computer down!

2006-11-18T20:25:00.000-08:00

The computer that has all of my camera capabilities is loaded with viruses and crap. So I don't think I can get good pics for a while. Sorry.

Yarn

2006-11-04T09:57:00.000-08:00

Due to a nice yarn sale a few weeks back, I bought a bunch of new yarn. The only thing that I don't have an answer for is what to make with these yarns.

Lion Brand Jiffy-light pink
Lion Brand Jiffy-black
Lion Brand Suede -I think it's called spice
Red Heart Soft Yarn-paprika (2)

I would like to make a shawl or an afghan sometime, but I need to get more skeins of yarn.

Happy Halloween (early)

2006-10-29T17:02:00.000-08:00

^^My "obsessed knitter" costume^^ :)

^^a little pumpkin with vine leaves.^^
Happy knitting and be safe!

Norwegian Rose/Star pouch pattern

2006-10-28T21:50:00.000-07:00

The little pouch is really just the star pattern made twice, along with a little flap. I got the stitch pattern out of a book called "Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Knitting."

I couldn't find a chart that matched the star pattern I used. I didn't think scanning a copyright book was a good idea...
So I created a pattern for the little pouch--the only thing used from that book is the stitch pattern.

Here's my attempt at constructing a pattern
two colors A and B
A= background B=star color

US 7 or US 8 needles for worsted weight yarn

CO 25

row one Knit: AA BBBB AA B AAA B AAA B AA BBBB AA
row two Purl: AAA BB AA B AAA B A B AAA B AA BB AAA
row three Knit: B AAAAA B AAA B A B A B AAA B AAAAA B
row four Purl: BB AAA B AAA B A BBB A B AAA B AAA BB
row five Knit: BB AA B AAA B A B A B A B A B AAA B AA BB
row six Purl: B AA B AAA B AAA B A B AAA B AAA B AA B
row seven Knit: AA B AAA B A B AAA B AAA B A B AAA B AA
row eight Purl: A B AAA B AA BB AAAAA BB AA B AAA B A
row nine Knit: B AAA B AAA BBB AAA BBB AAA B AAA B
row ten Purl: AAA B AAAA BBBB A BBBB AAAA B AAA
row eleven Knit: B A B A BBBB A BBB A BBB A BBBB A B A B
row twelve Purl: A B AAA BBBB A BB A BB A BBBB AAA B A
row thirteen Knit: B A B AAA BBBB A B A B A BBBB AAA B A B
row fourteen Purl: A B A B AAA BBBB A B A BBBB AAA B A B A
row fifteen Knit: B A B A B AAAAAA BBB AAAAAA B A B A B
row sixteen Purl: A B A B AAA BBBB A B A BBBB AAA B A B A
row seventeen Knit: B A B AAA BBBB A B A B A BBBB AAA B A B
row eighteen Purl: A B AAA BBBB A BB A BB A BBBB AAA B A
row nineteen Knit: B A B A BBBB A BBB A BBB A BBBB A B A B
row twenty Purl: AAA B AAAA BBBB A BBBB AAAA B AAA
row twenty-one Knit: B AAA B AAA BBB AAA BBB AAA B AAA B
row twenty-two Purl: A B AAA B AA BB AAAAA BB AA B AAA B A
row twenty-three Knit: AA B AAA B A B AAA B AAA B A B AAA B AA
row twenty-four Purl: B AA B AAA B AAA B A B AAA B AAA B AA B
row twenty-five Knit: BB AA B AAA B A B A B A B A B AAA B AA BB
row twenty-six Purl: BB AAA B AAA B A BBB A B AAA B AAA BB
row twenty-seven Knit: B AAAAA B AAA B A B A B AAA B AAAAA B
row twenty-eight Purl: AAA BB AA B AAA B A B AAA B AA BB AAA

repeat these twenty-eight rows once more
--the following rows are all done in A--
2 rows in stockinette stitch

row -k2tog -knit to last three slip 1, k1, psso, k1

purl row

repeat the last two rows until you have 7 st

BO

fold knitted material in half and sew it so it looks like a pouch. one star should show on the front and the other should show on the back. The top part of the flap (where it meets the star) should match up with the edge of the folded pouch. sew the pouch edges.

add a button and a loop if desired.

it's not the greatest pattern- I hope it made some sense. I'm more of a visual person when it comes to knitting patterns. I'm sorry if there are any errors-- it took me a long time to type out the pattern on my slow computer.
basically if all of the letters in each row add up to 25 and the letters in the sequences can be written backwards and be the same thing, then there are no errors.

If you know what the pattern is supposed to be looking like, that will help to determine if the pattern is working fine.

I hope this helps.

It has been so long

2006-10-27T17:58:00.000-07:00

I know. I'm bad. I haven't posted in so long. So many things have been going on, and I didn't get a a chance to blog. During my little hiatus, I managed to knit many items.

