Hipp Crafts

Hipp Crafts Has Moved

2008-04-28T10:02:00.000-07:00

First of all, thank you, Shannon, for your advice on the Baby Thorpe hat. It's a good idea to consider the vomit and drool factor with babies. So no braids it is - good! That makes this project a lot simpler to finish. Now all I have to do is add the crochet edging and I can call this project done. Then it can be sent to friend who sent me the Panda Cotton that was used to make the Baby Thorpe hat...and who conveniently had a baby a few months ago. :)

Second, I am moving this blog! The new home is http://mrshipp.wordpress.com. All of my old posts and your comments have been migrated already. I am still in the process of moving over my sidebar buttons, but hope to have that done by the end of the week. For the eight of you who currently read my blog (up from four this time last year! yay!), please update your bookmarks, favorites, Bloglines, Google Reader, or whatever it is you use to find my latest post.

SNEAK PEEK: I've already added a new post at my new blog site related to this:

See you over at Wordpress.

What's Going On

2008-04-12T09:56:00.000-07:00

So despite the dearth of posts on this supposed log of my crafting adventures, a fair amount of crafting has actually been going on.

Evidence #1: Baby Thorpe Hat

This knit is not technically done because I can't decide if I want to add the braids at the end of the ear flaps or not. Here are a few examples with the braids. But it looks kind of cool without. Since this hat is intended for a baby, will the braid be a safety problem? What do you think?

Evidence #2: Birthday Tote Bag

It is my first sewing project in a long time and OMG! I love sewing! I'm going to have to incorporate more of it into my crafting time. Sewing is near-instant gratification compared to knitting.

I spent a few hours on my birthday to indulge in making this project and it was pure bliss. The fabric is from Purl Warehouse, purchased during this blog buddy visit, and the pattern is adapted from this tutorial. Nothing but good things to say about this finished object. I've been using the bag everyday and it makes me proud and happy every time I pick it up. If that is not the point of crafting, then I don't know what is.

Evidence #3: My Current Work in Progress...The Flutter Sleeve Cardigan

Smooth sailing so far. I am determined to finish this before starting another project, so thank goodness it only has three pieces!

So let me know what you think about the braids on my Baby Thorpe Hat. Otherwise I'll be forced to flip a coin! Decisions, decisions....

Greetings from St. Lucia

2008-04-03T14:06:00.001-07:00

Just a quick drive-by post while I'm on vacation in St. Lucia (oh yeah, and attending my brother's wedding). It seems like nowadays the only time I have to focus on crafting and my blog is while I am on vacation. Free time has been a rare luxury.

Our first full day in St. Lucia was spent on the beach. As we ate ate lunch, a young vendor came by with palm frond bookmarks for sale. He demonstrated the making of this lovely little fish in 2 minutes flat. It was a quick and beautiful example of craft. I don't know if this craft or this design is particular to St. Lucia, but I do know that I enjoyed watching him make it immensely. It will dry to a faded tan and be quite sturdy in a few weeks. Now it is green, flexible, and quite delicate.

Some catch up and more St. Lucia crafts after I return next week. I spent quite a bit of time planning and packing for my airplane knitting. What do you suppose I've been working on? (No fair peeking at my Ravelry site.)

Hope your week has been as sunny and relaxing as mine. Until later...

Just Right

2008-02-18T19:26:00.000-08:00

Today is a government holiday so I had the day off. Sometimes it really is fabulous to work in the public sector. It has been a rare freedom lately to have the day off and not be sick, so with Mr. Hipp busy on schoolwork, I took full advantage of the time to finish something for my long-suffering mother. She may not have her guilt socks yet (they're coming, I promise!) but at least her hands will be warm.

Project Specifications
Pattern: Evangeline from MagKnits January 2008 (Ravelry link)
Yarn: Cascade 220 Paints. My mom picked out this yarn herself when I dragged her to The Woolie Ewe during our Thanksgiving visit with her.
Needles: US7 KnitPicks Options 40" circular (magic loop) and a nice little wooden cable needle that I got from Mr. Hipp as a Christmas gift (sweet man).
Modifications: Did two extra cable repeats before the thumb and an extra 10 rows of ribbing at the top for extra warmth. Picked up extra stitches (16 total) for the thumb because the first try was just too darn tight.
What I learned: Cabling without a cable needle! It is fantastic. I didn't trust the technique enough for the 4/2 cables (six stitches off the needle at once! eeek!) but it worked like a charm for the smaller ones.

It took me a long time to decide on a pattern for these mitts. For months, I waffled between these (too bulky for the yarn) and these (too fussy). Then I saw Tiennie's post on her million and one Evangelines and it was like Goldilocks and Baby Bear's bed...just right.

The 2001 Cobblestone Sweater

2008-02-04T20:09:00.001-08:00

Superbowl Sunday ended up being rainy and cold - a rare wonder in Southern California. It was ideal for wearing a new wooly sweater, but not so ideal for getting Mr. Hipp to go outside for a photo shoot. Indoor lighting and a flash will have to suffice for the time being.

So what does a man do in his first hand-knit sweater? Well, I can show you.

He finishes his homework...

...watches some football...

...finds enlightenment...

...and promotes world peace.

You know, the usual stuff.

I got him to wear it again for a mini modeling shot tonight. He's trying so hard to look serious. :)

Project Specifications
Pattern: The brilliant Cobblestone (Ravelry link) by brooklyntweed (AKA Jared Flood) from Interweave Knits Fall 2007
Size: 43" chest circumference
Yarn: Reynolds Lopi
Needles: US10.5 KnitPicks Options 40" circular to start the sleeves (magic loop), do the the body, and the yoke. US10.5 Clover bamboo 16" circular to do the rest of the sleeves (SO much faster than magic loop or DPNs) and finish the yoke.
Modifications: Adjusted stitch counts to accommodate the bulky yarn. Made sleeves 20" instead of 19" because Mr. Hipp has a high ape index. Left out last short row at the neck because it didn't need it.
What I learned: I tried a new increase method on the sleeves and LOVE how it turned out. It's totally invisible. Also, Lolly's moisturizing conditioner wash suggestions worked like a dream - the sweater is much softer and smells terrific!

On a health note, I am feeling back up to 90% and the knitting mojo is back on! What did I cast on this weekend? You'll have to wait until the next post to see...

Changed My Mind - Being Sick DOES Stink

2008-01-30T19:09:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, I was all optimistic and perky in a recent post about how being sick is good way to catch up on your knitting. Well that was then, and this is now. When I wrote that last post, I was on the upswing out of a head cold. Now I am at the nadir of a chest cold and I am one unhappy crafter. I feel so lousy that even starting a fun new project (and I have loads in my Ravelry queue) doesn't sound appealing. That, my friends, is when you know a crafter has hit rock bottom.

At least Mr. Hipp's Cobblestone Sweater got finished before things got too bad. And just in time for dear Mr. Hipp's 30th birthday yesterday.

I'm happy with how it came out. The collar makes a nice little lip at the top of all that garter stitch.

