Hello everyone!  It's been a while since I've posted on Craftster although I've still been lurking quite a bit.  I recently re-stoked the fires for my love of needle arts (I was on a knitting kick for years) and have fallen all over again for cross stitch.

I wanted to share my most recent project: a beard cross stitch.  My friend Matthew and I simply LOVE bearded boys.  He was my partner in crime at the Pitchfork Music Festival this last summer and we had an absolute blast both with the music and the beard watching.  He lives out in DC so in an attempt to woo him to join me again this summer for the festival, I cross stitched him a beard.

I made the pattern up on my own by filling cells in Excel (crafty + geeky).  It's a little piece - the frame is 4x6 and it was done on Aida cloth.  It was a ton of fun to do but hard to give away!  I recently acquired some linen so I think I'll be making myself one shortly!

Hope you like!

Hello everyone!  It's been quite a while since I've posted on Craftster - I'm still quite a lurker though. 

Anywho, I've done a mess of crafting for the holidays and thought I'd post my most recent knitting - the Penis Chapstick Coozie!

 
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I found the pattern on Ravlery (do a search for "knit penis chapstick holder") and I knew it'd be a perfect way to stash bust and give them something to giggle over.  They were a huge hit!  Can't ask for a better reaction over such a quick knit!

Hey all -- I have a question.

Quite a few years ago I bought an entertainment center from Target.  You know,the MDF kind that has the veneer or maybe it's just the paper stuff that looks like veneer covering it.  Comes in a box, but it together yourself.

Anyways, I'm changing the look of my livingroom (all new furniture and rug) and the cherry color entertainment center isn't going to work very well.  I'm wondering if I can just apply some dark mahogany type stain to it to make it darker.  Or maybe some sort of tint or wax.

What do you think?  Anyone else ever do something like that?  Would the surface bubble up since it's wet?  Do I need to sand it first?  Or should I think of a colorwash painting technique with a dry brush instead?

I'm okay if it doesn't look like real mahogany.  I'm okay if it doesn't go on completely even -- I'm all about stuff that doesn't look like it's supposed to.  I just can't afford a new entertainment center with the couch, chair and rug I just bought.  Thanks!

I'll be in a wedding in October in a chocolate brown sleeveless dress.  I thought making a shawl of some sort to drape over my shoulders while waiting for outside pics and traveling would be a good idea.

I love the "I Do", but I don't want a shrug.  Thought I'd take the lace pattern and just knit it flat -- kind of like the back portion. I know I'll probably have to do two pieces and seam together to have similar scallopped edges, but that's cool.

I've tested out the pattern, I have the skills, now I just need to select yarn.  I love working with cotton, but I'm having a hard time finding some in stock (online or LYS) in a color that will work -- chocolate brown is NOT an option in mercanized cotton.

Do you all think KnitPicks Andean Silk would block/work well? (http://www.knitpicks.com/yarns/itemid_5420126/yarn_display.aspx)  I like both the chocolate or the cinnamon to give it a bit of a contrast.

Or I was thinking maybe their Wool of the Andes http://www.knitpicks.com/yarns/itemid_5420103/yarn_display.aspx in the chocolate or snickerdoodle.  I know this won't have the sheen of the mercanized, but I do like how it looks.

Those two are worsted, and in the DK weight I like their http://www.knitpicks.com/yarns/itemid_5420111/yarn_display.aspx Elegance -- baby alpaca and silk.  Pretty in the fawn color.  Would that block well?

I'm looking to you guys for advice - any opinions on color or fiber?

I'm working on Knitty's Tychus (and BOY am I a tight knitter!!), and have finished one wedge.  I'm loving the pattern and how it looks, however not crazy about the yarn (even if it gives me an opportunity to stash bust!).

Is there anything I can do to the hat when completed to make it softer?  I think I read on another thread quite a while ago that a few washes softens up the yarn.  Anyone have any suggestions?

I'm working on cables right now - and having a great time doing it!  But I've found some inconsistancies with my tension.  When I move from a knit to a purl, it's not very tight.  Gently pulling the fabric will show bars where the stitches are -- it's kinda of loose.  Moving from a purl to a knit, I don't have that problem.  My tension is tight, I can't pull at the fabric and see the bars or gabs.

So the question is: how can I get a tighter tension when moving from knit to purl stitches?

Yup, just had to make some up for x-mas presents for my girlfriends this year.  How can you beat quick and easy knits?

Here's a shot of one on my bar (the one on it's side is empty -- poor cozy):



More details on my blog - happy new year everyone!

http://goodgorilla.blogspot.com/2005/12/dirty-girl-craftingvibrator-cozies.html

I should know this, but just need some confirmation.

I'm working on a baby cardigan in stocking st and I'm ready to begin shaping the armholes.  My pattern reads as such:

Proceed in stocking st until from beg measures 73/4 ins, ending with RS facing for next row.

This means I want the knit side (not the purl side) of the piece facing me, correct? 

Thanks!

Hey everyone -  I'm testing out a couple different mitten patterns to see which ones I want to knit up as gifts this year, and came across this one:

http://www.chroniclebooks.com/Chronicle/excerpt/0811835332-e2.html

So far, so good, however I'm stuck on instruction #9 & #10 -- hoping someone can help!

#9 says: Knit 1 stitch as if you starting a new round, then take the first marker off and slide the 13 stitches off the needle and onto the stitch holder.  You will use these stitches later to create the thumb.
#10: Knit 25 rounds.

My question: I knit the 1st stitch, slip the next 13 off of the left needle and onto a stitch holder, but what stitch do I knit next?  Do I stitch the 14th stitch with the 1st?  Won't that leave a big hole?  I understand I'll use that to make the thumb, but wasn't sure if I'm reading the pattern correctly.

Thanks!

Hey everyone.  Working on a new pattern (the cool leaf poncho in the new magknits)that has a few stitches that I haven't done yet.  I've done some searching already, but didn't quite find the answers to the questions that I have -- so I'm sorry if I'm repeating anything.

First of all, I think I have a knit and purl increase down, but does anyone know of a short video online that shows specifically how to do it?  I've seen a ton of pictures, but I kinda need to see how people actually do it to make sure I have it completely.

P2SSO -- I know PSSO means I pass the previously slipped stitch that is now on the right hand needle over the last stitch knitted or purled and let it drop off the needle.  But what does P2SSO mean?  Does it simply mean I pick up the last 2 stitches I knitting and drop them?

SSK vs. SL 2 Knitwise.  I get SSK.  But does SL 2 Knitwise mean I slip the two stitches from left needle to right needle, but do not knit them?  Just keep going on in my pattern?

Thanks so much for your help!!