Knitty's Fetching

Made with Caron Simply soft in light yellow.

Made the buttons myself.

Knitty's Twiggy Tweed

Made with scrap orange and fuschia yarn

Lined with autum leaf print

Spiral crochet rounded-edge scarf.

Spiral not intended, but I think it looks cool

Made using variety of yarn, Caron, scrap, bouclé

Colors: Dark green, light green, bouclé, dark blue

Norwegian rose pocket pouch

Made using scrap yarn

Red and soft white

My very first pair of mittens

Made with scrap yarn

Juniper and yellow

My first successful Mobius strip

Knitted on circs and completely seamless.

Mobius Strip

Fall ribbon scarf

Made on Knifty Knitter

Case face: instrument case shield

I play viola

Made using knitting machine and variegated acrylic yarn

Floppy Market bag

Made using scrap yarn on vintage tube knitting machine

the squares of color are actually "puffs" of knitted material sewn into little discs. Think 30s yo-yo quilt.

Almost done with second sock to complete my very first pair!

My "Kick Ascot"
Pattern from Vickie Howell's blog

Knits-krieg

2006-07-21T20:54:00.000-07:00

It has been so long...but you see, I have grown sick and tired of using a scanner to create demented pictures of my work! So.. I finally decided to use the camera (why not before, I have no idea) and take pictures of all of my current works and finished projects. I'll try to organize these for better viewing happiness. Enjoy.

First up: Operation August Baby a.k.a a bundle of presents a baby to be born in August.
As shown by my lovely and plushy assistants.
-Crocheted blanket using baby boucle
-3 hats all made on the Knifty Knitter
-Oversized patchwork pillow...

...as welll as some baby booties that had their picture taken at an earlier time.

Next, "Garage Sale Wonder Yarn Crocheted Bag"

It also includes a little hole on the side for yarn to pass through should I use the bag as a yarn project caddy.

...as shown again with my plushy assistants.

Next, the glorious Knitting bag (look at its greatness because it took a lot of work to get it to look that nice!)

I find the pattern company "Simplicity" to be very ironic because I am usually very confused with the patterns (especially this one!)

I decided to make a needle caddy and notions caddy for the bag since it only made sense to do so.

Close-up!

Next, my very very first sock project! One sock is completed and the other is along the way.

Next, on humorous note, the knitted cactus! (this one doesn't prick you!)

Yes, the chair is hung on my wall. :)

Next, a very fashionable knitted scarf that I am working on.

I love this simple cable! It's so pretty!

Next, the current Nautie project from Knitty.com

almost done!

Next, my very stylish knitted beret. A black beret.

This piece is modeled by an associate of mine.

Next, quite simply, it's a crocheted jellyfish!

Yes, I was bored. I crocheted it during an episode of Dr. 90210.

Well, folks, that was quite fun to see my nearly neglected blog come to life in the form of "knits-krieg posting,"
wasn't it? Now that I figured out how to get pictures on here via camera hopefully, you should see very very good pictures of my work in the future! Until then, keep crafting!

2006-05-26T13:07:00.000-07:00

I'm learning how to knit cables because I have never attempted them before. I knitted the purse without a cable needle.
Yarn: Wool Ease (I think) -- the blue color- I got that at a garage sale for a quarter and some orange "tutu" yarn.
The purse looks kind of Mediterranean, I think.

-the button is a gold colored rose shank button.
-The cables are made by slipping three, knitting three, taking the stitches off, putting the knitted stitches back on, and then knitting the slipped stitches.
-2 cables running throughout the purse, and the front is tapered off by k2 together on every other stitch.
No pattern.

I also decided to make this planner cozy with some of the yarn I bought a few weeks ago. It was amusing to knit with 5 alternating colors.
No pattern
Yarn: Red Heart super saver
-Light Fuchsia
-Royal
-Frosty Green
-Cherry Red
and Red Heart classic
-Off White

SLiPPeRS

2006-05-13T20:52:00.000-07:00

These are the slippers that I have made today! Let me break it down for you.

Yarn:
-TLC Essentials (Red Heart) Color: "Falling Leaves" and
-Red Heart~Super Saver Color: "Dark Sage"

less than one skein was used from both (slippers knitted double-stranded)

Needles: Size US 10.5 umm.. size 7 mm.

