woolhandcrafts is awesome!

I just wanted to say how great of a seller woolhandcrafts on etsy is. I ordered a super cool sock blocking form from her.

I really like it. You can see from my last post that this is pretty useful. I'm almost to the second sock of my next pair.
When I bought the sock blocker woolhandcrafts's sheep were having babies. She sent me a picture of the new baby; he's so cute! It's very cool that she has sheep!
Well, there was a mix up with my order, I was worried until she replied, but I was impressed by the way she handled it. She sent me the right sock blocker and no worries! She is professional and has excellent customer service. I hope I'm like her. :)

Making Socks

I like knitting projects that don't take terribly long. I made 2 sweaters but they took forever. So I like making mittens, hats, and SOCKS. I haven't had the second sock syndrome problem yet, but I just got some long circular needles to try the two socks at once thing. I knitted these on double pointed needles, toe up, one at a time with a short row heel. :)


The squares in the same color as the toe and heel are washing instructions. I want that to be consistent from pair to pair, but I think a one row symbol would be easier and add less bulk.
Here's a great site with all sorts of sock making directions: http://mysite.verizon.net/vze8mnnp/toesheels.html

Slow Drivers

People in Seattle drive slow. My goal is not to make people mad, but I wouldn't mind a few comments. So driving around Seattle is something that makes me think about Chicago. People drive much faster there. I'm used to being passed quite a bit. People there are a lot better about being in the correct lane. If you want to drive slow, stay in the right lane(s). If you want to drive fast, drive in the left lane(s). I find that I'm doing the passing much more around Seattle and I'm really not going fast.

On my way back from work I heard these 2 radio ads telling people to slow down or they'll get a ticket. They're just ridiculous! First, people are already diving slow, often way lower than the speed limit when traffic is fine. Second, why waste money on an ad to tell people that you're going to be collecting more money. Third, why not do something to find stolen cars or to make it safe enough for me to walk alone at night instead of pulling people over who are not doing anything dangerous.

Bed Bath and Beyond and the Crappy Wardrobe

So I found myself needing to get a place to store some of my clothes. Since I don't have a closet I decided to get a light weight wardrobe for my hanging clothes. I looked around and thought I had found one that would work. I bought the storagewardrobe from Bed Bath and Beyond. Item number 91-200. No tools required. I put it together and was really disappointed. The frame went together ok, but the plastic ends don't look to sturdy. The cover was too small. Even though I was being careful when putting the cover on it ripped by the seam. I could exchange it but its not one defective item; it is a defective design. I could return it but then I'm out the 2 trips to the store and my time and I still wouldn't have a place for my clothes, besides I haven't found anything else that would work. I talked to a "customer service" person but she couldn't do anything. She said I could return it. I asked what she could do to prevent this from happening to other people and she said that they could return it too. That doesn't fix the problem, it only annoys the customers. If they just sold better things to start with this wouldn't be a problem. So don't by this:
If anyone has a contact for someone in the company who can actually do something let me know. I'm tired of low quality products being sold for way more than they're worth. I'm tired of the big box treatment of customers. The thing is that if people keep shopping there, it won't change.

Stripey Diagonal Rib Scarf

Here it is, the free pattern for my Stripey Diagonal Rib Scarf. It's reversible and more interesting than garter stitch.

Made with Lamb’s Pride Worsted 85% wool/ 15% mohair for Purple and Blue
Lite-Lopi for Dark Purple

Gauge in rib pattern relaxed: 6st per in, stretched 4 st per in
6 rows per in.

K = Knit
P = Purl
KFB = Knit into front and then back of stitch
K2TOG = Knit 2 together
#(K2, P2) = K2, P2 # times

It might help to use a stitch marker or safety pin to mark the right side row. Once the scarf is done it is reversible, but while you are knitting it you need to keep track of which side to do the increases and decreases on.

If you want the same stripes be sure to read the whole pattern before starting.

Cast on 4 st
R1: KFB, K2 KFB
R2: K2, P2, K2 (6st)
R3: KFB, P, K2, P, KFB (8)
R4: P. K2, P2, K2, P
R5: KFB, P2, K2 P2, KFB (10)
R6: P2, K2, P2, K2, P2
R7: KFB, K, P2, K2, P2, K, KFB (12)
R8: K, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K
R9: KFB, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, KFB (14)
R10: K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2
R11: KFB, P, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P, KFB (16)
R12: P, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P
R13: KFB, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, KFB (18)
R14: P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2
R15: KFB, K, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K, KFB (20)
R16: K, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K
R17: KFB, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, KFB (22)
R18: K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2
R19: KFB, P, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P, KFB (24)
R20: P, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P
R21: KFB, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, KFB (26)
R22: P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2
R23: KFB, K, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K, KFB (28)
R24: K, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K
R25: KFB, 6(K2, P2), K2, KFB (30)
R26: 7(K2, P2), K2
R27: KFB, P, 6(K2, P2), K2, P, KFB (32)
R28: P, 7(K2, P2), K2, P
R29: KFB, P2, 7(K2, P2), KFB (34)
R30: P2, 8(K2, P2)
R31: KFB, K, P2, 7(K2, P2), K, KFB (36)
R32: K, P2, 8(K2, P2), K
R33: KFB, 8(K2, P2), K2, KFB (38)
R34: 9(K2, P2), K2
R35: KFB, P, 8(K2, P2), K2, P, KFB (40)
R36: P, 9(K2, P2), K2, P