Mr. Hipp tried it on and likes it! He thinks it looks like chainmail and he feels like Gimli in "Lord of the Rings" in it (first a hobbit, now a dwarf!). The sleeves and body are a smidgen too short, but I'm hoping that a good wet blocking will fix that. Lolly made a sweater out of the same yarn for her hubby and gave me some lovely advice about using moisturizing conditioner when I wash it so that this rough wool softens up a bit. Thanks, Lolly!

A proper wrap up of this project and photos of Mr. Hipp wearing it are forthcoming; hopefully we can take some nice pictures at his Superbowl birthday party this weekend!

Purl, Peacock Chic, and Panera

2008-01-25T23:17:00.000-08:00

Have you ever eyed a pretty woven scarf and thought "Hmmm, maybe I should learn how to weave. A loom only costs a few thousand dollars..."

Have you ever put down a $5 super sale sweater and thought "Why should I buy this when I can totally knit it instead?" Then promptly plunked down $60 for a sweater's worth of yarn?

Have you ever had a hard time finding shoes that fit and thought "I ought to cobble my own!"

Have you ever met up with a blog buddy and thought "If she were hit by a car right now, would it be weird to take a picture and blog about it later?"

No?

Well, maybe one day you too will reach these crazy craft blog depths. I know there are at least two crafters who are already there: one is me, and the other is my lovely blog buddy at Peacock Chic. I met her a while ago at a Yarn Lady bag sale and we've been egging each other along in blogland ever since. When I found out she had been to the infamous Purl warehouse, and was willing to take me along with her, I said, "Um, yes please!". We got together this Monday and wallowed in craft heaven.

Can you tell we were having fun?

Good thing I had a buddy with me, because I don't know that I would have ever been able to find the Purl warehouse on my own. It's hidden in an industrial park, no sign no nothing. The only hint from the outside was piece of cardboard stuck on the door with a handwritten NO SOLICITING and a tiny Purl logo sticker.

The inside was as nondescript as the outside except it is totally full of great stuff. Yarn up to here, fabric up to there!

I was very proud of myself for exercising considerable self-restraint. I was lucky to have Peacock Chic there to set an example (she was very good and bought just a bit of fabric to finish a WIP). I came away with some beautiful fabrics to make a tote bag and one skein of Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton (Ravelry link) to line stranded hat for Mr. Hipp.

After Purl, we went to Panera and enjoyed soup, sandwiches, and a whole lot of laughter. The people at tables nearby must have thought we were crazy, but whatever. She is super fun and bubbly and it was neat to see that someone else thinks some of the same weird crafting thoughts as me. Good thing she didn't get hit by a car after all.

Thanks for a great time, Peacock Chic!

Being Sick Stinks, or How To Make Progress on Your Knitting

2008-01-21T09:45:00.000-08:00

There are two sides to every coin. You can call a respiratory infection a way to spend a miserable week, or you can call it a chance to catch up on your knitting. I choose the latter.

I'm up the yoke on Mr. Hipp's Cobblestone sweater. Hooray! All thanks to DVDs of "The Office", DayQuil, snot up to my ears, and some unplanned annual leave accruals.

Now that I'm in the home stretch, I can't put this project down. I'm starting to get how some knitters can be one-project-at-a-time. Maybe that should be a new resolution for the year?

My nose and sinuses are on the mend, but poor Mr. Hipp is now down with the same bug. One of our cats (Gracie) has become very polite and says a sympathetic "meow" every time Mr. Hipp sneezes, like a little kitty "bless you!". We can't figure out if it's just coincidence or if she is really responding to the sneezes. Either way, it makes for some much needed smiles in Sickville.

Hope your week has been less infectious. :)

Even Hobbits Get Cold Feet

2008-01-10T20:08:00.000-08:00

Mr. Hipp's feet are rather hobbit-like: often bare, impervious to the cold, and fuzzy.

He doesn't own a pair of house slippers. He doesn't need them. When his feet get cold (which is rarely), he wears thin cotton anklets.

So when I was fiddling around with a felt slipper project for myself this weekend*, I was surprised to hear that he wouldn't mind if I made a pair for him some day.

Lucky man, the ones I made ended up too big for me. So I popped them onto the hobbit feet and they fit perfectly...and he likes them! He's been wearing them all week. He's even wearing them right now -- with shorts, so he doesn't get too hot. :)

If you want to see the step-by-step process of how I made these slippers, start at this photo on my Flickr site and click on the next photo in the set until you reach the photo above. These slippers were super easy to make and you don't even need a pattern.

* My feet are always cold and therefore always covered. I already own two pairs of nice house slippers, but I have TONS of felt and got the urge to use some of it up already.

2001 Revived and Holiday Crafting Wrap Up

2008-01-07T20:40:00.000-08:00

The Christmas handmade crafts are (finally) over. Thanks goodness. It was a lot of fun to commit to handmade for the holidays, but boy oh boy, it was a lot of work. I didn't get to everything on my list, but I am very happy with the things I did get finished.

After all that, I don't have any photos of the recipients with their gifts. Bleh, always a day late and a dollar short in this house.

Dear family - please snap a photo of you and your hand made gift and send the pics to me. Pretty please? I'll crop your face out if you don't want it to be on the blog. Thanks!

I can at least share a run down of what I worked on:
* Foliage for my brother, made with DELICIOUS Malabrigo merino worsted in Azul Profundo (my Ravelry page on this project)
* Thuja socks for my dad, made with Colinette Cadenza (a new find and I love it!)
* My So Called Scarf for my step-mom, made with recycled yarn from a sweater she gave me that never quite fit (her or me) right
* Embroidered felt ornaments for my mother-in-law and father-in-law, made from some of this felt

I did get a quick photo of Mr. Hipp wearing my brother's Foliage before it was gifted. He liked it so much, he asked for a Koolhaas out of the same yarn, but we'll see what happens with that. Mr. Hipp is a patient man. He can be patient a little longer.

I knew I couldn't hand make something for everyone on my list, so I turned to Etsy. This amazing motorcycle passport holder went to one (future) sister-in-law and this cute owl tote went to the other sister-in-law. Etsy is freaking great. I am so going to use it again next Christmas.

My poor mom is still waiting on her Guilt Socks and some newly requested fingerless mitts (perhaps a solid color version of these?). She even bought me the Cascade 200 over Thanksgiving for the mitts. *Sigh* I just couldn't get the mojo going for these projects. She ended up with not one hand made gift this Christmas. Bad Mrs. Hipp. Mom - your birthday is coming up so don't despair!

In the meantime, I have been distracting myself from my responsibilities (knitterly and otherwise) with a different project for Mr. Hipp.

A bulky version of Cobblestone (Ravelry link) by brooklyntweed (aka Jared Flood). Does this yarn look familiar? It's the Reynolds Lopi I bought seven years ago to make a sweater for Mr. Hipp. That sad thing was frogged earlier this year and is now bring revived into a Cobblestone. Let's hope its second incarnation is a happier one.

Happy 2008 everyone!