Pattern: Here

Level: really easy -this could be a beginner project for someone who knows knit/purl

Time: I would say about 3 hours total maybe

Feeling: comfy

Probability of making these exact slippers again: 99% (I'm thinking of trying another pattern)

Calculator Cozy/Cozie/Caddy

2006-05-08T14:01:00.000-07:00

After visiting the town craft shop up north, I came back home with a boat load of yarn. I thought that my calculator needed a better caddy than what it had, so I decided to knit one up. As well as knitting, I also did little crochet things on the caddy. There is a special technique (not really) that I used at the bottom of the bag. I chained 3 and did a double crochet through each stitch, along the bottom. The handle is also crocheted. It's a single crochet row, I think (I really stink at crochet terms, sorry!) The symbol in the middle is *supposed to be* a pi symbol. I think I made the pi "legs" too long, but it looks alright. All of the yarn that was used, except for the black, is of the Red Heart brand. It was really fun to make.

Sparkley Knitting Needles

2006-05-08T13:55:00.000-07:00

This is my set of sparkley knitting needles (excluding the pair currently being used). I bought them at JoAnn's as a set. They came in a little cylindrical tube. There is a set of sparkley crochet hooks available too, if anyone is interested. I believe the needles are about $9 or so. It is really fun to knit with them, especially outside in the sunlight.

Knitted Gir!

2006-04-29T15:56:00.000-07:00

Gir is a very cute robot from the show Invader Zim. I was surfing craftster the other day and I found a pattern to knit Gir! I'm almost done with him.

Crochet Nerd?

2006-04-21T16:25:00.000-07:00

I can double crochet and single crochet now because of that project, so at least I learned something!
That tapered edge you see is my attempt at shaping the hat. :)

Look at what was in my Easter Basket...

I'm learning how to crochet! For some reason though, I ran out of the yarn it gave me. Maybe I screwed it up. Well, it still looks like a hat.

2006-04-14T17:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter from Knitting Nerd and the "gang."

2006-04-13T14:01:00.000-07:00

This is a super duper close up of the baby blanket I am knitting. The yarn, as said before, is called, "Baby Clouds." I absolutely love it. It should be about a square yard in size and also very cuddly when it's finished. The "yo"s in the pattern throw me off sometimes. It's not that I don't know how to do them, it's just that the "eyelets" aren't lining up. Actually, they are making zigzag patterns, and I think I like that better. It's probably because of stitches--73 of them. I probably grabbed a couple extra by accident or something. As long as it turns into something cuddly in the end, I'm fine with it.

And would you look at that--a sparkley knitting needle. That's right--I own a whole set of them. So, the namesake of my blog isn't some desperate attempt at coolness. Ohhh Aww....The blog speaks for itself. :)

Many new things

2006-04-09T17:07:00.000-07:00

I have great news! No, I did not just save a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to Geico. Actually, I found out that there is a new baby to knit for! I am currently knitting a baby blanket, which is made from "Baby Clouds" Red Heart yarn.

I'm sorry I really haven't posted for a while. You see, I was on spring break on that one glorious posting week. Now, I am not...on....spring....break....anymore......

meh.

Somewhat of a Zombie Pattern

2006-04-01T08:24:00.000-08:00

If you wish to create a zombie for yourself, maybe I can help you. I'll post what I basically remember doing.

Body

-I used size 6 dpns

-CO 30 stitches and distribute them
**Make body as tall as you want**

When you are done making the general body, decrease by k2tog every once in a while and then do it more often until you get down to about 9 stitches distributed on the needles.

The head is made on the body so you won't have to worry about attaching it.

Increase a couple stitches evenly throughout on the head until you get about 12 or so stitches evenly (I'm really jogging my memory here).

Make the head as big as you want and then decrease either dramatically or gradual, your choice. I think dramatically would be better because gradual would create a cone head.

Cast off.

Arms

CO 15 stitches and distribute them on the needles.

If you are making a *shirt* on your zombie, I think I did about 11 rows in the shirt color and 9 in the zombie skin color. You can vary this. Decrease dramatically or gradual (It doesn't really matter here).

Cast off (Don't forget to make 2 arms!)

Legs

CO 21 stitches and distribute them

Knit about 20 rows or so and then cast off (I didn't decrease)

The ruffle part (created from knitting the legs) at the bottom of my zombie actually let it stand better. So when I stuffed the legs, (as well as everything else, don't forget to stuff it!) I very lightly closed the bottom by creating a little criss cross with the stitches.

( # )

Just attach the legs and arms any way you like, but if you want the zombie to have the "pose" you might want to add a stretched out paper clip in the arms. And don't forget to stitch the face and blood. Perfection is discouraged.

This is really all I remember about making the zombie. This "pattern" is just so you get an idea of what I did--and be creative with it.

Hopefully, this helped. :)

ZOMBIE!!!!!!!

2006-03-31T20:00:00.000-08:00

This is my zombie! It was completed without a pattern because there was none I could find. Wire is inserted in his arms so he can get that "zombie posture." I'm giving him to one of my friends, once again.

Now that the zombie knitting is out of my system, I can focus on more important things....

like......................

..

So many ideas

2006-03-31T12:01:00.000-08:00

Due to *popular* demand, I am going to knit some arms for my robot. I agree; I think he would be a lot happier if he had the ability to hug someone.