In other words you are knitting a K2, P2 rib with increases on both ends of the right side rows. On the back just knit the K2, P2 rib.
END OF INC ROWS


R37: KFB, P2, 8(K2, P2), K2, P, K2TOG (40)
R38: 10(K2, P2) (40)
R39: KFB, K, P2, 8(K2, P2), K2, K2TOG (40)
R40: K, P2, 9(K2, P2) K
R41: KFB, 9(K2, P2), K, K2TOG
R42: P2, 9(K2, P2), K2
R43: KFB, P, 9(K2, P2), K2TOG
R44: P, 9(K2, P2), K2 ,P
R45: REPEAT ROWS 37 THROUGH 44

You are increasing at the beginning of the right side rows and decreasing at the end of the right side rows. On the back just knit the K2, P2 rib.

Continue until scarf is 6ft 3in long or desired length.

DECREASE ROWS
Start decrease section on a row that begins with 2 knit stitches.
R1: K2TOG, P2, 7(K2, P2), K, K2TOG
R2: 8(P2, K2), P
R3: K2TOG, P, 7(K2,P2), K2TOG
R4: P, 7(K2, P2), K2
R5: K2TOG, 6(K2, P2), K2, P, K2TOG
R6: 7(K2, P2), K
R7: K2TOG, K, P2, 5(K2, P2), K2, K2TOG
R8: K, P2, 6(K2, P2)
R9: K2TOG, P2, 5(K2, P2) K, K2TOG
R10: P2, 5(K2, P2), K2, P
R11: K2TOG, P 5(K2, P2), K2TOG
R12: P, 5(K2, P2), K2
R13: K2TOG, 4(K2, P2), K2, P, K2TOG
R14: 5(K2, P2), K
R15: K2TOG, K, P2, 3(K2, P2), K2, K2TOG
R16: K, P2, 4(K2, P2)
R17: K2TOG, P2, 3(K2, P2) K, K2TOG
R18: P2, 3(K2, P2), K2, P
R19: K2TOG, P, 3(K2, P2), K2TOG
R20: P, 3(K2, P2), K2
R21: K2TOG, 2(K2, P2), K2, P, K2TOG
R22: 3(K2, P2), K
R23: K2TOG, K, P2, K2, P2, K2, K2TOG
R24: K, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2
R25: K2TOG, P2, K2, P2, K, K2TOG
R26: P2, K2, P2, K2, P
R27: K2TOG, P, K2, P2, K2TOG
R28: P, K2, P2, K2
R29: K2TOG, K2, P, K2TOG
R30: K2, P2, K
R31: K2TOG, K, K2TOG
R32: CAST OFF

You are decreasing on both ends of the right side rows. On the back knit the rib.


FOR THE STRIPES
Begin all stripes on a right side row. Knit all stripes for an even number of rows.

Knit 17in from the very beginning.
With Blue knit 2 rows
Purple for 4 rows
Blue for 2 rows
Purple for 4 rows
Dark Purple for 4 rows
Purple for 6 rows
Blue for 6 rows
Purple for 20 rows (3 ¼ in) measure along rib
Dark Purple 4 rows
Purple for 38 rows (6 ¼ in)
Blue for 10 rows
Purple for 16 rows
Blue for 4 rows
Purple for 36 rows
Dark Purple for 4 rows
Purple for 72rows (13 in)

Dark Purple for 2 rows
Purple for 6 rows
Dark Purple for 4 rows
Purple for 6 rows
Dark Purple for 6 rows
Purple for 6 rows
Dark Purple for 10 rows
Purple for 6 rows
Dark Purple for 16 rows
Purple until end

© 2007 RainyDayArt. All rights reserved. This pattern may not be sold, or posted to any website, or copied, without the written consent of the copyright owner. You may use it for your personal use and you may print it for your personal use.

After the Craft Fair

That craft fair was pretty fun! The best part was meeting a bunch of cool artists. Many of them are on etsy too.
http://bluecloud.etsy.com has some cool jewelry and she also does custom clothing.
http://JennMaruskaDesign.etsy.com has clever sewn items like cute baskets and wallets.
http://beadsnall.etsy.com makes so many things her table was very full. She has some great stitch markers.
http://TheIvyLeaf.etsy.com or www.ialuna.com has some great jewelery and adorable bookmarks.
And at the table next to mine http://reflectsthemoon.etsy.com I really wanted to get one of her pictures. Maybe when I get my own walls.

Spring Thing Craft Fair

THE CRAFT FAIR will be on Saturday April 7th, 9:30am-3:30pm.
In the Community Hall (brick building)
In the Phinney Ridge Neighborhood of Seattle.
6532 Phinney Ave N

Admission and parking are free.

For a list of some of the artists that will be there you can go to http://www.prettyjewelrydesigns.com/craftfair.html

Everything I sell plus a few new items will be there and with no shipping!

I Heart Dyeing Yarn

I just thought I'd share that I really like dyeing yarn. It's lots of fun and I get lots of pretty colors. :)

Here's an example: