Aha my tatting ability grows with each day! This is exciting! As with knitting, with the stitches knit, and purl the tatting has two stitches depending on how you pass the shuttle. This will provide a great layer to my fiber art and to my sewing and knitted projects.

Christmas yielded a wonderful gift! A fantastic shuttle made if bone from my dearest Benevolent Dictator. My husband took a hint (2 emails and a bunch of bitching over my last shuttle. I have spent days in my chair concentrating on learning how to tat and this is the fruit of my labor! I have a niece or nephew due soon so I will adorn some sweet baby things with my newly acquired talent.

Trying outa knitting program for knitting caps! So far so good I will review it after completing this fanatic project! In the mean time if you have a favorite program or project I would love to share it here!

Ice blue mittens for this cold spat

Designing my first baby jacket and shoe set! Fingers crossed that it turns out!

Lorna' s lace love this fantastic feel

Piggletts

Whew, just when I set back and neglect my knitting blog wouldn't you know I would get followers. Well greetings to all and thanks for joining me again my faithful followers. I hope to add a little color to your life or at least a giggle or two.
Once again I am at it with the baby knits and with that comes my favorite gal from England Debbie Bliss. Here are some of the cutest slippers or baby booties, that are a stich to knit up! Quick fun and great gifts. Perfect for a first time knitter (I know because these are the first baby booties that I knitted some 9 years ago and I still love the little pigs. They are also a good fit. Every thing from pig snouts to curly tails. A definite hit at congrats parties, or showers, or coming home day! Made with cotton for a wonderful feel against babies delicate skin! All of these sweet little creations can be found in the Debbie Bliss Quick Baby Knits.

The same goes with these little rabbit booties also quick and looks fantastic on the child's feet. Magical, whimsical, just down right cute. I like to pair the gift with a small book like the "Velveteen Rabbit" or a "Beatrix Potter" story of "Peter Rabbit" ( I just did a tribute to her on my other blog Jeweled Frog Creations ) or what every the favorite bunny story might be. Layering the gift just adds something special. You could include a book like the Three little pigs. Consider using vintage books for something unique. Don't forget to embellish your boxes that will tote your creation with vintage clip art! These things that all of "us" knitters knit up are future heirlooms to be passed down so why not present it as an heirloom.

Now I know how I am on time so I wanted to pass this great recipe along that I found on

All Recipes.com Easy to start and quick to bake up. It requires some planning ahead since they are yeast based but you and your family or guest will love them. They make up big enough to be used as small sandwich rolls. Great with some laughing cow cheese spread and ham bits for a quick breakfast or in a lunch box for school children. Try them I am sure you will love them.


Last but not least this is Tiger who just had to get into the shot to make sure that the placement was just so. How many of my readers have animals in their studio that love to just get in the mix. LOL Send me you photos I would love to see them!
Here are some of the places you can follow more of what I do:

http://www.ravelry.com/ Jeweledfrog

http://www.facebook.com/jeweledfrog


Jeweledfrogcreations


http://twitter.com/jeweledfrog


So until next time I hope to see you again!

About the Season to start to knit

Now don't get me wrong. Any season is the right season to knit. There is just one thing I do a lot of other stuff! Knitting is one of my favorite things to do but since I also quilt and work on graphic art projects sometimes my favorite things get bumped to the back for just shear lack of time! But when I start to see that little count down for Halloween my mind returns to that wonder staple in my fiber studio and that is KNITTING. Since I have only one project going I thought that I would just talk about one of my favorite knitters who has come such a long way. Debbie Bliss. Back in 1997 we moved to the Emerald Isle. During the long dark days of winter I learned to knit. I loved to visit the shops that held mounds and mounds of that wonderful wool with all if its dazzling colors. Intoxicating! That is the best word that comes to mind to relate any experience with wool and wool shops. Oh I know that there are other fibers now on the market and interesting enough I did not learn to knit on wool. No it was cotton. If I remember correctly I had visited a lovely wool shop (however the owner was less then ..... hummm social) at the time I did not know how to know so asked her what would be the best book or pattern to start with and she gave me a pattern and told me there was two stitches knit and purl after that she gave me some acrylic (yuck) and sent me on my way. Yep that was it. Now I went back home and did thought well if that is it I can do it. After a good attempt I felt I need something else. I wanted details. I wanted a sweater. So I headed down to Eason's book store and found a Debbie Bliss book on how to knit and one on Baby Knits! After reading and looking it over I rang up my husband (Benevolent Dictator) and asked him to find the shop in London. And so when he entered the store..... there she was. Jim then set about purchasing every book that she had written at the time and loads of cotton to make up some baby knits. While he was there I instructed him to get her autograph on each of the books that he purchased. I am sure that she did not know what to think but in my eyes she was a star already and I was not going to miss the opportunity of getting her to sign her work. I love the different way the artful creations hung on the models. How she incorporated the color and the different textures of the cable stitches. Even now I will pull her books down off my shelf and become inspired to create that special item. So here to day I have taken a couple of picks to show you my first knitted project. I was expecting my 4th child (in Ireland that was considered a gentleman's size family) and I wanted something to adorn this little pumpkin. Cotton I feel is the best feeling against it's delicate skin and after a few quick peeks in Debbie Bliss's Quick Knits for Baby I settled on the one that is pictured here. It comes with some fantastic little matching booties that reflect the Triangle-Edged cardigan. A fantastic way to tie in the look of your cardigan and draw the eye to all the special details. If you look closely you will see the purled edge on the bottom of the cardigan again reflecting the triangle work done on the collier. This is a fantastic way to add interest to a solid color out fit. When I come across a pattern that needs a little assist I always consider adding some extra work like this. Oh dear look at the time I do have to go! Much to do around here. I feel like the White Rabbit in Alice! But before I dash down my rabbit whole and start to do that five letter word (CLEAN) I wanted to let you know that I can also be found on Ravelry so just look me up jeweledfrog! I would love hearing about your favorite knitters and authors.