She's Baaaaack

2007-12-09T19:35:00.000-08:00

Things have been quiet at Hipp Crafts, but super busy in the Hipp home. I have WIPs coming out of my ears. Whose idea was it to knit 2.5 pairs of socks (more on that later), a scarf, fingerless mitts, and a hat in time for Christmas? Oh yeah, mine. Every crafter seems to fall into this pit at the end of the year...but oh what a fun pit it is. There are certainly worse things than having tons of knitting to look forward to.

So as I knit my way out through the holidays, I will do my best to not ignore this blog as much as I have the past four weeks. For now, here is something beautiful Mr. Hipp captured on our recent trip to Baja.

More photos of our trip on Mr. Hipp's Flickr site starting here. (Can you spot me in my new Ravelry t-shirt? I also wore this great yarn-lover shirt.) Enjoy!

Handmade - Good for the Wallet, Good for the Soul

2007-11-06T19:02:00.000-08:00

Would you like to give and receive handmade gifts this holiday season?

Consider taking the handmade pledge! Just click on the image above for more information.

The best thing is that the gifts don't have to be handmade by you. That means the great stuff at Etsy counts. I'd also like to recommend a handmade source dear to my heart: MayaWorks. I had the opportunity to visit some of the women behind these handcrafts in Guatemala a few years back. Their stuff is really handmade, really beautiful, really durable, and really directly improves the economic situation of women and their families. They let me hop onto a backstrap loom and weave a bit of a shawl. (I'll have to dig those photos out to show you.)

Loved ones - if you read this blog, know that you will get at least one handmade gift from me this year, and know that if you want to give a gift to me (awww, thanks!) I would appreciate a handmade gift as well.

Mr. Hipp and I are off for a much needed mini-break on Thursday. We'll be back with photos and hopefully some completed crafts next week.

Chango

2007-11-04T16:08:00.000-08:00

Every time I worked on these Monkey Socks for the swap, Ozomatli's Chango ran through my head.

El otro dia, yo vi a un hombre, un hombre feo, parece chango, chango peludo, hasta la barriga, y su espalda, parece bosque.

The other day, I saw a man, an ugly man, he looked like a monkey, a hairy monkey, down to his belly, and his back looked like a forest.

The song is about 4.5 minutes long. I estimate that it took 25 hours to knit these socks (yes, I am a very slow knitter). That's about 333 hairy monkeys on the brain.

Specs:
Pattern: The ubiquitous Monkey by Cookie A
Yarn: Koigu KPPPM, Colorway P485 (light and dark blue, pink, lavender)
Needles: US 2 KnitPicks Harmony DPNs
Modifications: Cuff is regular 1x1 rib instead of twisted rib, for extra stretchiness a la Octopus Knits, altered left-slanting decrease (see below)

My pal's feet are 9.5 inches around and 9.5 inches long. I ended up doing five pattern repeats on the foot to make it work. It may seem a bit short, but these socks stretch like a mofo. My feet are 10 inches long and 9 inches around and they fit me just fine.

About those left-slanting decreases: SSK was not doing it for me; when followed by a purl stitch, as in the pattern repeat, it came out saggy baggy bleh. I still used SSK when followed by a knit stitch, as in the gusset decreases...then it was perky pretty nice.

I experimented with various types left-slanting decreases with the help of this extremely helpful post on nonaKnits and settled upon the sl 1 k1 psso. Way better results and still really simple to do.

These were my first ever cuff-down socks! I am enormously proud of, and surprised with, how they turned out. The whole toe-up concept just seemed to make much more sense to me when I first started making socks...that's how you put a sock on, so wouldn't it make sense to knit it that way too? That, and I was irrationally frightened of having to graft a toe; so irrational, in fact, that learning a figure-8 cast on seemed way less daunting.

If you have the same phobias, make the plunge and try a cuff-down sock. It's really not that bad! These socks helped me break out of my knitting box and I feel like a better knitter as a result.

All the teeny stitches on socks has left me craving some fat needles and easy gratification...but more on that later. Mom's Guilt Socks have been neglected for too long.

Happy Fluffy Clouds

2007-10-31T20:55:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween, everyone! Halloween is on hump day this year; not great for having a party. So our friends had an early Halloween Saturday night (and a late sleep-in on Sunday morning).

The best part of Halloween is the opportunity to craft. Other craft bloggers have been able to post earlier in the day than this hardworking girl -- check out their handiwork here and here. The Hipp household, per usual, took a different crafting tack: Bob Ross.

Mr. Hipp + 'fro wig + an artist's palette = the PBS painting master reincarnated. I went as a Bob Ross original painting. My costume was so much fun to make, and I loved having a non-slutty costume. (Click on "Listen" to hear a great musical rebuke to the phenomenon.)

Do you want to be a Bob Ross painting for your next costume party? Follow these simple directions and you too can be non-slutty and FABULOUS:

1.Get two artists canvases, in a value 2-pack that is 40% off if you can swing it.

2. Watch Bob Ross - The Footbridge on YouTube and follow along on one of the canvases. (Mr. Hipp did well, don't you think?)

3. Paint something fun on the other canvas. Our party host turns 35 today, so the second canvas became a birthday card with lots of space for party guests to sign.

4. Cut two 14" lengths of grosgrain ribbon. Those who were visited more often by the Boobie Fairy may want to have longer ribbon so that the canvases hang below your bosom.

5. Lay the two paintings face down about 12" apart, top edges facing one another in the center.

6. Take one of the ribbons and use a staple gun to attach each end to the backs of each canvas's top edge, about 1" from the left side. Repeat with the second ribbon, 1" from the right side.

7. Put on your comfiest jeans and some sneakers. If you have long hair, twist it up so it's off your back.

8. Put on your canvases: stick your head between the ribbons and let the ribbons lay on your shoulders. One canvas should be on your front, the other on your back.

9. Optional: Grab some permanent markers so your friends can sign the backside painting.

Have a safe Halloween!

The SIL iPod Cozy, Version 1.2

2007-10-29T17:53:00.000-07:00

I just realized I never posted specifically about finishing up this little project. Since finished objects are few and far between at Hipp Crafts, this one simply cannot go undocumented.

Pattern: My own, sized for an iPod Nano
Yarn: Leftovers from Sockapalooza 4 socks
Needle: Clover bamboo US 6 dpns

It is just just a 2x2 rib tube with a little flap at the top, closed at the bottom with 3-needle bind off. A bit of Velcro secured with hand stitching makes sure that the SIL's precious iPod does not escape. Easy peasy, that's the name of the game.

In case you need to make a cozy of your own, the first generation iPod Nano measures 9cm tall by 4cm wide by 0.5cm deep. Teeny.

The second generation video Nano is a whole different story. Mr. Hipp and his little red buddy are officially jealous and would like to have a hand-knit cozy as well. It never ends, does it?

The Fires and Finally, A Finished Object

2007-10-28T11:24:00.000-07:00

This is first and foremost a crafting blog, and I debate internally on how much of my "secular" life to share here. There are times -- of which there seem to be many, lately -- when my life outside of crafting has been so overwhelming that I feel it would be disrespectful not to mention it.

