Knotty Melody

My knitting's awesome, but blog posts suck.

2011-04-10T06:07:00.000-07:00

Fact: I love to knit.
Fact: My photos suck of late. I need my lovely friend, Laurel's photog talents.
Fact: I need to hop to it and find some hat mannequins.

Despite these facts, here are some pics of hats I've been working on for a client.

Cabled Cap

2010-06-21T10:06:00.000-07:00

A client brought me her boyfriend's favorite hat and asked to have it duplicated (reimagined) in another color for his birthday. She gave me freedom to use some creativity with the stitch pattern too so of course I had to do some cables. The original hat is really cool, but knitted in a blah acrylic. I'm not knocking it. Some of my favorite beanies have been made from acrylic, polar fleece, tshirt fabric...it just depends on the fit and design. Anyway, the original was a black knitted ribbed beanie with a little brim crocheted to it. She and I chose an espresso brown Blue Sky Cottons to create the remake. I'll be posting the pattern soon and will also get a much less dorky photo. I was in a hurry & no one else was around to run the camera~you can laugh, but don't hate.

December (in June) Stripes Hat

2010-06-02T16:16:00.000-07:00

This was made for a kid that Summer knows. I don't know this kid, but have an inkling that he needs more than a solid color hat. So...voila...stranded knitting.

Don't worry...this is not the kid. I was just using the creepy doll to block the hat.

In summation, Blue Sky Cotton + December Stripes Hat Pattern* = Hatastic

*(Pattern from the blog, "Exercise Before Knitting")

The Artist and The Pegasus

2010-05-22T14:41:00.000-07:00

A Lo♥e Story...

Spring Garden Party Classes

2010-05-14T06:54:00.000-07:00

Hello Crafty Lovebugs,

I've been working on a huge, ridiculous painting this week. A friend is having a birthday party and we needed a prom backdrop for pictures. They wanted camp...they will get camp...big winged horse styled camp. More pics on that later.

I've been inspired by all of the farmer's market buzz going on lately. In the planning stage is a new market bag. I usually think of hemp or linen for the strength and wear, but I'm going to try one in some mercerized cotton that I bought from The Grove. (Kertzer's Butterfly 10, specifically.) I have red, bright green and bright orange left over from other projects. Perhaps a little hot pink too? Anyway...I'm pondering.

My Campfire Neapolitan sweater has been staring at me from my bedside all week. I haven't had much knitting time since I've been working on job-hunting and painting. Tomorrow should be a good knitting day. I'll be house sitting and then have a dinner party to attend. I'm working on a cake for the birthday party today. It's in the freezer now waiting for me to make some frosting. Courtney is coming over shortly for a bike ride and to loan me her pastry decorating kit. Lots to do today that doesn't involve fiber. Boo! (Ok, still fun stuff, but boo anyway.)

As far as classes go, our intro party was fun the other day! Yarn, cookies, friends and tea. Oh, and the lemonade. Good lord, the lemonade. Sometimes, I have a crush on myself.

1 cups water
1 cup honey
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4-5 lemons)
***heat water (don't boil)
***add honey and stir until dissolved
***remove from heat and stir in lemon juice

Use about 1/4 cup of mixture to a small pitcher...add sparkling water (club soda). Pour over ice and garnish with lemon slices, mint, whatevs. Drink up and have to make more immediately. If you just want to use the whole danged thing, it takes just under a liter bottle of club soda added to the lemon/honey mix to make it perfect. Seriously, this is delicious.

What more could a knotty girl hope for? Oh, I know...you should come to my first class.

Sunday, May 23rd

12:00~3:00

$20.00

Rolled Brim Knitted Hat

Even if you've never picked up sticks, I can still teach you. ;) Beginners or those who are just ready to get off scarves are welcome. This is a simple pattern done entirely in the round. Contact me for more details, or to sign up and get a supplies list. I swear people, I really will start posting pics of these projects soon. In the meantime, may I distract you with cookies?

Keep it crafty, my friends.

xoxo,

Knotty Melody

Ice Cream and Sweaters

2010-05-06T09:58:00.000-07:00

It was only yesterday that I noticed an ongoing trend of mine. I love Neapolitan ice cream. Everything about it I find soothing ~ hello? check out the logo. It was my favorite as a kid (I called it Napoleon ice cream for the longest time), and as an adult I usually pass it up for butter pecan, Chubby Hubby, or pomegranate ice, but I sometimes still pause and often buy Neapolitan. Its perfect lines and equal opportunity blocks of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla are a treat on every level - taste, aesthetic, and coolness.

That said, my new project is a sweater for myself. I'm winging this one, crafty folks. I'm taking what I know and applying it to a bottom up cardi with waist shaping and short row shaping for my boobage. More to come, but feast your eyes on this yarn. (Yes, this ice cream thing has a point.)

Campfire Neapolitan

I swatched and cast on for this project while camping at the beginning of the week. So, until blocked, this lovely lady (the sweater, not me...I took a shower) will smell like wood smoke.

This yarn. Oh, this yarn. An online yarn-dyer friend of mine, Knitivity (www.knitivity.com) supplied this wonderful 75% washable wool / 25% nylon, hand-dyed beauty. I don't see this colorway on his list anymore, but he does have Hold The Vanilla which is the chocolate and strawberry version - also yummy! I've been wanting to do a sweater in sock yarn, so chose this from my stash. I also have a skein of his Wine Stain in sock weight. It's gorgeous!

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Note:

When checking with Ray to see if he minded a link, he made sure to remind me to

let you know that there are Blog Reader Specials

for those who choose to peruse.

Also, if you order from him (highly recommended),

mention that you were referred by me.

I think I get some sort of medal or statue or something. ;)

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This sweater needs to be light yet warm, washable, and versatile. It's replacing my sad old favorite black sweater that really needs to be recycled into something not resembling a sweater. What self-respecting knitting instructor won't part with a raggedy, buttonless, patched and repatched mess of a store bought sweater? Well, I guess that would be me. I'm trying to give it up...really I am.

xoxo, Knotty Melody

Crafty Contemplations

2010-05-02T09:44:00.000-07:00

I just got a box of mostly winter wear that Mom was kind enough to ship to me. After spending the winter in MO my bag would have been too heavy to take on the plane.

It reminded me of some of the cute stuff I had knitted these past several months

~ so that I didn't freeze my tootsies off!

(Snuck a couple of pics of brother & mom in too...shhhh don't tell them.)

Knotty Melody is back online!

2010-05-02T08:14:00.000-07:00

I've been intending to migrate my old blog over to a new host, but decided to start fresh instead. Stay tuned for new yarny goodness, sewing and craft ideas, and a series of Craft Garden Party classes within the next couple of weeks.

Can't wait to get back to my San Diego craft contingency!

xoxo
Knotty Melody