Organic Cotton Socks

Just got finished with another pair of socks for infants.  These where knitted on organic cotton from Lions Brand.  They are super soft and knitted up so well that I have ordered more to do some other projects.  These socks will be offered for sale in my Etsy. Store.  

Pattern:  basic sock 

Oh if you are like me right when you start to finish a project you just want to be done with it.  The excitement of creating a new item (or the feeling of thank goodness I can put this one to rest) sometimes makes you just want to through caution to the wind and finish it up any old way.  I hate to have things around that I know that there are flaws that can be seen.  Every time I touch the item I know that I could have done better.  So with a little time and effort you can make your garment one that you can be proud.  Now I first learned to knit in Ireland!  A wonderful knitter named Debbie Bliss was just coming into her own and I had the good fortune of having a wonderful husband who made trips to London every month.  Armed with pound in hand he would like clock work travel to where her shop was and purchase books and yarn by the dozens.  Being extra nice he would always ask her to autograph the books that she authored.  

This technique was taken out of her Debbie Bliss How To Knit Book for a more detailed version of this finishing tip you will want  to refer to page 150.  

Working up the garment in a zigzag action taking the needle under the strands that correspond exactly to those on the other side, you can create an invisible seam. 

To see the steps that I have taken just click down on my finishing stream so that you can get a better idea.  

Great little sock

These are just fantastic and you can do several in one day (of coarse once you start you just keep on going)  With a cast on of 36 and a size 2 sock needle (4 each) and a knit 2 purl 2 to  get the cuff (1 inch) then going to the heal (18 stitches for heal)  I do a slip one knit one slip as if to purl all the way across then on the return I purl straight across and repeat until I am able to pick up 9 stitches on each side for gusset.  Then decrease every other round then about 18 rounds until decreasing on the toe.  For a fly by the seat pattern or guide here is one for your "Basic Sock Chart"  These are great little things so experiment with different needle sizes and yarn size.  Add embellishments for that special touch.  As you can see I put on some silk ribbon for little bows but anything would be great!   Take a look at my etsy store where these are for sale now and let me know what you think!  

Quick dinners for slow knitters

Every knitter needs more time to just sit and knit and so this dinner was so inspired.  

Now know this that I go by feel so if you are looking for a cup of this and a cup of that well no need to read any further.  This is my beef stew I make enough to last for around 3 days.  If you don't like the thought of eating it for that long well then you can freeze what you have left over and save it for another day.  One thing great about soup it taste better with each day. 

1 tsp of salt

1 pkg of stew meat from the butcher 

1 cup of celery 

3/4 cup of red onion

1/4 roasted garlic

1/4 rosemary 

1 large can of crushed tomatoes (I used full circle organic)

4 to 5 red potatoes (or if you have a favorite kind you may use that) 

1 regular can of fire roasted tomatoes 

1 frozen bag of vegetables 

 

Combine the first 8 ingredients in a large stew pot and cover well with water ( you may also add a large box of beef stock if you would like.)  Fill until a little over 1/2 full.

Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until meat is tender. 

Now add the can of fire roasted tomatoes and the frozen bag of vegetables.  Remember to add the vegetables last so that you don't over cook this should be done about 20 minutes before you intend to serve you soup. 

This is done to give you an idea for your soup.  Soups are great you can create anything, you can add or take away just be creative.  This is also great for a crock pot. 

Serving suggestions 

Accompany this or any soup with some bisects ( I have found that Bisquick is a great and easy way to serve hot fresh bisects) or corn bread. 

A dollop of sour cream in the center and some hot sauce or hot pepper flakes are great! 

 

Grand opening of new Etsy Store The Knitting Frog

Just opened my new Etsy store with some great socks for infants.  Check it out!  But first want to see what is going on in the studio?  Just step inside and you will see more things and how I did it.  

Frogs Studio 

The Knitting Frog Etsy Store 

Up loading to ETSY

Well here goes the end all.  I just got finished up loading some of my baby socks.  I love to knit them they are quick and easy  and love to think of little feet inside them twirling their little toes to some unheard beat.  Now others will be able to see and purchase them for theirs or for their friend or relatives.  I am excited and scared all at the same time.  It is one thing to knit them in privet and have small untold dreams of other loving the same thing and another to put them out there for all to see.  I hope that you too will enjoy them and see the magic that is with in all things created out of love. The Knitting Frog 

Knitting it up

Oh it has been sooooo long since I have last updated my blog.  But now that the holidays are over and the company has left and we are back home in Tennessee I can feel the fever for knitting to start to over take me.  As I browsed my favorite store (Jimmy beans wool) I suddenly came up with an idea..... My son was home on leave so why not knit him a pair of socks!  Pleased with that thought I quickly has my youngest son put on a pair of his best hand knitted socks that I did for him this past summer.  After seeing and touching them he was sold!  The only thing was that he wanted them in black.  Well if that was what it had to be then that is what he would get.  But first I would just happen to scroll down the lovely colors that Lornas Laces  had to offer and sure enough his eyes fell upon the "Red Rover"  to my delight!  So I am waiting patiently  by my mail box for this delightful new endeavor in knitting