You know when you've got a Yarn Buddy when ....

I'm a very, very lucky girl! :) ♧ I found a Yarn Buddy!! ;) ♡♡☆☆ Wait?  What's a Yarn Buddy, you ask?  A Yarn Buddy is a buddy who is on travel (for work or for fun) and is willing to go on a yarn crawl for you.

So, you must be wondering who my Yarn Buddy is ... my Yarn Buddy is (drumroll, please) ... my brother-in-law, B! :) ♡☆  B travels a lot and occasionally, Hubby and I also travel with him.

The last time we traveled with B was to see my other brother-in-law, V and his girlfriend, A in Seattle.  While there, we had all gone on a yarn crawl (well, it was more like I wanted to go on a yarn crawl and they decided to "join" me to really keep Hubby company and really go on a beer crawl. :P  It was the thought that counted. ;))  Anyways, while on the yarn crawl, occasionally, B would come into a store with me.  B's been mildly (like super, uber mild) interested in knitting (although he's more into drinking and making beer right now.) :P

Anyways ... B's been our jet setter of late and recently went to the East Coast on back to back trips.  On his last trip, he went to Maine.  While there, he texted me that he had a free day and if there were any knitting shops he should visit (for me).  I asked him if he seriously meant it and he said yes.  So, off I sent him to Halcyon Yarn, Mother of Purl, and Knit Wit Yarn Shop.  And here's the spoils that my Yarn Buddy brought back:
At Halcyon Yarn:

At Mother of Purl:

And at Knit Wit Yarn Shop:

This is a magnetic "shawl" pin

Honestly, I was shocked!! to see what he brought home.  We had talked about him checking out the Pix yarn at Halcyon Yarn (I honestly didn't even know he went to Halcyon Yarn; I thought he didn't have enough time and skipped it!), picking up one (1!!!) skein of the denim yarn at Mother of Purl (more for Hubby than for me), and picking up a magnetic pin at Knit Wit (this was a special request from and for me) but to get all this stash was ... simply and utterly amazing!!!♡♡♡

See why he's my Yarn Buddy???  And an awesome Yarn Buddy at that! ;) ♡☆☆  I think my Yarn Buddy deserves a knitted gift in reciprocation (and probably some beer and whisky, probably shared with his bros)! ;)

Thanks again, B!!!  You seriously blew my mind away with this awesome stash!!!   You're the best Yarn Buddy ever!! :)

Never Say Never

When I first started getting into yarn fiber, I started with crochet (even though I really wanted to knit and my Grandma refused to teach me; in her words: "Too hum bug.  I'll just make it for you.").  I figured that crochet should be easier than knitting since you only needed one (1) needle in one hand and the yarn would be in the other hand.  Plus, both my mother and mother-in-law knew how to crochet so ... I figured if I ran into any problems, someone would always be there to help me, right?! ;)

And as such, I taught myself to crochet.  I learned how to do a single crochet, double crochet, even a treble crochet; I knew how to make a chain and even managed to get to the next row and make a swatch of something.  But, I struggled with my stitches.  I virtually had to put my crochet hook on the floor to push it through each stitch, pick it up the yarn on the other side and pray I could squeeze my next stitch through; it was so bad that my hands would tire after a few stitches and I even got blisters from trying to force my hook through the stitches.  In other words, my tension was soooooo tight, I'm sure even water wouldn't be able to seep through it.  And because of that, I hated crocheting and gave it up.  I thought I would never crochet again.

When I started to learn how to knit, I hoped my tension wouldn't be as tight as my crocheting and fortunately, it isn't (although if you ask some of my knitting friends they might beg to differ! :P).  I loved, loved knitting!  And because of this, I thought for sure, I'll never, ever go back to crocheting ... ever!  All I'll ever need a crochet hook for is to pick up dropped stitches or to fix a mistake.

Then, I found this ingenious idea from Makers' Mercantile:  How to use an interchangeable crochet hook (on a cable) to pick up stitches.  It was amazingly brilliant!!

