Knitting socks in a different way

We went to a craft bazaar and found ourselves quite fascinated by an antique-looking machine with all sorts of hooks on it. The best way I can describe it is that it looked like a tripod with a small cylindrical machine with teeny crochet hooks sticking up all around the top and a handle to turn the cylinder, sort of like an old-fashioned egg beater. The owner of the machine soon returned and we bombarded her with questions about her machine- what is it? What does it do? Can we see it work?

Ben "knitting" on the antique sock knitting machine

Not only did she answer all of our questions- It makes socks! And it makes them very quickly! But then she said- Yes- you can see it work! Would you like to give it a try???

Ben couldn’t believe his ears! He jumped forward right away and volunteered to give it a spin. He spun 85 rows in a minute or two! Then some of the hooks were disengaged to form the heel, and Ben spun a bunch more. Then the hooks were re-engaged to make the foot and viola! A sock was made!  Can you see the sock streaming out on the bottom of the cylinder?  We were very impressed- and Ben was very happy with his work!

Why don’t they make these anymore?????

Completed projects for 2009

I thought it would be fun to make a little photo diary of the projects I have finished this year. It has not been a very productive year as far as crafting goes, but very productive in other areas of our lives. It is difficult to spend time being creative while moving so most of the summer was lost, but I did manage to squeeze in a few projects during the rest of the year.

• A Baby doll for my cousin’s daughter

My first Baby doll

• A new bed quilt for each of my sons- (they picked out the fabrics……)

Ben's Bed Quilt

Dylan's Bed Quilt

• A teeny tiny cardigan sweater for Kathryn’s doll
  

  Teeny Tiny Doll Jacket

• A bible bag

My Finished Bible Bag

• A Zamora sweater for myself
• A Baby doll for my niece’s daughter (I also made one of these for my brother’s daughter, but I didn’t snap a photo of it before I sent it off to her )
  

  Lizzie Lou Doll

• A Babette blanket
  

  Babette Blanket

• 49 capes and 27 tunics for our church Reformation Party

Soli Deo Gloria!!

• A rag quilt for Baby Josiah…. didn’t get a picture of that one

That is all I can think of right now….hopefully I will do better this year. Happy New Year everyone!

A new jacket for the new year

I finished my Zamora Bolero!

When I went to visit my dear friend, Kathryn, last fall, she surprised me with a gift bag full of Noro yarn and a Noro book! The yarn was Noro Kochoran in colorway 66 made with 50% wool, 20% silk, and 30% angora. It is very soft for a wool yarn and it has some patches where the angora is more bunched up and it is like a fur ball. It is very easy to knit. The book was Noro: Meet the Man behind the Legendary Yarn by Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton. On page 86 is the pattern for a cute and bouncy jacket called the Zamora Bolero, which is quite short and does not button closed.  Since I am always chilly and I like my jackets longer (especially in the back….), I decided to modify the pattern a little and make the body longer and create a button closure at the neck. I don’t think it changes the look of the jacket all that much, but it will definitely make for more comfortable wearing for me. It is amazing when your friends know you so well that they can pick out a special present like this one. I am going back to visit again at the end of the month and you can bet this little jacket will be in my carry-on. Thanks, Kathryn!