I just bought my first skein of sock yarn.  I have been afraid of it thus far because it is so thin.  I don't want to make socks though.  What other projects would you recommend for this type of yarn?  Will one skein be enough for a project?  TIA!!!

A couple of questions.

Is the cable flexible enough for magic loop?
Is 29" long enough?

TIA for any input.

I got some money for Christmas and so I've decided to invest in a set.  I've heard of several brands, Knitpicks, Denise, Boye, and a few others but don't really know which ones people like the best.  Any info would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!

After almost a year of knitting, I have finally gained the confidence to knit something other than a basic scarf or hat.  They knitted up fairly quickly and are perfect for the cool California mornings!

I decided to sew something for the first day of school for my girls. 

My older daughter loves to wear things that I have sewn.  She loves paisley and pink!  It's a mock wrap top with a zipper at the back.  The jeans were embellished with two rows of ruffles.

The other is a peasant top embellished with yoyos at the yoke seam.

Thanks for looking!  C&C welcome.














 

Let me start by saying I am a beginning knitter, so I don't have a whole lot of knowledge about the subject.  So, I apologize in advance for this basic question.

I offered to knit my aunt a chemo-cap but it needs to be cotton so it's not too warm to wear right now in the summer.  She wants one in black.  I checked my local Michaels and could not find cotton yarn in black.  I am sure it is available online somewhere but I am not sure where to look.  Also, I don't know what type/weight to look for because the pattern does not list the type of yarn to use or the gauge.  Here is the pattern:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/inside-out-chemo-cap 

Can someone please tell me what weight of yarn I should be looking for and where I should look? 

Thanks so much for any info on this!!!

My Singer sewing machine is about 8 years old.  And it has recently started skipping stitches.  I have re-threaded the machine and changed the needle several times (I am using the right needle size for the weight and type of fabric) as these tend to be the most obvious reasons for the skipping. 

I have not messed with the thread tension.  Would that help any?  Should I tighten or loosen it?

Also, I have not had it professionally serviced.  I have just oiled it myself from time to time.  I would really like to avoid this as I just don't have the money for it right now and it also seems like I would be better off just purchasing a new machine for a few bucks more (It is $80 and up to service it here locally).

Any hints or suggestions???  TIA!

I thought it would be nice to have a set of knitting needles that are all the same (right now I have metal ones mixed with some bamboo ones).  Anyways, I looked on ebay and there seem to be some great deals on generic needles (the Clover brand needles are much more expensive).  I know I am taking a chance with generic because I don't know what the quality might be like and some sellers may have a better product than others.  

I was hoping someone on here has purchased a set and can recommend a seller to me.  Please reply here or shoot me a PM.

Or would I be better off buying the clover brand needles one at a time at Michaels with my 40%off coupon?

Thanks for your help!

I've painted a few pieces of furniture but was never brave enough to refinish stained furniture...until now.  I found a pair of end tables at a thrift store for $35.  I loved the lines of the tables but the problem was that they were a bit scratched up and much lighter than my coffee table.  So I decided to see if I could make them darker.  If it didn't work, I would only be out $35.  I lightly sanded the tables and brushed on three coats of stain with the polyurethane already mixed into it and viola... 

The before shots:







And the finished table:




I still need to purchase and attach hardware to the drawer.  They turned out better than I had ever expected.  What do you all think?

 

I just bought a Kenmore Sewing machine this weekend at a garage sale for $25 (is that a good deal?).  It is in excellent condition.  The only problem is that it didn't come with the manual and I cannot figure out the button hole mechanism. 

Does anyone have the manual for this as a PDF file that they would be willing to share?  Or can someone tell me where's the best place to get one?  I've tried to find a place that sells them, but they don't have one specifically for my model number.  They do have some that are for other 158 models and I am wondering if it would be fairly similar to mine? 

Anyways, any info would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks!