Queen Bee Knits

Knitting, Living, Loving, Baking, Tips, Tools and Idle Chatter

Deady Bear

Posted on October 5, 2013 by Queen Bee Knits

This summer my friend Beverly gave me the yarn and pattern to make a Deady Bear for her son-in-law. Sure, I said! I can knit it for you … and I finished it today. Yay, me!

The pattern is really quite simple to follow. It’s in the book Son of Stitch ‘n’ Bitch by Debbie Stoller. The pattern is by Arwyn Yarwood-Hoeppner. I had all the yarn in the colors as described in the pattern. If there is one comment about the yarn, I would say that it is somewhat “splitty” but very adequate. I had way too much yarn. I wondered on more than one occasion if I was supposed to knit with the yarn doubled throughout the pattern. But there is no mention of doing so. So, on I went with a single strand.

I only had a few anxious seconds on the muzzle of my bear where it appears that there is no Row 15. Not sure if it was mis-numbered or if I totally missed something. Either could be true! Regardless, I decided to just knit on and finish the sucker … and I did. All day today to “get ‘er done”! Photographed and now I just have to pack it up and send it to Maine where I hope it will be loved and cherished.

Overall, the pattern is very clear and easy to follow. A good beginner project for someone who wants to try to knit something other than scarves or hats. The pieces are knit mostly flat and then seamed. I am not a huge fan of seaming but it was easy to zip up the seams on this little guy (or gal?)

I love the fact that the bee won this time!

The bee … needs eyes. Just sayin’.

Gone knitting!

What’s on the Queen Bee’s Needles

Posted on October 1, 2013 by Queen Bee Knits

So, I have a few projects that I’m working on. One that I am putting aside for a bit …

Deady Bear – pudgy little belly!

I have the Deady Bear who just needs some arms and finishing work. I bought the new bag of fiber fill this past weekend and I’m ready to rock and roll and get him finished up and mailed to Maine.

Rita Scarf

Rita’s scarf is getting longer and longer. I am loving the feather and fan pattern with the variegate blue yarn. I think it will be a lovely and well-recieved gift … I sure do love the recipient! She gave me my big brother. The least I can do for her is to make her a pretty scarf!

Noro Shawl

I’m also working on a triangle shawl which I believe will be worn as a scarf in a cold(er) city that the one in which I live! I am making this in a Noro sock yarn (fingering weight) that I am absolutely loving knitting with. The colorway is a.m.a.z.i.n.g!!! It’s going to be beautiful and I am going to want to keep it!

Fingerless Mitts – colorwork is my nemesis?

The fingerless mitts that I have started and frogged once already are staying in my new knitting bag for the week. Well, I think it will be in my bag for a week … unless I change my mind!

I have to check out a Dr. Who scarf … may be another gift for the holidays. We’ll see what kind of time and yarn that takes! 🙂

Gone knitting!

Deady Bear Progress!

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Queen Bee Knits

Un-stuffed

I’m making this crazy bear for a friend. I’ve knitted an owl before and I love it. This, I’m not sure about yet. There have been several “softies” that I have been tempted to knit (and this one is not necessarily on the list!)

The pattern is “Deady Bear” by Arwyn Yarwood-Hoeppner is in the book Son of Stitch ‘n’ Bitch: 45 projects to knit and crochet for men. While it requires a bunch of yarn colors, the yarn is not super expensive. I’m knitting with the Nature Spun Sportweight yarn by Brown Sheep in the colors that were listed in the pattern. You could knit this bear in any sport-weight yarn, however, and in any colors that please your eyes.

I’m enjoying the process (as I do with almost all projects) and now that he’s stuffed and starting to take shape, it’s even more fun – partly because I’m almost finished and partly because, once again, I’ve tried something that I wouldn’t normally have tried and I can do it! Yay me!

Stuffed

Gone knitting.

Foiled … or Frogged Again!

Posted on September 15, 2013 by Queen Bee Knits

One side in process … double strand worsted weight yarn on size 6 US needles!

This summer I started knitting the most wonderful bag. My Friday Knitting teacher had one that I absolutely loved and, of course, I needed one, too! So, I bought the yarn they suggested and started knitting.

The pattern is called the “Just So Bag” by Andrea Babb and calls for Rowan Pure Wool Aran (Superwash). It was suggested to me that we could use Lambs Pride Worsted in its place. I wish I had been thinking about that – because the mohair in the Lambs Pride yarn makes it fuzzy. Duh! (And the worsted is a little bit heavier weight than the aran.)

The first parts to be knitted are knit with double strands of worsted weight wool. On fairly small needles. Hard on your hands! But I got them all done. And they look good!

But the lace ends of the bag (one needs to knit two) … another story all together! Ugh!

The lace end … 2nd or 3rd attempt! See the fuzz?