So what did I do?  Called up my favorite yarn store and asked if she carried any Knitter's Pride interchangeable crochet hooks!  Of course she did! :)  And, of course I went down there to pick one up:

And of course, while I was there, I couldn't resist, I got this for Hubby too! ;)

(Looks like I'm in a green phase :P)

So, I tried this ingenious idea on a hat I'm making (blog to be posted shortly (I think :P)) and it worked out smashingly!! :)  I guess I am crocheting again ... unwittingly so! :P

(Amazingly) Super Simple Circular Hat Calculator

I was looking through some Facebook posts and came across this ingenious page from EarthGuild.com:

Super Simple Circular Hat Calculator

Abbreviations:
K = Knit
K2tog = Knit 2 stitches together as if they were one (this is a decrease).
Round is the same as row, except it is in a circle.

Step One: Find number to cast on: Choose size from row on top; drop down column to row with your gauge. If you are between gauges and/or sizes, multiply your gauge times hat size in inches, then look in the gauge rows on either side of your gauge to find the closest cast-on number. Use that gauge number to determine which decrease row (see below) to begin on.

Hat size in inches
Stitches/inch	14	16	18	20	22	24	NOTE: If you wish a cuff that doesn't roll, work one or two inches of Garter Stitch (Knit one row, Purl one row) or ribbing. For a K1, P1 ribbing, figure your cast-on number from the chart, cast on the next-lower multiple of 2, then increase to the chart number after the ribbing. For a K2, P2 rib, cast on the next lower multiple of 4, then increase to the chart number. Adjust length of hat down to compensate for the cuff not rolling.
6	84	96	108	120	132	144
5.5	77	88	99	110	121	132
5	70	80	90	100	110	120
4.5	63	72	81	90	99	108
4	56	64	72	80	88	96
3.5	49	56	63	70	77	84
3	42	48	54	60	66	72
2.5	35	40	45	50	55	60
2	28	32	36	40	44	48

Step Two: Knit in stockinette st (knit every round) for the number of inches below for the chosen size, or desired length; the brim will roll naturally for the first 2 or 3 inches; unroll the brim to measure.

Size	14	16	18	20	22	24
Length to knit	5.5	6	6.5	7	7.5	8

Step Three: Work top decreases; Begin with the round indicated for your gauge and work the rest of the rounds from that round on. IGNORE THE ROUNDS ABOVE - THEY DO NOT APPLY TO YOUR SIZE.

For example, if your gauge is 4 sts/in, start with Round 9 and ignore Rounds 1-8

• Repeat the directions for each round over and over to the end of the round.
• Knit one plain round between each decrease round except the last two.
• Leave off Round 22 on sizes 14 & 16; You may choose to leave it off other sizes if too "pointy".
• Switch to double-pointed needles when hat becomes too small for circular needle.
• Numbers in columns below the sizes are the number of stitches remaining at the end of that decrease round for each size.

Gauge	Begin with	Repeat	14	16	18	20	22	24
6 sts/in	Round 1	K 10, K2tog	77	88	99	110	121	132
5.5 sts/in	Round 3	K 9, K2tog	70	80	90	100	110	120
5 sts/in	Round 5	K 8, K2tog	63	72	81	90	99	108
4.5 sts/in	Round 7	K 7, K2tog	56	64	72	80	88	96
4 sts/in	Round 9	K 6, K2tog	49	56	63	70	77	84
3.5 sts/in	Round 11	K 5, K2tog	42	48	54	60	66	72
3 sts/in	Round 13	K 4, K2tog	35	40	45	50	55	60
2.5 sts/in	Round 15	K 3, K2tog	28	32	36	40	44	48
2 sts/in	Round 17	K 2, K2tog	21	24	27	30	33	36
	Round 19	K 1, K2tog	14	16	18	20	22	24
	Round 21	K2tog	7	8	9	10	11	12
	Round 22	K2tog			5	5	6	6
Note: Round 22 of sizes 18 & 22 will have 1 stitch left over at the end of the decreases; knit it.

Step Four: Break yarn and thread through remaining stitches.
Pull stitches up tight; weave end in on wrong side (use a crochet hook or yarn needle). Weave in starting end.

Please note: Not all of these sizes have been test knit but every effort has been made to be accurate.

©2000, Mary Young Smith.
Earth Guild, 33 Haywood Street
Asheville, NC 28801.
1-800-327-8448

Amazing ... ♡ I shall attempt to use this on my next hat project! ;)