New Year Swap at KH

I just realized I never actually blogged about my swap goodies. I did mention the 100% cotton that I used to make the dishcloths but i never talked about the other things.

5 hand made stitch markers
* a packet of Lionbrand stitch makers
* 3 balls of 100% cotton yarn, in three different colors
* 2 balls of Paton's Kroy sock yarn
* 2 balls of Meilenweit Cotton
* a photo mouse pad
* a set of size 1 double point needles for the socks
* and a pack of chocolate and caramel covered pretzel sticks

The mouse pad is currently sporting a picture Samantha drew of a Goomba from Super Mario bros.
I'm itching to get started on more dishcloths for the other skeins of cotton. I'm still working up the nerve for those socks. Those needles look awfully tiny! Currently I'm making a set a wrist warmers/fingerless mitts for myself and am using the stitch markers. I loves them!

The joy of a dishcloth

Dishcloth
Originally uploaded by eccentric.scorpion

I recently participated in a yarn swap. Everyone's name goes into a hat and then names are secretly drawn, partners assigned and then you buy yarn for your person and send it along. It was a lot of fun and I have every intention of doing it again soon!

The person who got my name, Samantha, gifted me with some lovely sock yarn and teeny needles to knit them with. But she also included some 100% cotton yarn. I'd never used 100% cotton before and a dishcloth seemed less intimidating than a sock so I tried it first.

I cast on 46 stitches, figuring that'd be about 9 inches (which is the length of my current store bought dish cloth). I knit along happily, until I noticed that I was a row off my pattern. So, as is my way, I repeated the mistake a few rows later to make it a design feature :P

And then I washed dishes, it was amazing. First I must tell you that I can't use metal pot scourer things because I can't stand metal on metal, I always use plastic ones. Since I don't wash dishes as soon as the meal is over, (bad me, bad, bad) I often use the plastic scrubber to get dried food off of plates and bowls. With this handmade dishcloth I didn't have to do that. It handled everything, the purl bumps made excellent scrubbing surfaces. I was amazed.

The only problem I have with it is that it's a bit heavy. I didn't take into account, when I selected a size, that the cotton would be heavier than the flimsy store bought material.

I did manage to get it all dirty, tomato sauce will do that, ya know, so the one pictured up top is a smaller square I worked on to finish the ball of yarn. I think the smaller version will help with the weight issue as well. Plus I can get two or three from one ball of yarn :P

Lol it seems silly to rave about this now but I really am in love with handmade dish clothes now.
Must make more . . . . .

My Knitting Manifesto

Inspired by Nutmeg over at Material Mama I've decided to share my knitting manifesto. I fully admit that sometimes I've just changed the words a bit to suit my situation, but hey, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

I will

1. Encourage smaller, boutique pattern designers and yarn shops..
2. Understand knitting does NOT save money. (although I might not share this with my significant other)
3. Love my stash. Visit it, pet it, appreciate it, and listen to it.
4. Learn to hear praise and compliments about my work and say “Thank You”.
5. Not play down my accomplishments, even if it's figuring out something that I feel should have been obvious.
6. Knit gifts for those who appreciate them
7. Be proud to show my one of a kind, properly fitted, custom tailored garments.
8. Know mommy made things make my child feel special and loved whenever they are wearing them.
9. Knit because I have to, it’s a part of who I am
10. Occasionally toss an item across the room in frustration.
11. Forgive myself.
12. Ask for support when I need and want it.
13. Listen to my heart about MY yarn and pattern (or lack thereof) choices.

I will not

1. Support pattern companies that do not support me.
   
2. Feel pressured to defend my beautiful stash
3. Feel pressured to knit for others
4. Support sweat shop labor
5. Allow my stash to control me and how I feel. I am always in charge of Stash.
6. Listen to any negativity about how knitting is outdated (it’s classic, and classic never goes out of style)
7. Throw anything heavy at someone who tells me “wow, did you know that knitting is getting popular again?”
8. Knit for anyone who might not appreciate it, or sees it as inferior to store bought. It’s their loss.
9. Deny that knitting feeds my soul.
10. See myself as competing with Wal-Mart, Target, etc.
11. Engage in negative self talk or berate my skills to myself or others.