The southern California wildfires are still burning, thankfully none close enough to our home to necessitate an evacuation. The Santiago Fire is in the mountains about 3 miles east of where we live. The smoke and ash in the air make it unbearable to be outside for more than a few minutes, and it is actually much better today than it had been during the early part of this week. Let's hope for a quick end to this disaster, and please keep the firefighters and the people and animals who have lost their homes in your thoughts.

And now, as they say in the morning news when they move from the Iraq War to Britney Spears: "On a lighter note...". The Child's Placket Neck Sweater is finally d-o-n-e and I l-o-v-e it. You can get the milk without buying the cow here (pattern is in pdf).

Patten: Child's Placket Neck Sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Size: 0-6 month, but bigger yarn resulted in about 12-month size
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool Ease, Dark Rose Heather
Needles: Addi Turbo 16" circulars & Clover bamboo dpns, both in US 9
Buttons: Wood, from JoAnne Crafts, and little plastic ones from some old shirt.
Modifications: Just the yarn, this pattern was super easy to follow as is!
For Ravelry users, the info is also here.

The first thought was to use grosgrain ribbon to line the placket and give stability to the button holes and the button band, but I found the stretchiness in the button holes was a good thing. If they get out of shape, I can take the sweater back and add the stabilizing ribbon then.

Instead, I used smaller plastic buttons to back up the public buttons. They are on there super duper secure, with quadrupled knotting as only a former climbing anchor builder can do. I refuse to let these buttons pop off an get into a little one's trachea.

This dear little sweater was made for a co-worker's impending baby. Since said baby is still impending, the 12-month-old sizing may not work out with the seasons. (Based on informal polling of mothers, babies often wear sizes that are 1-2 sizes bigger than their age. Meaning this baby will probably be wearing the sweater next August...not exactly sweater season in the OC.) I've decided to gift it instead to a family baby who is now a jolly 6-month-old and will be a roly poly 9-month-old come winter. And she lives on the east coast. Perfect!

Finishing this sweater was a pleasant break from the Monkey Socks, which are due to my pal this week. I've got two more repeats then the toe and sock number 2 will be d-o-n-e as well. Gotta get busy!

Monkeys Monkeys Monkeys

2007-10-09T19:32:00.000-07:00

We've been monkeying it up here at Casa de hipp.

The color is a bit off in this photo. Koigu is hard to capture in artificial light, and I wasn't ready for photo time until late in the day. This colorway is gives a bit of a twist on my Monkey Sock Swap pal's preferences. She likes pastels, which is a major departure from my stash of crazy bright colors. This colorway has the desired soft pinks and blues but with an occasional shot of electric blue for me! Love love love it.

Part of yesterday afternoon was spent on the monkey-themed goodies to go with these socks. I pulled out some pretty pink fabric from my pile of soon-to-be-thrifted clothes and sewed up a little project bag. Don't worry, the thrift pile clothes are all very clean!

The outer fabric used to be one of Mr. Hipp's striped shirts (too big) and the inner fabric used to be one of my dresses (also too big -- do we think we're fatter than we really are?). The ribbon came wrapped around a blanket I bought on sale (of course!) at Target. I sewed two rectangles together on three sides for the outer layer, leaving a 1" opening near the top of each side seam. Then I sewed two rectangles together on three sides for the inner layer, this time with no side openings. I put the inner inside the outer and sewed them together around the top and also about 1/4" below the side openings. Thread the ribbon through the side openings, cinch tight, and done!

This is by no means an original design, but if anyone is interested in seeing more detailed directions, let me know and I'll write up a mini tutorial.

And of course, the monkey face. Ah, I love it! It's an iron-on from JoAnn's. A pack of two was only 99 cents, so the backside of the bag has the same little monkey face on it.

Free fabric + free ribbon + 99 cent monkey face iron-ons = happy skinflint crafter.

Oh wait, is this supposed to be a knit sock exchange? I'm getting distracted by all the other monkey craft fun. Second Monkey sock, here I come!

Time Flies

2007-10-08T10:04:00.000-07:00

Where have I been since that last post? It feels like ages have passed. Most of my time has been spent are various local hospitals -- my father had a massive heart attack just over two weeks ago. Since then, he has been in an out of the ICU, in and out of consciousness, off and on a ventilator, in and out of operating rooms...and now he is finally home. The picture above is of us a couple of days ago. He is recuperating fantastically well!

Small public health soapbox moment #1: If you and/or a loved one smokes, please consider quitting and/or encouraging your loved one to quit. My father's decades of smoking were a direct contribution to his heart attack and the pace of his recovery. It is possible to quit and so worth it! There are free online resources and my co-worker swears by Nictone Anonymous.

Small public health soapbox moment #2: CPR really does save lives! If you aren't already CPR-certified, do so as soon as possible. My father went into full arrest (no heart beat, no breathing) immediately after his heart attack. Thank goodness he was at a party with several CPR-trained persons. Their quick and effective actions not only led to the later revival of his heart and lungs at the ER but also kept blood and oxygen circulating to his brain, preventing brain damage. He doesn't remember much about what has happened in the past few weeks, but every other aspect of his memory, mental capacity, and personality are intact. The American Red Cross offers classes in most areas.

On the crafty front, I am almost done with the first Monkey Sock for the swap. It is easily the most beautiful thing I have ever knit. I will take photos of the sock itself later today, but here is a glimpse of the delightful Koigu it is made from:

Have a great Monday. More Monkey news in forthcoming posts.

Where My Stitches At?

2007-09-22T20:50:00.000-07:00

Have you ordered your Ravelry t-shirt yet?

We were out of town last weekend visiting the NC. Internet access was a whopping $8.95 per day in our hotel, which is too steep for this craft blogger. Surprisingly little knitting was done on the plane. Why? I've been teaching a summer school class at a local university and it's been kicking my ass. I got to grade and compile scores instead of having quality knit time. Thank goodness it is all wrapped up now! Now don't get me wrong...teaching is super fun, and the students energized me every class session with their enthusiasm and intelligence. But WOW is it exhausting. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if I weren't also working full-time at my regular job.

The one little bit of knitting that I have accomplished recently is an iPod Nano cozy for my sister-in-law (the lovely Miss Hipp). I used the leftover yarn from the Sockapalooza 4 socks and whipped up a cute little seed stitch pouch. Too bad it was half an inch too short! Grrrrr. That's what I get for thinking I could eyeball the 9 cm length. And you know how seed stitch is -- can't stretch it worth a darn.

So I started over today, this time in 2x2 rib so that it has a bit more give in either direction. Me likey so far.

Some news of my Monkey Sock Swap pal's socks (agggh! the gauge nightmare!) in my next post.

Hipp Crafts...Courtesy of Flickr

2007-09-10T20:56:00.000-07:00

How cool is this? Spell with Flickr rocks! You put in your word, then it searches images on Flickr to spell it out for you. If you don't like one of the letters, you can click on it to pull up another random selection. It even auto-generates the html code so you can pop it into your blog...presto!

