My Knitking AM 3

So I have read and re-read the manual. I've counted and marked each attachment. Taking a deep breath, I am about to pull out my Knitking Knitting machine. I purchased recently from my favorite online garage sale Kijiji, this vintage (original purchase in 1971) knitting machine complete with pattern wheels and ribber. (missing optional pattern wheels 2 and 2W, if you have these and want to sell them to me, leave me a comment!) I'm hoping to whip up some baby blankets and shawls to embellish with embroidery to sell. I only need to sell one or two to cover the cost I paid for the machine. It should allow me to make these larger items quickly, making it worth selling at lower prices. I'll post pictures of the finished products as I finish. I would like to make my first shawl for my Grandma T. She had one of these machines at one point, I remember peaking under a sheet to look at it when we visited. But she has always hand knitted such nice things for my children, I would love to return the favor. I was supplied with several cones of wool and a cone winder, so I have plenty of options. And I hope to crochet a lace edging around as well. Her health is stable, and she is up to short trips now and again. So she still seems to have the gumption of her old self! I pray for her comfort, that she won't be given reason to panic. The pain of death is sometimes the scariest part. I hope she won't have to experience that when her day comes. But for now, all is well, and for that we are all grateful!



All pictures were taken without the optional ribber, which completes the knitking as a double bed knitting machine

PS - "Clutter" does NOT mean unsanitary

I apparently need to add a post script to my previous post. By the term cluttered, I mean that life has sprawled out beyond the boundaries of available storage. I AM NOT advocating unclean, garbage filled, unsafe, unsanitary living conditions. We have no garage, no entry way, no mud room, no basement, and no attic. There are less bedrooms than there are people and our school room doubles as our kitchen (and vice versa). I run my seamstress business out of my laundry room, which I work in from 9pm - 1am. So if you visit my house, the clean pots may still be sitting on the stove, and you will have to step over some toys to get to the couch. And if you stay for lunch, just move my teachers manuals over so you don't spill on them please, I'll pile them beside the computer in the corner at supper, when we are done with them! Oh, and I'll get to the laundry on the weekend, just ignore the baskets on the way to the CLEAN bathroom.

Clutter

As a homeschooling mother, I have the privilege of having three children in the house (and surrounding property!) 24/7. But because we are home all the time, the house is much more chaotic. It's not like kindergarten, where the teacher has a hard day and sends home her little pupils with a sigh of relief, and then turns around and cleans up in the quiet of her empty class room what the little angels missed or are too little to do. My students never leave. So all this must be done as they clamber into new projects, fight over the train set and I'm making meals. It's hard to keep a perfectly clean house, which has been hard for me to except. My mother kept an immaculately clean house, dusting at least once a week, vacuuming even more. Home cooked meals on the table every night, made in a spotless kitchen. Now I've never been a tidy, I've always been a bit of a messy. But I so appreciate an uncluttered house. But I just can't keep up, and I often hate having company, for fear of being judged. Out of a moment of frustration about this one day, I hibernated to my computer, and as I was searching other homeschool sites, I spotted this verse -"Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest" Proverbs 114:4 NIV
I looked it up in my favored translation-
"Where no oxen are, the crib is clean, but much increase is by the strength of the ox." Proverbs 14:4 KJV

I was inspired by these verses, and here is my paraphrase, and my motto for house keeping:

A HOUSE EMPTY OF IT'S FAMILY ALL DAY, MAY STAY CLEANER THAN A HOME FULL OF CHILDREN, FAMILY AND FRIENDS, BUT IT DOES NOT STRENGTHEN THE FAMILY TO PROFIT AS MUCH IN LOVE, VALUES, KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING!

Now, this is NOT to say there is not as much love in two income, public school families. But, in my position, I will never be able to take for granted that the children have been taught how to deal with life situations by anyone else. I will have to be the one that teaches them about the birds and the bees, and what to do on the internet when questionable things come up. They will not have their peers around discussing last weekends party, so I will have to make sure they know how to deal with smoking, drinking and drugs, and what those things are! But because I am in this position of being their #1 influence, I have a better chance of instilling the Christian values we have chosen to follow for this family. I read once what an advocate of Homeschooling said "With all the unsupervised time in schools,(ie group stations, over sized classes, recess, hour long lunches) do you really want your children being taught life by all their other inexperienced peers?" Homeschooling allows for 3 on one child/adult interaction. When they have a question, they are talking to someone who has experienced decision making in the adult world.

And if that is the advantage I receive, I will live with the cluttered house! It's worth it!!

Beginers Luck Multi Sock Pattern

(shown above are toddler knee sock and enlarged to size 1 jazz slipper)

Beginners Luck Multi Sock
Jazz Slipper/Crew sock/Knee sock
Crochet
Size : child age 2-5
With directions for enlarging


Materials
Bernat Baby Sport – (optional 2 colors)
F hook
Stitch markers

Terms
CC- contrast color
Ch - chain
hdc – half double crochet
MC- main color
sc – single crochet
scdec – single crochet decrease
st - stitch

Notes: Pattern not completely stitched in continuous rounds but feel free to mark each row with your stitch marker to keep track.

Start MC (OR with optional CC for toe when making 2 color sock.)