Today I frogged the lace end (I’ve only started one … and started and started again) for the third or fourth time. Ugh! I really need a bigger chart and I really need less fuzzy yarn. When you’re knitting lace (even if it’s worsted weight yarn) it really needs to be smooth so that the stitches are visible. These are somewhat blurred (and I helped by dropping a stitch that I could not recover.) Because of the mohair blended in, it’s very difficult to read my stitches and makes repairing a dropped stitch, or any other mistake (yes, I do make mistakes!) much more complicated than if it were plain wool. (Which is why the pattern calls for wool, BTW, and not a wool blend.)

So, I will start again but not until I have knitted something cute that I want to knit … something relatively simple. Maybe the cute pair of striped fingerless mitts that I’ve been seeing. Or the felted slippers (I only bought the pattern ages ago!) Or the little sweater for Faye for Christmas. Or the headband for Libet. So many choices that I may have to just go have an adult beverage and a swim and call it a day! Tomorrow is Monday after all and I am back to work! This job has sure cut into my knitting time! 🙂

Gone …. well, maybe I’ll be knitting.

Always On My Mind … a gift for Rita

Posted on September 14, 2013 by Queen Bee Knits

“Misty Garden” by Jo Sharp from the book Scarf Style

I have posted about my “new” big brother before in my blogging. The wonderful cousin who shared the fact of his existence is getter older and lives in New York City where it gets mighty cold. The last time we were in the city for my daughter’s engagement party, I saw a lady on the subway with a hat and scarf on and I thought about Rita.

Yesterday I cast on a project that will be a gift for Rita. A scarf and probably a hat, too. I am knitting the scarf from a beautiful (Reynolds Odyssey 100% Merino Wool) yarn in shades of blue. I have four skeins (415+ yards) of this great yarn for the scarf. The hat will have to be in a coordinating yarn. Maybe I’ll make some gloves or mittens too. I just want her to know how much I love her.

The pattern that I am using is from the book Scarf Style by Pam Allen. And is called “Misty Garden” by Jo Sharp. It was meant to be for a mohair blend yarn (thus the “misty” part) but my merino is knitting up really well … and the colors will compliment Rita’s blue eyes!

It’s a feather and fan pattern, basically and it’s easy to remember so I don’t have to carry the book with me. Makes my project much more portable! And I hope it will tell Rita just how special she is to our family and that she’s always in my thoughts.

Gone knitting!

I’ll have photos as this new project progresses.

For now, though, I’ve … gone knitting!

Finishing Projects

Posted on August 17, 2013 by Queen Bee Knits

Today I can proudly say that I survived my first week as a Clinic Assistant. It wasn’t without bumps and bruises but I escaped mostly unscathed.

This weekend is a little bit bittersweet since I say goodbye to my guy on Monday for a week – he’s spending a week with the guys in North Carolina – and I have decided that I need to concentrate on finishing those projects that I’ve been carrying around for ages … well, at least one has been carried around for ages.

DROPPS Tunic … ready to travel

My DROPS Design tunic is the first on my list. I’ve taken it to my knitting guild meeting and to my knitting group this week. I have an inch or so of 1×1 ribbing (on size 1 needles) to go before I reach the straps … and then I “just have to seam it”! Since it’s been so blasted hot here in Florida this August, I’ll be excited to have it finished and be able to wear it!

Hair Elastics holding my stitches on the DPNs

The beaded scarf is ready to be grafted together. The construction is unique to me in that it is knitted from the bottom up in two pieces (with the beading being on the bottom or at the beginning of each piece.) Now, both pieces are a bit longer than the 27 inches that is suggested in the pattern so that (I hope) it can be wrapped double around my neck and the beaded edges pulled through the loop. We’ll see when it’s grafted. I haven’t ever grafted a 2×2 rib before so this will be a new adventure for me. I found a YouTube video that was a very *very* brief explanation of how to do this and I’ll be writing about my experience after I’m successful!

I have my bag with the lace end panels, too, to finish. They’ve really taken a back seat in my knitting bag. Mostly because I have to start working on the lace in relative seclusion. So, next week, when I’m alone at night after work, I will be working on the lace panels. I’ve already knitted and frogged the first panel several times. Maybe the fifth or sixth time will be the charm.

Felted Scuffs ready to be Felted Today!

Last, but not least, I have to felt the scuffs that I knitted in Maine this summer for N. Just a bit of hot water in the washer and I’ll be good to get that done this afternoon. Maybe after his daughter, R, washes her couch slip cover … I hear it needs it! 🙂

Gone knitting!

Learning Something New

Posted on August 10, 2013 by Queen Bee Knits

This week I started a new job with a day of training and then “bam!” I hit the ground running. I am the Clinic Assistant at my local elementary school … what used to be the school nurse but public school budgets don’t have the budget to pay an RN so they train us to do the job under their supervision.