Found this link from the beautiful How about orange... blog. She's got a lot of other cool craftiness over there. So inspiring.

The Time Suck

2007-09-02T10:56:00.000-07:00

Despite getting a Ravelry invite several months ago, I have only just recently logged on and started exploring. Oh my goodness, no wonder people rave about it. All of my internet goof-off time this week - which used to be dedicated to blogs - has been poured into setting up my Ravelry notebook and checking out what others have posted. It is amazing. If you haven't added yourself to the list for an invite yet, go do it now! You don't need to have a blog outside, just a Flickr account with photos of your knitting and your stash. Freaking great.

Before I go back to Ravelry today, I thought I'd share a few things I've been working on. (I seem to get super-crafty-productive only when I am stressed and busy with work. Anyone else experience the same thing?)

Mom's Guilt Socks - first one was completed last night, afterthought heel and all:

Child's Placket Neck Pullover from Last Minute Knitted Gifts (made from this corrected pattern) - for a co-worker's impending baby:

I still need to close up the underarms and buy some buttons, but this thing is basically done. Super fun and super easy. It's my first seamless raglan sweater and I LOVE it. I may never go back.

If you want to visit me at Ravelry, I can be found under username "MrsHipp". Take care, y'all!

(BTW: Those of you in So Cal - did you feel the earthquake a few minutes ago?!?)

Monkey Sock Swap

2007-08-25T12:49:00.000-07:00

Sockapalooza 4 was so much fun that I signed up for another sock swap. This one is all about Monkeys!

This sock swap has a few rules: You knit some Monkeys for your pal, add in three monkey-themed gifts, some sock yarn, and a Cookie A pattern (she designed the Monkeys and has lots of other beautiful designs). It's going to be fun to work out the specifics to meet these rules.

If you want to sign up, head over to the Monkey Sock Swap blog and contact Rebecca. Sign ups are through August 31st, so hurry!

As part of my enrollment, I need to answer some questions on my blog. Getting these answers ready has made me totally excited about this swap. I can wait to get my pal and start working on some Monkeys!

Do you consider yourself a beginning sock knitter, an intermediate, or have you been doing this so long you could probably knit a pair in your sleep? An intermediate, although I still have a lot to learn about knitting socks.

The measurements:
Shoe size = U.S. ladies 9
Foot circumference = 9 inches
Foot length = 10 inches

Yarn preferences:
What colors do you love? Blue, green, teal...but really, any color will make me happy
Do you prefer solids or variegated? Variegated!
Do you prefer wool, cotton or acrylic yarn? Wool, superwash would be great
What colors would you never wear? There is no sock color that I would never wear!
What are your favorite brands of yarn? Koigu, Regia, Lorna's Laces
Are there any new brands you would like to try? Trekking, Woolmeise, Yarntini, and Louet Gems all look pretty interesting

Cookie A. patterns:
Which of her patterns have you already knit? None
Which pattern(s) would you like to knit and don't already own? Rhiannon, Flicker

Other pertinent information:
Would you be willing to have an international Monkey Pal or do you prefer one in the U.S.? International is fine
Do you have any allergies? None that I know of
Will your knitting be exposed to smoke or animals? It is definitely exposed to two cats, there is no smoking in this house
Are you on Ravelry yet? If you don't mind having new firends, what is your Ravelry name? MrsHipp, but I haven't had a chance to really use it yet; that's one of my knitterly goals for this weekend.

Thanks, Rebecca, for organizing this swap!

Another Revamp

2007-08-22T20:39:00.000-07:00

I was feeling the itch to re-do the colors on my blog. It was time to feel something light and fresh. So I picked a new template, selected a cool gray color scheme, and simplified the header with a close up of this:

Lovely yummy scrumptious stick your face in the softness Malabrigo in the kettle-dyed azul profundo (deep blue) colorway. The wound yarn cakes were sitting on my coffee table for ages, like a lovely piece of sculpture or dreamy photo book.

The gift certificate I got to purchase Wick yarn for Mom's Guilt Socks was generous enough to include four skeins of this Malabrigo. This is my first extended Malabrigo experience (more than just petting it at the yarn store) and now I know what all the hype is about. I haven't settled on what to make with it yet... at just over 800 yards, I think it would be a bit short for a sweater. Maybe a snuggly vest? Or a hat, scarf, and mittens set? But really, who cares -- even unknit this stuff is great.

Speaking of Mom's Guilt Socks, they are on the needles and progressing nicely. I'm doing them toe-up and am going to try an afterthought heel, partly because I want to see what it's like and partly to allow them to be easily repaired if need be.

Enjoy the new look (we'll see how long it lasts) and if you have some Malabrigo laying around he house, give it a good squeeze for me.

The Sock Karma Really is Reversed

2007-08-20T19:31:00.000-07:00

You may remember that I debated between two different yarns in my stash in making my Sockapalooza 4 pal's socks. One I had in great quantities, the other I received from an almost sock pal in Sockapalooza 3. I decided to go with the almost pal's yarn, not only because it is yummy and would be fun to knit with, but also because I had (small) hopes of reversing any bad sock knitting karma that might be attached to them. Not to get all Pollyanna on you, but I really wanted to make lemonade out of these lemons.

Well folks, the karma is officially reversed.

Not only did I get an amazing package from my official sock pal for this year - Katrina at Here in Topeka - but I also got a package from a sock savior!

The lovely Sarah at Yoshimi Knits made a whole second pair of socks for Sockapalooza 4. That's right, she had a regular sock pal to knit for, but also volunteered to also be a sock savior for some poor soul (me!) who didn't get socks in the last round. That's so freaking nice.

The socks themselves are totally awesome - screaming bright green and they fit like a dream. I actually had socks in this same color in high school and college that I literally wore to death. They finally disintegrated and were sent to hole-y sock heaven. I loved them so much because the brightness would peep out between my Birkenstock clogs and the hem of may pants to make me happy.

They're full of truly beautiful details, too. The toes are shaped asymmetrically to match the curve of one's toes. That means I have a definite left and right sock! So cool. And the raised knit stitches from the leg and foot extend onto the toe and the heel:

Sarah also sent the leftover yarn - enough to make a second pair if I wanted, or maybe some matching fingerless gloves? - and some English body lotion and foot scrub. I am so pampered!

Thanks, Sarah, for your kindness. I love the socks and am totally inspired by your willingness to be a sock savior. You've proved that bad sock karma really can be reversed!

Crafty Friends are Awesome

2007-08-19T11:25:00.000-07:00

Anita and I met during our first year at UCLA. We lived on the same floor in the residence halls and went through so many of life's firsts together...first time living away from home, first college classes, first "real" boyfriends, first Spring Break road trip. Together with Belinda and Shannon (and sometimes L - what ever happened to her?) we formed a pack of loud, laughing, silly girls, who watched "Golden Girls", studied to the wee hours of the night, shared acne-fighting secrets, created innumerable inside jokes, and eventually figured out what it means to be young women.

Anita, recently gave me this knitterly t-shirt. She saw it and knew that the super-geek knitter in me would totally love it. How great is this shirt?