Ch 3
Row 1: Sc 12 st in the 3rd ch from hook, join and ch 1 (pull ring tight)
Row 2: Sc in same st as join, sc in next 5 st, 2 sc in next st, sc in last 5 st
DO NOT join but continue in rounds.
Row3:2sc in next st, sc in next 6 st, 2sc in next st, sc in last 6 st
Row4: 2sc in next st, sc in next 7 st, 2sc in next st, sc in last 7 st
Row5: 2sc in next st, sc in next 8 st, 2sc in next st, sc in last 8 st
Row6: 2sc in next st, sc in next 9 st, 2sc in next st, sc in last 9 st
Row7: 2sc in next st, sc in next 10 st, 2sc in next st, sc in last 10 st join
(NOTE continue increasing in the same manner as above for a wider foot, but you MUST end with an even number of st between 2sc increases)

(Fasten off here if using CC and join MC)

Row 8 – 19 ch 1, then crochet evenly in the round, with no joins

(NOTE: Add extra rows here for a longer foot, should measure to front of ankle)

(Fasten off and tie in here if using CC for heel,)

Row 20: ch 1, turn work. sc across 12 st (or if you widened the toe - # of st between 2sc +2 example (toe)14 sc, 2sc in next st = Row 20: sc across 16 st)
Row 21 – 28: repeat row 20 (Note: rows may be added here if heel needs to be longer)
Row 29: ch 1, turn work. sc 5 across, scdec in st 6&7, sc in last 5 st

Fold Rows 20-29 together to form the back of the heal. sc Row 29 together down to the bottom of the sock in the fronts of each of the st only, to make a flat seam, fasten off.

(All Styles) Add in MC to the top of the sock at row 29

Row 30: ch1, sc 30 st evenly around the sock, do not join, begin working in the round

(NOTE: Socks made with a longer heel or wider toe - # of st around must be a multiple of 5)

Row 31: sc evenly around the sock
Row 32: (still working in the round,) *(sc in next 3 s, sc dec with next two st). repeat * around
Row 33: sc evenly around the sock

(Single color Jazz slipper, fasten off and tie in ends)

(To make a two color Jazz slipper, end off MC here and add CC and ch1, sc around entire sock/slipper and fasten off. Weave in all ends. Repeat directions for second slipper)

Row 34-51: sc in the round to the end of row 51

(Single color Crew socks: Join and ch 2. Working in SAME direction, hdc around sock. Fasten off and tie in ends. Repeat directions for second sock)

(To make 2 colored Crew socks, fasten off MC and add CC.
Row 52- join, ch 1,sSc all around sock, join, ch2 DO NOT turn work,
Row 53 - hdc all around sock, fasten off and tie in ends. Repeat directions for second sock)

(Knee Sock continued….)
Row 52: *(sc in next 3 st, increase 2sc in next st.) repeat * around .
Row 53-75: sc evenly in continuous round, all around sock until end of Row 75. Join.

To make Single colored Knee sock – (from join) and ch 2. Working in SAME direction, hdc around sock. Fasten off and tie in ends. Fold down top to just below knee level. Repeat directions for second sock.

To make 2 colored Knee socks- fasten off MC and add CC.
Row 76- (from join) ch 1, sc all around sock, join, ch2 DO NOT turn work,
Row 77 - hdc all around sock, fasten off and tie in ends. Fold down top to just about knee level. Repeat directions for second sock

Previouse post, January 01, 2009

Entry for January 01, 2009

HAPPY NEW YEAR! It has been a quick December, with many Christmas programs and visits. We started with the childrens step dance program on the tenth, my daughters Sunday school program on the 14. The next week was spent sewing 5 toddler costumes for Mary, Joseph and 3 angels and organizing some adults for a run through of the creche scene for Christmas Sunday, which went array because of the snow storms we endured all week!
But all went well, and the creche was a complete success, using the talents of the preschoolers and their Sunday school teachers.
Many MANY crochet projects were on the plate that week, including a few Oui Petits, a Ballet bunny and a turtle for my step nieces and I am presently working on a shawl for myself. The picture above is of a top I made my daughter. I couldn't find a pattern I liked, so I made it up as I went. Not too sure what I did now, but if I find time this summer to look it over I'll try to write it out!
Christmas was great! We had an inspiring Christmas Eve service at the church (my solo music came in the day before at 4 pm, that was cutting it close!) And Christmas morning the children slept until 8am wich was great, except that I had been up until 4am! We had a wonderful day, and their seemed to be so much less Christmas stress and envy this year. I like to atribute it to the handmade holiday we had, but we really cut our budget down alot to this year. I didn't buy one thing for the children this December, shopping was done by the middle of November before the Christmas rush. And we had told the in laws we wouldn't be participating on Christmas day, so when we showed up unexpectedly, they hadn't had time to work themselves up to impress us. So it went quite well!
So heres to a New Year May there be many more blessings and the patience to endure the trials! God Bless to All!

Previouse post, January 15, 2009

Entry for January 15, 2009

OH,YOU ARE ALL SO LUCKY!
I am creating a new crochet pattern, toddler footed leggies! The real joy, is that you can actually make 3 styles of socks out of this one pattern. 6, if you include the fact that there are added directions for two tone colored versions! My 2 year old is wearing these to keep warm during these super cold days, eliminating the need for pants while we (still dragging on) toilet train. But these will also be perfect for when we go to Harrison Park for Winter Fest next weekend to skate and sled. The pattern is written out, and I've made 3 pairs. There are even directions for enlarging it for bigger feet, I made a pair of crew socks for myself! They are made with an F hook and Baby sport yarn, (DK will also work but is very heavy) So as soon as I get my camera going, and some feet lined up to fill them out, I will post the pattern and pictures. I'm aiming for Saturday night. Pattern will be called Beginners Luck Multi Socks - Jazz slipper/Crew sock/Knee sock. I will also post it to Ravelry

Previouse post, December 07 , 2008

Entry for December 07, 2008

This abacus on my arm reads 33. Picture courtesy of my 6 year old daughter!