While reading some of the posts on Craftster, I found something very very cute: Knitted zombies!! I'm trying to knit my own right now--again, with no pattern.

I also had an idea to knit some food items......such as..........rice balls. Hahahaha..yeah, it does sound odd, but for some reason, I feel that I must knit them.

I really enjoy knitting these little novelty things. Even if the practicality is really low, the projects still look cute.

A very straightforward quite lovely cupcake

2006-03-30T19:35:00.000-08:00

This is the cupcake that I started and finished today (can you tell that I like quick projects?). It was a little hard to do the bottom. You start out with 6 stitches distributed on 3 dpns and then you increase many times. First off, so few stitches on dpns really frustrate me. And, second, for some reason I made the stitches really tight at the bottom.

Even though the pattern called for a bottle cap to be placed inside, I also added a cardboard circle. It keeps the cupcake standing better than just the bottle cap alone.

It was very interesting and "fun" to try to get the stitches closed at the top. That is probably why the cherry looks a little odd.

Either way you throw it, people around here like it a lot. I enjoyed making it overall. It was the first project I actually completed on dpns. I like the little ribbing on the brown cake part of the cupcake. I added the "chocolate chips" because it looked a little bland otherwise.

My advice: Don't beat yourself up if you are a few stitches off. Believe it or not, I have either a few more or less stitches than what the pattern called for. I actually didn't pay too much attention to the pattern. I was thrilled to get something that actually looked like a cupcake in the end.

Marvin is complete

2006-03-29T10:46:00.000-08:00

Marvin is done! I adapted part of the pattern (I couldn't resist). I made a few mistakes while making him, but I cleverly covered it up. I am giving him to one of my friends for Easter.

Marvin is finally coming along

2006-03-27T20:30:00.000-08:00

Marvin, the depressed yet cute robot from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, is finally coming along. I decided to actually follow a pattern for once and not just wing it. I am knitting Marvin for my friend ( who loves the books as well as movie) for an Easter surprise. Hopefully, he turns out okay.

Sunny, my fruity orange pal

2006-03-26T22:52:00.000-08:00

Yes! That little blob of orange knitting in my last post ended up being this cute little ray of sunshine in my life. I feel quite happy to have had the chance of finishing him tonight. I really enjoyed making him. I like the facial expression--that little smirk. The pattern is really simple for the ball.

cast on 28
*k20 turn
k12 turn
k14 turn
k16 turn
k18 turn
k20 turn
k22 turn
k24 turn
k26 turn
k28 * don't cast off until you get 10 wedges

The directions between the *s create a wedge. Make 10 wedges and then stuff and sew it.
I made the arms and legs using one of those knitting spool things.

Knitted Ball turned Cute Orange Toy?

2006-03-26T17:00:00.000-08:00

Last night, I came across a pattern for a knitted ball. Once I got the hang of it, it was actually quite easy to make. Since I'm using only orange yarn, I decided to turn the ball into a stuffed orange fruit toy. I should finish it tonight. I really see an opportunity here. If I figure out how to change colors while making the ball, I can create Marvin from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Cellphone holder...minus the cellphone

2006-03-25T19:16:00.000-08:00

I feel better about posting my cellphone holder that I started and completed today. It is made using Caron Simply Soft Brights and Bernat Frenzy. All of the orange is done using seed stitch (except for the border between the orange and frenzy, where I screwed up), and all of the frenzy is in garter stitch. I casted off all of the frenzy except for 4 stitches and kept going to create that loop. The loop is just attached; it can't flip up due to my lack of attaching mechanisms at the moment. Either way, I still like the way it turned out. I hope to make (yeah it will sound odd) a cell phone bed. A little stuffed bed with a blanket and miniature pillow, in my opinion, would be a creative way to keep the cell phone in one place when it is charging. All of this is kind of funny to me because in reality, I don't even own a cell phone---yet.

Knitted Robot

2006-03-25T19:02:00.000-08:00

Here is my attempt at a robot--with no arms yet! I still have to make the arms, but I'm wondering if I should even continue. Yes, he is cute...but he is nothing like the ones I have seen on the web. He doesn't sit up too well, but I once got him to stand with no assistance for a minute or so. He is stuffed with fabric scraps and a "lucky" penny. Yeah.. I wanted to make him feel somewhat meaningful.

Knitting Toys

2006-03-25T18:39:00.000-08:00

I have been intrigued by the knitted toys I have seen on the web. However, I am saddened when I find that the toys that I want to make the most are not free patterns. My favorites, by far, are these knitted robots by Jess Hutch. Actually, I love all of the toys that are featured in her book, which unfortunately isn't being sold anymore. So.. I am here, trying to figure out how to create my own toy patterns, just so I could have similar joy.