Knitty Bits ~ Betsy Knits

2009-02-12T15:25:00.000-08:00

So Much Love in the World
& So Many Aprons to Prove IT!

I went to the grocery store after work yesterday and when I got home there was a package waiting for me! Real mail is so great and a bulky package in the mail is even better! When I opened it up I was touched by the wonderful gifts inside along with a beautiful apron. The gift was from my apron swap buddy Three Prince Designs.

I had already planned to make spaghetti and meat(less)balls for dinner. I was sooo nervous I would get red sauce all over my fantastic new apron. Lucky for me I had an assistant do the ‘dirty’ work, thanks KT! So my apron survived and I look forward to wearing it for all my cooking endeavors. Thank you so much MB!

The swap is so real and heartfelt. It’s a random group of strangers that all have two things in common; the skill to sew and the desire to share their time. There were so many fantastic aprons made and sent by people from all over the world. You can see some of them from the blog Sassy Flirty Apron Swap.

Ok Lucy and Shawnee, what’s next?

2009-02-10T13:44:00.000-08:00

The Sew Must Go On!

After signing up for the Sassy Flirty Apron Swap while I was back home in Seattle, I found a great pattern and made a practice apron to test it out; cute pattern and not too difficult! Not long after my practice apron was complete, I headed back to Minnesota (where I’m originally from) to finish school at the University of Minnesota. I thought I would have so much fun sewing aprons, bags, and curtains with my mom’s old machine. As it turned out she either lost it, gave it away, or it’s hiding in a very dark corner somewhere in the attic.

What a bummer!

I had the fabric ready to go, but no machine. I looked around at some local kitchen shops and fancy stores, but I couldn’t bring myself to purchase a readymade apron for my apron swap partner.

To the rescue… a good old fashion, slow go, desk top machine, I inherited it from my Grandma Sebe. She used to make my sister and me so many cute doll clothes, blankies, and Christmas ornaments. She also taught me how to make lefse, but that will come in handy for a different kind of swap, I hope!

So I picked up the machine last weekend and had one night to whip up a great apron and ship it to my swap buddy in New York so she’d get it in time for Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately there were many kinks in the machine and I quickly found out that reverse is not always an option and slow is better than fast, but all and all I was delighted to be using my Grandma’s machine while making a wonderful gift for a stranger.

Hope you have a happy happy, sassy flirty, hot & spicy Valentine’s Day!

2009-01-02T13:10:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year 2009!

For Christmas Birddog and I sewed aprons for our three nieces and one for their mother. I was sooo jealous. They were so cute and colorful. I wanted to keep them sooo bad, good thing they were too small for me. No worries, with the leftovers, a few trips to the thrift store, and a hard time deciding at the Quilting Loft, I started on a binge to make me one too! Or maybe three or four.

This is going to be my Christmas Apron, I was almost done, but I ran out of bobbin thread and moved on to making lefse instead. I'll finish the apron this weekend and I'll be ready for next Christmas. It seems silly to have an apron for just one holiday, but it will go nicely with the apron Birddog got for Christmas! (I'll get a picture of him in here soon)

So, during my search to find patterns and ideas I came across this website: Sassy Flirty Aprons. I was so excited about the concept of getting an apron in the mail, I signed up! The deal is to make an apron for a complete stranger, and in return, have a complete stranger make one for me!

This is just a smattering of the fabric I was sifting through to see what I have on hand. Maybe there's a good way to organize it; color, theme, size... maybe later.

This is supposed to be a backpack for me. Birddog has had it in the works for about 2 years now. If you'll notice the lower right corner, you'll see what's slowing him down. Crazy video games!

So it might take some time to get my umpteen zillion (3 or 4) aprons all figures out, but until then…Yum Yum, delicious, FUN!

2007-11-07T11:49:00.001-08:00

She Sews & She Blows!

I've been feeling a bit crafty lately! How you feel'n?
HOT - HOT - HOT!
My bubble gum kept on blow'n the best and biggest bubbles, but all I captured was this smallish one. Oh the bubble gum and sewing fun!
More later...

2007-06-03T15:31:00.000-07:00

Knit Night was fun last night! Pints & Projects galore. Looking forward to July!

Here's what I was knitting in May...

You can never have too many wash cloths, dish cloths, napkins, dust rags, colorful hand made small things in the house. These are a collection of what I've been making lately. Small, mindless yet practical (price & purpose), and FAST! Most will be given away as gifts.

This colorful gift set is for my cuz, KT, in Minnesota. I hope she doesn't read this blog or she'll know what she's getting in the mail for her b-day this week.

This cutie patootie, is the third baby hat I've made from Daphne's Decidedly Hilltop design #66. The one pictured is modified using bobbles instead of the given pattern stitch. One little hat went to my friend Mputela's new baby niece in Alaska and another one went to the baby girl of a teenage mother I know from work. This one, well, it might sit around till the next baby head pops out or it might get sent in a knitted care package to Alaska once Mputela finishes his first project, a knitted bib.

Knit On!

2007-04-02T13:06:00.000-07:00

Wow, I wasn't able to knit for like EVER. I was a foster parent to a 14 month old Yellow Lab, named Yellowstone, who not only attacked everything knitting related, he went after my shoes, magazines, couch cushions, photo albums, end table legs, butter, hot pad holders, you name it- he got it. So I had to put all my projects and needles on top of my bookshelf, in drawers, and completely out of dog reach for 5 weeks. It was so strange not knitting for that long.

Well I didn't actually STOP knitting (I mean come on already, did you really think I could stop?), I just had to choose the appropriate time, place, and project. The time ended up being far and few in between, the places were obvious, any moment I had without the Yarn Beast, Yellowstone. In my truck, stop lights or rush hour, or during my lunch break at work (knit knit bite, purl knit swallow bite, knit knit...), and at the bar (drink drink knit, drink knit purl drink...). So the projects I choose had to be mindless, YEAH for felting "things"! And stockinette stitch!

