Faux Latte (without a milk frother)

This process is quick and easy and uses standard kitchen equipment ... plus a little muscle power. That's it!

I've been making these for about 6 months now and while they are most definitely not the real thing, I think they're a pretty good substitute.

All you need are your preferred coffee-making implements

... and a "milk" container with a good seal.

Bernat Panama - Traveling Vine Top (2)

Now that UFO week is over, it's time to get back to my Traveling Vine Top. I still like the basic idea from my swatch - lace at lower edge, stockinette stitch above with a reverse stockinette stitch round/row thrown in from time to time.

During the week, I thought about my fit problems - too small at the lower edge, too big at the bust - and added another consideration. Would three repeats (vertically) of the traveling edge pattern be better than two repeats? If I'd been happy with the fit, I probably wouldn't have considered this. However, to make the lower edge bigger, I'm going to be starting over anyway, so everything's on the table.

My first thought was to add another pattern repeat (horizontally). That would take care of the lower edge, but how would I get rid of those extra stitches - and more - as I knit up?

Well, as I was making a dump run last Saturday, inspiration struck. I could start with an 11-stitch repeat of the pattern, then decrease to a 10-stitch repeat and then decrease to a 9-stitch repeat. Also, I could start with larger needles and work my way down. Now, this seems like something that could work!

Twisted Lace Socks - May 2014 UFO Week

For my first UFO week, I decided to work on my Twisted Lace Socks.

It's a little bit of a stretch to call them a UFO. I started them in February. In my knitting journal, I called them "Valentine's Day Socks". I made good progress, but then, about a month ago, spring was in the air and I set them aside.

Back in February, I swatched several different patterns. None were really working for me until I flipped through a magazine my sister Jeanne had given me for Christmas a couple years ago - Quick Knits from Classic Elite Yarns, 37 Fabulous Patterns for Wraps, Socks, Hats, and More. I decided to try the Eyelet Rib stitch from the Twisted Lace Socks pattern and liked it.

UFO Knitting - 1 Week, Every Month

Recently, my friend Linda lent me her copy of Crewel World by Monica Ferris

Being a mystery set around a needlework shop, it was right up my alley. It's fairly light and a quick, enjoyable read. It was published in 1999 and is the first in a series that's now up to 16 books. Yep, I'm a little slow getting to this series.

So, what does any of this have to do with Knitting UFOs (UnFinished Objects)? Well, early on in Crewel World, Margot (sister of main character, Betsy), mentions that the last week of every month is UFO Week.

Bernat Panama - Traveling Vine Top (1)

Now that I had a large swatch of traveling vine lace and stockinette stitch in Bernat Panama Misty Blue ...

I was ready to take some gauge measurements, rough out a sketch and calculate my cast-on count.

My plan is for a simple, close-fitting top with the traveling lace pattern at the lower edge. I'd like the bottom of the top to hit at the high-hip and, while it won't be drapey, I don't want it to cling either. So, I'm going for a loose, kind of floating fit at the lower edge coming up to a close fit at the bust and upper body. Rather than the entire top hanging from my shoulders, I'd like use my upper body to support the upper section of the top.

Bernat Panama -- Working From My Stash

My mom knew all kinds of needlework techniques and, amazingly, she was good at all of them - sewing, knitting, crocheting, quilting, counted cross stitch ... even tatting.

She happily passed her knowledge along to her six daughters and before she died, she also passed along her stash and UFOs. Among the sisters, different ones gravitated toward different techniques. Several of us knit, but I'm the enthusiast and so her stash of Bernat Panama Yarn is now part of my stash.

10 skeins of white, 7 skeins of misty blue and 2 each of petal pink and corn flower blue.

Sheep Feet Socks - Part 2

After completing the toe, I decided to try the Spiraling Coriolis pattern from Cat Bordhi's, "New Pathways for Sock Knitters, Book One". I wanted to try her Sweet Tomato Heel as well. So, I made a few adjustments to the arch expansion calculation.

One of the things I love about knitting toe-up socks is being able to try them on as I go ... and make adjustments.

Here's a close-up of the Spiraling Coriolis pattern ...

It's a little subtler than I thought it would be, but I like it.

Sheep Feet Socks

What to do when you don't get socks for Christmas? Knit them! (Yeah, yeah, I know. I likely would have been knitting them anyway.)

So, the other day, I went to my stash, made a selection and got started.

Now, it happens that a few weeks ago, I picked up "The Knitters Book of Socks" by Clara Parkes at the Lopez Library.

In it she notes, "Unfortunately, we can't always count on a yarn label to indicate the ideal sock gauge for a yarn, because socks always want to be knit tighter than most other things you'd knit with that same yarn. Or, as Lucy Neatby puts it, 'Socks should be worked on abnormally small needles for the size of the yarn.'"