And how great is it to have friend who totally gets what it means to love crafting so much that you would want it emblazoned it across your chest? I love it. L-O-V-E it.

BTW - The necklace I'm wearing the picture was made by Anita. She creates beautiful jewelry hat she sometimes sells but often gives to loved ones (yet another perk of having crafty friends - crafty gifts!). She blogs about everything new and fashionable at Anita Stylist. Go check out her blog - you will be way cooler for doing it. Promise.

WOW and THANK YOU!

2007-08-12T11:41:00.000-07:00

Thursday started out as a yucky day. I felt ill all morning, and was in a mood to match. So I made use of sick leave and went home to rest and recuperate.

But guess what was waiting on my doorstep to brighten my mood? My Sockapalooza socks arrived!

There were so many treasures inside, I was struck wordless for several minutes. Mr. Hipp was home as well, and all he heard was shrieks, gasps, and giggles.

My sock pal - Katrina at Here in Topeka - was amazingly generous. The package and lovely note were full of sweet thoughtfulness. Katrina really made an effort to personalize this package for me and I am so grateful for it. It made me feel much better after my yucky morning!

The socks were packaged in a super-cute Sockapalooza-themed bag made by The Knitting Ewe On The Go (it is the perfect size to be a project bag for a sock-in-progress). And the socks themselves - wow. They are made from Sunshine Yarns superwash merino wool in the Tulips colorway. She made them from the Conwy pattern in Knitting on the Road because she saw that I had been to Conwy during my trip to Wales and Ireland last year and had fond memories of the place.

The photos of the socks here are of them drying on sock blockers today. That's because my camera conked out after I took the photos of the package and before I could get photos of them on my feet. I wore them during my feel-better nap on Thursday afternoon, and then all day at work on Friday (the fit is perfect!), so I figured I should wash them before showing you Katrina's beautiful handiwork. I got my camera running again today, so here are two closeups - they really don't do the socks justice, but hopefully you can get the idea of how much she spoiled me with these.

There was also whole skein of Sunshine Yarns sock yarn in Fiesta - love the bright colors - because she saw that I am a yarn diet and thought I might like something new to play with. (So sweet!) It also came with a copy of Knitting on the Road, which I have been drooling after for ages, so now I have the Conwy pattern she used to make my socks, plus a whole bunch more! Socks made from these patterns are all over the internet and look like a great way for me to learn some new techniques. I've already marked the Denmark socks for Mr. Hipp, who studied there while in college.

And I have no idea how Katrina managed this, but the book is SIGNED by the AUTHOR HERSELF! That's right, Nancy Bush put a note in there just for me! Here's another peek at the socks, too.

But that's not all...Katrina also met famous knitter/writer The Yarn Harlot and took a picture of her holding my socks-in-progress! And - I think this is so cool - Katrina entered these socks in the Washington County (Oregon) Fair and won first place in the cabled socks division. OMG - my socks are not only touched by fame and greatness, they are also prize-winners!

Check out Katrina's blog for more details on the story behind these socks and news from the life of this truly wonderful woman.

Thanks, Katrina, for transforming my Thursday from totally yucky to one of the coolest days ever!

(BTW - the socks I made for my pal arrived too! Check out Hippezippe for the results, as well as pictures of her many hand-knit socks. She must be the most prolific sock knitter in Europe!)

The Big Send Off

2007-08-05T00:21:00.000-07:00

The Sockapalooza 4 socks are on their way to their new owner in a far-off land. Once I get the news that my sock pal has received her socks, I can spill the beans about who she is. Wait until you see her knitting blog! She is an amazing and prolific sock knitter!

I made sure to give the socks a good washing before wrapping them up. The tag for this yarn suggests adding a bit of vinegar when washing. I had never done this before, so when Roxanne at Zen Yarn Garden left a comment here, I took the opportunity to ask her what the vinegar is all about. She wrote back right away, with this great info:

I suggest just a dab of vinegar in cool water for the first wash...it helps to preserve colour a wee bit. If the colour runs a bit, don't worry, it's just a little excess coming out like a new pair of jeans - it's to be expected with dyed yarns. My dyeing process helps with colourfastness and I have rinsed them quite well before you get the yarns too. Just a dab will do you...it's an old trick with colours - a little vinegar in the wash just keeps the colours a little longer.

Thanks, Roxanne! I just got a bottle of lavender-scented, no-rinse, Eucalan wool wash. (Visit their site to get a sample!) So I filled the bathroom sink with water and added one cap-full each of Eucalan and white vinegar. The vinegar really did do the trick -- minimal bleeding! I was a little worried that the vinegar smell would remain which, given that these are supposed to be worn on FEET, would not be a good thing; but I took a good sniff after they dried an it's all good.

As a little treat for my sock pal, I packed the socks into this charming lunch bag.

The hand knit wool socks look like such an anachronism against the thermal silver lining of the lunch bag; but I guess that the anachronistic nature of hand-knits is what makes the craft so popular today, and why it lends itself so well to blogging. Combining an old craft with new technology brings a very calming source of balance.

I didn't finish up my trail of notes to ensure that sock #2 is identical to sock #1, so here you go:

After finishing the heel, start back in the pattern for the leg
Knit 58 rows in the pattern so that you get 29 little eyelet thingies; end with row 2 of the pattern
Cut yarn for main color, leaving enough tail for weaving in later
Switch to the contrast color and, using size US6 needles, purl all stitches for 2 rounds
Switch back to US 4 needles and begin knit1 purl 1 ribbing, do 14 rows of ribbing
Use this method to create a stretchy bound off edge; pull the cuff wide after every 2 stitches are bound off to make sure it's not too tight
Weave in all ends

With all the excitement of making these socks for my sock pal, I almost forgot that I can expect a pair of socks to arrive on my doorstep as well. (Giving really is as good as receiving.) I can't wait for my own Sockapalooza 4 socks to arrive!

Have a great week!

Sockapalooza 4 Socks are DONE!

2007-07-28T18:37:00.001-07:00

Yay! They're done! And my new sock blockers arrived just in time to model them. The socks still need to be washed and blocked for real, but I was so excited that I had to post them right away.

There are still a lot of leftovers from the Raspberry Chocolate yarn that is the main color of the socks. How much? I don't know...like fist size when it's scrunched up? Very scientific, I know. See, I never weigh or measure my yarn so I have no clue what I have. I leave that sort of thing to the more organized and anal amongst us. I have to be organized and anal at work, so I save energy by letting my crafts be controlled by fate, luck, and happenstance. A little heartache with unsuccessful projects now and then is worth the freedom of crafting laziness.

Some of the yarn will get wound off to send to my Sock Pal -- along with the leftovers of the green/brown used for the toes, heels, and cuffs -- to fix any holes that might arise after what I hope will be many wearings.

But what to do with the rest? My sister-in-law would really like some little footlets from this yarn, but there's a chance it won't be enough yardage. I think I'll go ahead and take the risk -- use bigger needles, plain stockinette, and live dangerously!

