Wednesday, October 30, 2013

knit picks, etc. - red sox edition

 
   

(mitts) I love the use of Rowan Felted Tweed DK for these convertible mittens - free pattern on the blog ChemKnits (beard) Transform yourself into a Red Sox player with this knit bearded hat (ornament) Quick and easy to knit up, this mini red sox sock would look adorable on a christmas tree - free pattern on the blog Deborah's Knitting (charts) Hat? Blanket? Gloves? The possibilities are endless with these classic sox charts from the blog ChemKnits 

Sunday, October 27, 2013

halloween, etc. - yarn decorations

Looking for some last minute, DIY halloween decorations? Below are three of my favorite halloween yarn creations from the web. They are perfect for those of us who have a stash of leftover odds and ends from knitting/crochet projects.


I love these yarn spiderwebs from the blog Oh Happy Day. I bet they would look cute in a variety of colors. See the full tutorial here


How adorable is this homemade pumpkin garland? It is from the blog Design Improvised. This decoration would look great through Thanksgiving. Learn how to make your own here.

 

These halloween pompoms from the blog Mr Printables are so fun. You can find a great photo tutorial here.   

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

knit picks, etc.

    

(maps) Browse vintage maps from all over the world online (tea) I love the look of this Bonavita Gooseneck electric kettle (halloween) Simple yet spooky silhouette pumpkins (knitting) Cute! Tiny baby bunnies - free pattern (music) I gotta admit this Miley cover of Jolene is catchy, butttt Dolly will always be #1

Sunday, October 20, 2013

anna knits - octopus tea cozy 2







I finished my second Octopus Tea Cozy today! This was a custom order for someone who saw my first cozy on Instagram. Again, I knitted a large cozy for a six-cup tea pot (which is why it looks a bit awkward on my 2-cup tea pot!). I made the octopus first, then the tea cozy, then sewed the octopus on as if it was a pom-pom, and then embellished the bottom of the cozy with crocheted seaweed. This time I only put pipe cleaners in the first two tentacles of the octopus rather than in all eight legs. It helped with attaching the octopus, and looks a little cleaner (I think).

You can read about the patterns I used for the octopus, tea cozy, and seaweed here.
You can read (and watch a video) about how I assembled the octopus here.

Interested in ordering your own Octopus Tea Cozy? Email me for details: annaknitsetc@gmail.com. Please allow six weeks for completion.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

knit picks, etc.

    
   
  
(knitting) Norwegian TV Station to Air Five Straight Hours of Competitive Knitting - from "sheep to actual finished sweater" (hair) The Fishtail Crown Braid, video tutorial (just do it) November is National Novel Writing Month (cooking) Green Goddess Chicken (yarn-bomb) Street Beanies

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

knitting, etc. - straight knitting on circular needles


When I first started knitting, I didn't realize that you could knit flat pieces (straight knitting) on circular needles. After I tried it, I was hooked (*no pun intended*). It is useful for many reasons, like...

  • You can knit very long pieces that would never fit on straight needles, since straight needles can only be so long; 
  • Circular needles are easier to put down and pick back up mid-row;
  • Traveling with your knitting becomes easier since you can fold your work, and don't have to accommodate awkwardly long needles; and 
  • You can knit two socks/mittens at the same time. 
So if you haven't tried it yet, go get some circular needles and move over your latest project. Basically, when you have the choice of connecting the last row to the next row, choose not to, turn the work around, and work from the other side! You can watch a good video tutorial on how to do it here.

PS: Curious about the knitting in the picture? See the octopus tea cozy it became, and get the pattern to make your own here

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

knit picks, etc.

    
   

(run) "Knit" shoes by Nike : (eat) Healthy beet and feta burger via Food52 and Green Kitchen Stories : (diy) Crochet mummy costume : (nails) For oxblood nails try Wicked by Essie : (boston) Lucy lights up the
Esplanade *instagram by @jssilberman : (cute) Climbing bulldog : (politics) Interesting piece by Dan Balz on how the government shutdown is exposing a fundamental rift in the Republican Party, Washington Post

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

crochet, etc. - anna's cup cozy




Nothing is better on a cool fall day than a warm beverage to sip. And nothing ruins a nice fall day like getting your hands burned by said warm (*hot*) beverage. That's why I always try to carry a crochet cup cozy with me. They are so easy to make, fun to use, and will keep your drink warm and your fingers safe. Plus they are more environmentally conscious than those flimsy cardboard ones they have at cafes.

Learn how to crochet your own cup cozy with the free anna knits, etc. crochet cup cozy pattern here!

I love making these, because you can use left over yarn and be creative with your embellishment - get inspiration here and here.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

knit picks, etc.

Today is the first installment of a new segment that I am calling "knit picks, etc." Every Wednesday I will highlight some of my favorite links from the past week. The topics will vary from knitting (of course!) to food, fashion, current events, and more. Leave a comment or send me an email if you have suggestions for future features. Enjoy!


    

(knit) Woodland fingerless gloves, tiny owl knits : (art) #NEWSERIE, joseromussi : (decor) Del Mar Knob, Anthropologie : (food) Summer Vegetable Curry, 101 Cookbooks : (news) The Two Basic Facts That Should Be in Every Shutdown Story, The Atlantic

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

anna knits - knit octopus 2 + grafting

Pre-assembly octopus:


Post-assembly octopus:


It's my second knit octopus! Like my first, this guy is also going on top of a sea inspired tea cozy for a custom order. 

If you look closely, you may notice that I attached the head to the body/legs a little differently this time. Instead of hastily sewing the two pieces together, I actually read the pattern's directions, and grafted the head to the body as to make the two seams invisible. In other words, I took the first stitch row (before the end row) of the head and attached it to the first stitch row (before the end row) of the body, allowing the end rows to fold inside. 

Ok, so it is a kind of hard to explain. For that, I posted a video on Instagram showing my process. Let me know if you have any further questions!

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