I made up a hat project I was supposed to have for my friends St. Patty's Day party. I didn't quite make it to the party and I had to redesign the hat a few times, drink drink knit, rip rip drink. Shannon is being consumed by the monster size top hat.

WhaLA! Felting does it every time. It's a little bit taller than I had in mind, but if the hat fits, wear it!

I'm also sporting my new green knitted during employee training scarf.

There are a few other "things" I need to felt and figure out what they'll be???

Now that my foster dog has been adopted, Yeah!, I'll get out my stash and keep on Knitt'n.

2007-02-14T20:33:00.000-08:00

My Step Mom made this beautiful blue sweater with Chop Sticks,
it's true- chop chop!

Totally SweateR

Lovey Lovey Lovey Love It

Happy V day!

2007-02-05T18:47:00.000-08:00

Knitteroo, here's what I've been up to...

This is the sweater from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson. It's my interpretation of course. I saw Daphne knitting one of these sweaters for the first time at one of our Knit Nights at Third Place Pub. I was in awe and wanted to make the cute little warm thing too... until I saw it was on size US 2 needles. I thought I was doomed.. until I dug around my stash, found some US 7 double points and my enormous pile of Lamb's Pride Worsted. I went to town and created this little cutie, which ended up as our Knit Night- Knit tip. And props to Karen, I was attempting to weave in all the ends, silly silly me. She said "what are you doing?" Like any good knitter I replied "weaving in the ends." Like a beam of sunshine, she brought me into knitters reality "it's not like anyone will be wearing it. Why don't you just knot the ends?" Karen I Love YOU!

The little model guy is My Buddy, a creation I made for Kid's Camp Kits at Hilltop Yarn.

My next cutie sweater will be two colors and knit in the round! It will happen... someday!

This is my version of the Felted Box from theMason Dixon book by Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne. I usedLamb's Pride Worsted, double strand, instead of Bulky double strand, on needle size US 10 1/2 instead of US 10. I also misinterpreted the directions and made it about 1/2 the intended size. It's cute though, and my honey wants to use it at work for his paperclips. Sweet- felted office supplies! Can I knit a felted stapler cozy???

These bad boyz are for my Step Dad, his b-day was last month. I'm a little slow on the let go. I did such a good job, they look great. They were supposed to be for Birddogs x-mas gift, but they were much too big. They didn't felt as small as I anticipated. Oh well, that's the way knitting goes. I always have a back up plan, big feet, little feet, wine cozy, plant pot... Now I just have to send them before my step dad reads my blog (let's just say I think I'll be safe for a long while).

Felted Clogs by Fiber Trends.

Needle size US 13, yarn: double strand Lamb Pride Worsted.

this yummy lil'thing is the Cupcake from One Skein

I mostly followed the pattern, there's always my homemade love in each of my projects.

All stash yarn, gotta love the One Skein Patterns!

2007-01-16T10:18:00.000-08:00

The Great Scott Ear Flap Hat
Baby size

Double stranded Lamb's Pride worsted
US 11 needle

Knitty Bits pattern coming soon!

2007-01-01T13:25:00.000-08:00

Christmas knitting for the Birddog!

Ooops- his feet a bit smaller than I thoght!

yarn: Lamb's Pride worsted, double stranded
needle: US 13
pattern: Fiber Trends: Felt Clog mens size 13

I hope this pair shrinks to his size. The last pair of slippers I made look like Ronald McDonald shoes. It just goes to show that you should always read the ball band label and not just look at the pretty colors, I used superwash wool! Silly Bits- better luck this time!

That's Sam, our foster doggy from the Seattle Animal Shelter, and Floppy Feet himself. I love that he still wears his slippies even though they are Dumbo sized.
If you want to see more about Sammy Doggy Junior, click here.

2007-01-01T13:06:00.000-08:00

Birthday Knitting- now I have to stop wearing them and mail them out!

yarn: Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk, 5 balls per set
needles: scarf US 10, hat US 7
pattern: knitty bits design
Cozy Cozy Huggy Warm- what colors do you want?

Knity Bits Knits

2006-12-03T19:28:00.000-08:00


Knit, Knit, Knit, Purl !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-10-17T12:12:00.000-07:00

These lil' beauties are my Cozy Cable hats.
yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran and Alpaca Silk worsted weight
needles: US 6 needle for blue hat and US 7 for purple
I'm working on a pattern, easy fast and fun!

2006-09-27T12:18:00.000-07:00

BALL WAGON BLOG BAND!

Join Hilltop Yarn and Knit Knit Knit a ball band washcloth.

The color choices are amazing and the time commitment is even better. Quick Knit Fast Done! Hello new project, I've been thinking about you.

Follow this link for the Textured Slip Stitch-2 pattern and be part of the must knit fast fall projects.

See all the other wonderful renditions of the must have washcloths HERE.

2006-09-25T13:16:00.000-07:00

Here are some of my projects. Yes I said some...

Manos Del Uruguay Cotton, will be a long sleve V-neck for me?
needle size: US 5

Lion Brand, will be Jolly Roger Sweater with skull and bones, shop model soon!
needle size: US 13 ribbing & US 15 body and arms.

Blue Sky Cotton, striped hoody for my sis,
dang those ends.
needle size: US 5 seed stitch & US 6 body, arms, & hood.

Noro Silk Garden, my other favorite yarn, Super Cable Cardi for me, some day.
needle size:US 8.

2006-09-25T11:46:00.000-07:00

will knit soon