HP in the House

2007-07-23T13:29:00.000-07:00

We got one copy of the book just after midnight on Friday evening. A 15 minute drive seemed waaaaaay too long to wait to crack it open, so I had Mr. Hipp read it aloud to me as I drove home.
We finished at 10pm (me) and 11pm (Mr. Hipp) last night. An excellent read indeed! I am sad to think that it is the end of the Harry Potter saga, but at least I have the movies to look forward to.

Speaking of which, have you see the latest movie in IMAX? We saw it before picking up the book on Friday. The final fight scenes are in 3D!

Sockapalooza 4 socks are nearly done and are simply scrumptious, and my order from Halcyon Yarn arrived. That means Mom's Guilt Socks will be on the needles soon!

Southern California Knitting

2007-07-13T20:08:00.000-07:00

I was able to make considerable progress on my Sockapalooza 4 socks while the in-laws were in town. After making the toe of sock #2 at the Getty Center, I took out the knitting again to work on the foot while chillin' by the pool. A poolside seat, a sarong, and a flip flop to hold open a Harry Potter book so my hands are free for knitting. What else could a So Cal knitter want? Oh man, I love summer.

More Hipps Than You Can Shake a Stick (or a Needle) At

2007-07-10T21:28:00.000-07:00

The Hipp parents and sister were in town last week. We had a great time with them and got to see some things around Southern California that have been on our to-do list for ages.

We all did a 5K walk/run to celebrate the 4th of July. I finished somewhere between 33 and 38 minutes (I didn't time myself exactly); not bad for someone who sits all day at work, then sits at home knitting (or reading blogs) afterwards. We spent some time hanging out on the beach, playing golf, and eating like there's no tomorrow. It was a great vacation and one I sorely needed after an endless parade of outbreaks at work.

Some time was taken from the general gluttony to visit the Getty Center and my dear alma mater, UCLA (go Bruins!). The Getty Center rocks. It is breathtakingly beautiful. But make sure you bring sunglasses...that white travertine is bright with a capital B.

I pulled a tendon in my foot during the 5K, so after hobbling through the Getty architectural tour and a few exhibits, I skipped the garden tour (sigh), propped my foot on a chair, and set a spell by a fountain to knit. I managed to complete the toe finished on sock #2 for my Sockapalooza 4 pal before feeling ready to limp to some fine art.

Yup, that means sock #1 is done! I ended up redoing the entire cuff in 1X1 rib; I think it will help hold the sock up a little better. Linda at Happy Sticks commented that her Roza Socks don't stay up as well as she would like, so I wanted to give it a little extra lift. Does 1X1 rib grip better than 3X3 rib? I'm not totally sure, but it seems like it would.

UCLA was more beautiful than I remembered. Much of the construction that was ongoing during my time there is complete. Powell Library was getting retrofitted for earthquake protection during my first year, and we had a temporary tent-like library that was christened the Towell (temporary Powell, get it?). When Powell was finished, it became a good place to study and, thanks to the cushy leather chairs and hidden desks in the book stacks, a good place to take a nap between classes.

My foot still hurt, but I had such fun poking around North Campus that I barely had time to defend myself against the Bruin Bear that tried to attack me.

I survived. But just barely. I used my knitting needles to poke it in the eye. It's back to work for me. Have a great week!

Comment Spam is Poop

2007-07-09T09:44:00.000-07:00

For a blog that gets less than 10 hits a day - most of them from Mr. Hipp - I never thought Hipp Crafts would be the victim of comment spam. For those who don't know, it is similar to the spam you get in your email, but left in comments of posts. To avoid this sort of thing in the future, I've added a word verification feature to commenting. You will need to type in the distorted word that you see before the comment will be published. I really hope that this is not a deterrent to commenters, because I love seeing the feedback! Thanks for your patience. We will now return to our regular programming.

Guilt Socks

2007-07-08T20:57:00.000-07:00

My mom seems to think that these Sockapalooza 4 socks are going to make their way to her someday. She has been leaving comments admiring the colors, wondering if the socks will fit a size 9 (happens to be her shoe size), and blatantly saying that she would take them as hand-me-downs. Sorry, Mom, these are for a sock exchange and will be sent to a sock knitter in a far off land!

But then I saw on Grumperina's blog that there is a yarn that wicks sweat away from your feet, and it's worsted weight for quick knitting. I knew the knitting cosmos was telling me "Knit a freaking pair of socks for your mom already!". See, Mom's a big hiker, and keeping sweat away from your feet while hiking is key to avoiding blisters. With fatty yarn, even I should be able to finish a pair of socks in a reasonable length of time, and the result will have the thickness as regular hiking socks.

I dropped a little email to my mom, indicating that if someone wanted to get me 2-3 balls of this cool wicking yarn, I could maybe be convinced to knit up a quick pair. (Mom's not the only one who can drop an obvious hint.)

Four days later, I got a gift certificate to Halcyon Yarn. And what do you know...they sell Wick!

Yarn diet maintained? Check. Mom looking forward to cool wicking hiking socks? Check. I can't back off now, especially after never finishing her Scholar Collar scarf (oops).

Grrrrr!

2007-06-26T19:20:00.000-07:00

The top ribbing is done. Looks great, but the bind off is too tight. I can't even get it onto my foot! Grrrrrr!

I wanted to do a regular bind off for a nice tidy edge. The rest of the sock is knit on US4 (3.5mm) needles, so using US8 (5mm) to bind off should be loose enough, right? Wrong. Double grrrrrr. The next 30 minutes of my life will be spent carefully ripping out the bind off and redoing it in the stretchier, but less tidy, sewn bind off.

At least the yarn is still fun to work with. No pooling at 42 stitches to the round -- love!

Mammoth Lakes

2007-06-18T20:47:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I posted anything but Sockapalooza 4 activity, but I think my recent trip to Mammoth Lakes deserves a special viewing.

There is still snow on the mountains in June!

The six hour drive was made bearable by my iPod and the promise of knitting (that's yarn in the plastic bag). Podcasts of "This American Life" turn any long drive into a treat. I had six hour-long episodes loaded on my iPod and listened to them all! I love you, Ira Glass, you and your smug little liberal smart-mouth attitude and your radio show that makes me alternate between raucous giggles and pensive quiet.

The moments of pensive quiet did not last for long, thanks in part to this winner...

His mother must be so proud!

I was spoiled with a fruit smoothie upon arrival at my brother's campsite. My brother 1) likes toys with engines, and 2) does not believe in doing anything half-way. Here he is whipping up the smoothie using a gas-powered blender. Yes, those handles on the sides rev up the blender and make it go vroom vroom! I am pleasantly surprised to report that the gasoline power did not affect the smoothie taste one bit.

My future sister-in-law modeled another one of the toys with engines that they brought along.

After polishing off my smoothie, I opted for non-gasoline-powered fun: handknit socks and a pair of hiking shoes.

These socks were sort of my first pair ever. I made the first one as practice before launching into my first ever socks for Sockapalooza 3 last year. The second one came along after I finished my pal's pair.