So, I’m learning a lot of new things. How to take in and administer medications for students in my school. How to deal with angry parents who didn’t educate themselves. How to follow new procedures. How to deal with “politics” in the office and how to create healthy boundaries so that we all do our jobs in a cooperative, collaborative and happy environment.

Today I taught myself something else new. I learned to crochet!

I learned it by watching this most excellent tutorial on Youtube! It’s provided from All Free Crochet (dot) com and Nastazia … check them out (since I can’t teach crochet just yet!)

My first attempt was nowhere near a square shape. The sides were all sorts of wonky.

First Attempt

It was supposed to be a washcloth or dishcloth but I didn’t have the proper size of crochet hook. My hook was somewhat smaller and so was my swatch … so we’ll call it a coaster! 🙂 I also used cotton rather than acrylic (because if my dishcloth had been dishcloth size, I would certainly not have wanted it to be acrylic … acrylic doesn’t really absorb! Anyway, my first attempt (which isn’t well photographed) looks much better here than it turned out. It was the most oddly shaped piece of work EVER! So, I frogged it and started again.

I’m super pleased with my second attempt!

Second Attempt

My second swatch is a real square and it has fairly decent tension. Tah! Dah!

I guess I am going to have to take a trip to Joann’s now to buy some larger metal crochet hooks so I can keep learning … it is a lot quicker than knitting and some of the new patterns that I have been seeing (in crochet) are so cute. I have been threatening to learn for so long. It’s about time I finally just did it!

And now I am feeling proud!

I can crochet … the Queen Bee Knits and Crochets, too!

Gone shopping!

The Most Wonderful Colorways

Posted on July 17, 2013 by Queen Bee Knits

OK, so I am knitting another couple of squares for our “charity” project, a Lizard Ridge Afghan for Linda in our Friday knitting group. I’m knitting two more because I knit more quickly than Beverly does. Hmm. I’m thinking that she wanted me to knit them because she didn’t enjoy it! Right, Bev? LOL. Well, I have to admit that I do enjoy it and can get one finished in a couple of hours. An enjoyable quick project. And the yarn …

I adore the Noro colorways. I picked one ball for my original square that showed me that it was going to have greens and pinks (very 70’s preppy) and it knitted up into this …

Noro Kureyon
Color #95, Lot U

It’s gorgeous!

Today I’m knitting my second square and it’s knitting up like this …

Noro Kureyon
Color # 250 Lot F

And I have this one left to knit.

Noro Kureyon
Color # 284 Lot B

I wonder how it will knit up! It’s always a bit of a surprise!

It’s a pleasure to knit with this yarn and a wonder to watch as one more color or a different shade slips out of the ball. It may feel scratchy (it is wool) but in my experience it softens up as it’s worked. And the colors. Oh, the colors … they are exquisite. Thank you, Mr. Noro!

Gone knitting.

Ready-to-Felt

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Queen Bee Knits

Ready for Felting

Along the same lines as “ready to wear” or, en Francais, “prêt à porter”, I have a ready to felt project!

I’ve finished the pair of scuffs to be felted for N. I chose a multicolored colorway in Cascade 220 and as the yarn is knit doubled, it’s a quick knit. The felting will wait until I get back to Florida because lake water in Maine is never warm enough for felting wool! And I’m not going to do the early settler thing and heat the water!

Gone knitting!

iPhone Ear Bud Cozy?

Posted on July 14, 2013 by Queen Bee Knits

I’m not really sure what to call these things. But, suffice it to say that I’ve made a sweater for i-Phone earbuds … mine and my daughter’s, too. The idea came from a photograph somewhere or an article somewhere and I’ve blogged about the process before (here).

But, they are quick and easy to knit up if you know how to knit i-cord, and they are really fun to wear and the best part is that they keep your earphone cords from getting impossibly tangled up.

This pair, for my Chicago daughter, is a merino and alpaca blend of wool and they are really soft and she liked the neutral gray color. They knitted up in a few hours because the yarn is a worsted weight.

I cast on four stitches on my number US 4 short DPNs and knitted to the “Y” split. I added a couple of additional stitches to cover the “Y” (six stitches now) and then put three stitches onto a stitch holder for one side and then continued on the remaining three stitches to the ear bud. I then went back to the stitches on the holder and knitted up to the speaker/volume “bar” (for lack of a better word) where I just knitted on the right side and purled on the wrong side until the bar was covered. Past the bar I just started up with the icord again.

I’ve heard a couple of people suggest that you can add a drop or two of glue to hold the stitches down but I’ve chosen to let the sweater creep up because I can also pull it back down if I want to. No big deal.

Next (just as soon as I finish the candy) I’m going to paint an Altoids box (and I may line it in glue or decoupage the interior) to keep them in so they don’t get all messed up floating around in my purse.

Another great quickie knitting project … I hope she loves them. I sure do love her!

Gone knitting.