I finally started a scarf for myself. Progress seems slow since it is for me. Weird isn’t it? I work harder for gifts for others.

The pattern is called “Quick Easy-Peasy Scarf”. I’m using my favorite color .. purple. Doesn’t it look pretty!

- ASH

Okay, so this isn’t a true knitting project. I wanted to make a “pure circular” hat without joining two sides like my first hat. I don’t have circular needles so that was not an option. Instead, I picked up crocheting. It is actually pretty neat to see what you can do with crocheting.

I had to make this hat about 3 times. The first time it was too big both width wise and length wise. I was only on Row 14 {when I had the Hubster try it on} and the pattern called to go down to Row 21. Oops!! But each time I had to start from half way through I was learning more and it was good practice.

Overall I’m happy about the turn out. And of course the Hubster is happy to have a hat that fits him well. That makes it all worth it.

Project Info:

• Started: September 17 2010
• Completed: October 10 2010
• Pattern: Jame’s Hat
• Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick
• Color: Charcoal
• How Much: 1 skein
• Modifications: Made changes starting from Row 7.

  Row 7-12: Ch 2, 1 dc in next 6 sts, *1 FPDC in next 2 sts, 1 dc in next 7 sts* around, join.
  Rows 13-14: Ch 2, 1 BPDC in same st as join, 1 BPDC in next st, *1 FPDC in next 2 sts, 1 BPDC in next 2 sts* around, join.

• My Comments: The yarn was easy to work with but a bit difficult as a beginner because it was hard to see the yarn since it was a dark color.

- ASH

I made my first hat this past weekend. That too in about 2 hours! And most of it was done watching Lord of the Rings, The Return of the Kings {no, it was not the first time watching}.

Most people have the circular needles which makes knitting hats and socks and such easier. But I only have straight needles so I knew I’d just sew up the two ends. {you know, like they did back when circular needles were not invented}

It rolls up a bit when you try to lay it flat but that’s just because of the stitches used. 

It was supposed to be for the Hubster but as you can see, it barely fits my head.

  The band stitching is perhaps a bit to wide. Will modify in the next round.

Can you see the join in this picture?

Do you like it?! I’ll be making another one, slightly different and larger for the Hubster this time.

Project Info:

• Started: September 12 2010
• Completed: September 13 2010
• Pattern: Monk Hat
• Yarn: Lion Brand – Wool Ease – Thick & Quick
• Color: Charcoal
• How Much: 1/4 skeins
• Modifications: Because I used straight needles, I bound off when there were 8 stitches left and sewed the two ends and top in a way to keep it flat. I also mistakenly did not do a garter stitch for the band at the bottom, but it looks similar.
• My Comments: This yarn is really easy to work wit and the end of the project comes quicker than expected.

- ASH

Since my sister’s birthday was two days ago, I get to reveal her present to all.

You got it, it is a scarf with all it’s glorious ruffles.

Isn’t it pretty?! I want to make my own version of this. And it was fairly easy because there wasn’t a hard pattern to remember. Another good thing was that I found a good way to pass the time on the metro!

Project Info:

• Started: December 8 2009
• Completed: January 5 2010
• Pattern: Misti Chunky Ribs Ruffles Scarf 
• Yarn: Lion Brand – Vanna’s Choice
• Color: 108 Dusty Blue
• How Much: 2 skeins
• Modifications: I wanted a wider scarf so I calculated with the pattern for the following mods:
  • Cast on 124
  • Decrease to 62 in Row 1
  • Decrease to 31 in Row 2
  • When beginning to end the scarf:
  • Increase to 62
  • Increase to 124
  • Bind off
• My Comments: The yarn was easy to work with, and given the fact that both needle and yarn were thicker it was much easier than the first scarf. The pattern was easy to remember and I would definitely recommend this for a beginner.

- ASH

Back in October was when I stopped writing. In the past four months many things have changed. Here’s a run down of what happened and what to look forward to in posts coming up.

1. A new name! I didn’t think that LPI was working for what I wanted to express and where I wanted this blog to go in the future. So I have given it a new name and new look. ASH Designs, will be what the blog will be called from now on and found here. And incase you are wondering, “ASH” is my initials.

2. I started knitting. Yaay! You read about my first knitting project and how I started the process.

3. I created a budget, space, and slightly eco friendly Christmas tree. Also, my friend and I discovered the joys of pin/sequins decors and wreath making.

4. The Hubster and I finally painted our bedroom. Most of the furniture is back in. It still needs some reorganizing prior to revealing it so hold on for this one.

5. I got my first bridesmaid dress! I need to make crinoline slip, which meant I needed a sewing machine. So I now am a proud owner of a sewing machine!

I can dream about it being one of those antiques right?

6. Before and after our wedding, we had one room dedicated to gifts that were being shipped and those we got on the wedding day. That room became a monster closet for boxes and was more commonly know as the “box room”. Being stuck at home for the weekend, due to the blizzard we had, I cleaned out the room and created a craft room for myself. It now houses all my craft supplies and my new sewing machine.

7. I’ve taken an old salwar suit that was ripped and created it in to a top. This was my first sewing project. I’m very pleased with the results.

And because seven is a lucky number and I would just keep rambling, that’s it for now, but be sure to come back and visit to see full posts on most things listed.

- ASH

The younger version of me (oh say 10-12 years ago) watched my mother in awe when she would make sweaters for my siblings and me. I always wanted to be like her, proficient in: cooking, sewing, knitting. I still compare my cooking to hers and am disappointed many times.

Have you ever wondered how your mom could do all these things and make it look so effortless?! Since becoming a wife, I feel more responsibility in keeping the house up and running, unlike my single days where things just had to work, not work beautifully. And I’m still adjusting and finding new ways to get all my responsibilities and interests fit in to one day. Maybe it is the "I WANT IT NOW" personality in me that makes me impatient.

But enough side tracking and back to knitting. Yes, I miss the sound of the metal needles clicking when my mother would knit. I missed it so much that I went to Michaels and bought some yarn and my own pair of metal needles. I also headed over to the library and picked up a dozen books, no literally, a dozen. The Hubster asked if I was really going to read them all!

Then one day, I sat myself down and tried to follow the book so that I could learned to knit! Boy was I in for a surprise .. I didn’t understand what they meant. The illustrations were confusing at best and the descriptions left me scratching my head. I was thinking, is knitting really this hard?

Well, I wasn’t about to give up there. I headed on to my lovely computer to see what I could find on the interwebs. I was in luck, people had spent some time making excellent videos that explain how to do the basics and some more!

My fun didn’t stop there; let me tell you that even have seen many videos I had to start over 4 times before I had a good handle on the scarf I started to make. On one try I made the scarf too wide and after about 4 inches of knitting I noticed holes EVERYWHERE!! It was like orange colored Swiss cheese! I bet my friend, Miss Cheesemonger would have a heart attack when she saw such a thing!

All was not lost because after a month’s time I finally made it through my first scarf!! I made it especially for the Hubster and he loved it! Yaaay!

Project Info:

• Started: November 5 2009
• Completed: December 7 2009
• Pattern: Mini Mochi Tripled Rib Stitch Scarf
• Yarn: Red Heart Soft
• Color: 9275 Paprika
• How Much: 1.5 skeins
• Modifications: The yarn called for a size 8 needle and I used a size 5 instead.
• My Comments: The yarn was difficult to work with as a beginner (there were two fibers wrapped together). I kept mistaking each fiber as a stitch which initially created an increase in stitches. But it was good to get that sorted out on the first few attempts. The pattern was easy to follow; would recommend for beginners.

- ASH