My little hike took me up and over a small ridge. The view was spectacular. If you have never seen the Sierra Nevadas in real life, you must add this area to your list of places to visit before you die. It will be worth it. Promise!

I'm approaching the end of sock #1 for my Sock Pal. That means next post will be back to the Knitting Channel. Have a great week!

Goal: Matching Socks, Gusset and Heel

2007-06-14T20:47:00.000-07:00

My Sockapalooza socks managed to survive their weekend alone, abandoned underneath my desk at work. Here is I how I found them on Monday, huddled against an empty cardboard box and near some old sneakers.

I leave the sneakers under m desk in case I decide to go for a walk on my breaks. But what do I end up doing on breaks instead? That's right, knitting. At least my brain and fingers are getting exercise.

Time to remember what craziness I did to cobble together a gusset and heel:

For the foot - Knit in pattern as established until time for gusset increases (19 eyelets from the toe, or 38 rows of the pattern after the toe).
For the gusset - Increase two stitches on alternate rows as follows: On first needle (instep side), knit row 1 of pattern, knit through the front and back (ktfb) of last stitch (the 3rd stitch in a set of 3 knit stitches). Increases done this way look like a knit and purl stitch next to one another. On the second needle (sole side), knit to the stitch that was the ending purl stitch on the prior row, ktfb of it. Gusset increases will always be when you do row 1 of the pattern on the instep.
Continue in this way until 16 stitches have been added (8 on each side of the instep).
Do one more non-increasing round after the last round of increases.
Knit in pattern across needle 1. On needle 2, purl 1.
Switch to contrast color. Make heel as described in this tutorial. Use 7 stitches for the heel flap, making 14 rows so that you get 7 stitches on each side to pick up for the back of the heel.
Follow heel tutorial until all of the gusset stitches have been incorporated into the heel.
NOTE: instead of ssk, do slip 1 knitwise slip 1 purlwise, slip both stitches back to the left needle, knit both stitches together through the back loops. Doing the decreases this way seems to make th stitches lie better than a regular ssk.
End heel with a wrong-side row (purling). Turn and pick up main color. Knit 2 together, knit along back side of the heel to the last 2 stitches, knit 2 together.
Continue to front of sock in pattern (this should be row 2 of pattern). On needle 2 (heel side), p3k3 across ending with p3.
Start using pattern all the way around sock to make the leg.

My sock pal's foot is a size smaller and quite a bit narrower than mine. These socks fit a uncomfortably tight on me so I think they should fit my sock pal perfectly. Ah, ribbed patterns are so forgiving!

Goal: Matching Socks

2007-06-08T19:43:00.000-07:00

The unfortunate thing about knitting socks is that there are two of them. Two separately crafted objects, complete in themselves. My knitting often takes unexpected creative twists (aka, errors) that I might leave in as nods to the beauty of handmade goods or out of sheer laziness. But with socks, especially ones that will be given to others, those creative twists either need to be duplicated exactly or identified and corrected immediately. My addled brain and slow knitting speed do not lend themselves to simply noting the twists. I must record them, and diligently.

Since a blog is first and foremost a log, I think I'll use some posts to record in-progress pattern notes. Feel free to use them for yourself if you like.

Socks are knit on one circular needle using magic loop
Using contrast color, use magic cast on to put 11 stitches on each needle (22 stitches total)...so much magic in these socks!
First round was all knit stitches (knit through back loops of second needle), followed by an increase round (knit through the front and back of first stitch, knit the the second to the last stitch on the needle, knit through the front and back of the next stitch, then knit one...repeat on the second needle); repeat these two rounds until there are 21 stitches on each needle (42 stitches total)
End toe with one round of all knit stitches
Change to main color; knit all stitches of first needle (this will be the top of the foot); purl one, knit to the last stitch, purl one on the second needle (this will be the sole)
Launch into Roza's sock pattern on the first needle, continue on second needle as in the previous row

When I get through the heel, I'll post more notes on the gusset increases and the heel itself. Keep your fingers crossed for perfectly matched socks.

There would be a picture here of the socks in progress, but I left them at work! I think I am going to cry. They'll be safe until Monday, but I was so looking forward to working on them this weekend!

Started

2007-06-02T13:39:00.000-07:00

Neither Hip Nor Funky has given me some inspiration for my Sockapalooza 4 socks. Check out her new socks in progress using two variegated yarns. I never would have thought of combining two variegated yarns together in a sock. Since I've only got one skein of of the Raspberry Chocolate, I want to make it go as far as possible.

I'm thinking leftovers from Mr. Hipp's Zen Yarn Garden socks, made last summer with a cable twist and short-row heel and toe pattern of my own design.

I'm thinking contrast heel and toe. I'm thinking a stretchy rib pattern to accommodate my Sock Pal's high arch. I'm thinking Grumperina's Roza's Socks from the Spring 2007 issue of Interweave Knits.

I'm thinking that I like it. I like it a lot.

I've adapted the pattern to be knit toe-up (gotta maximize that one skein of Raspberry Chocolate) and adjusted the stitch count down from from 60 to 42 since I am using a much thicker yarn than the pattern calls for.

Thing is, I'm pretty sure I am following the pattern correctly, but the originals look like they have two little "eyelets" per purl rib and mine only has one.

It may just be an illusion. It may just be that I am a knitting idiot and can't follow a pattern. Either way, I'm happy with the result. Let's just call it a design feature and let it be.

We Have a Winner!

2007-05-28T20:10:00.000-07:00

The baby sock/swatch using the blue/white Socka Colori is finished. So bitty and cute! I really like the faded blue colors as they are -- like old denim. And look how the self-striping made the toe and heel stand out. Love it. I hope I can find a similar starting point for the next one so that they sort of match.

At this point, I think I am leaning toward using the Raspberry Chocolate yarn for my Sockapalooza 4 socks. I took the advice and comments to heart, and also had a little pondering time to myself.

Not to get all goal-oriented on you (oh, my mother would be so proud), but I think it came down to what I wanted to achieve with making this socks. This sock exchange is a great way to force myself to learn new things without making a half-assed effort -- a nice lady in a far off land is looking forward to receiving my handiwork; I cannot let her down! So do I want to focus on learning about dyeing and colors, or on pattern and technique? Given my current level of knitting, I think the logical choice would be to challenge myself with pattern and technique. The Zen Yarn Garden yarn is pleasurable to work with, it will be all the easier to keep focus on learning new knitterly skills. Experimenting with color and dyeing will be an excellent way to step it up after I have further mastered the process of knitting in itself.

Besides, this little blue bootie came out so well. It would be a shame to mess with a good thing.

And now, onto the hunt for a pattern...

Comments Rock!

2007-05-27T10:57:00.000-07:00

Thank you THANK YOU thank you for your wonderful input! It is SO exciting to see the comments section fill up with encouraging and helpful words. Your comments are emailed to me in addition to showing up on the blog, but I cannot respond directly to all commenters via email. Bleh. I want to encourage more comments, and I think the advice was super helpful, so I will respond and summarize here. Perhaps other overly-apprehensive sock knitters can benefit from your comments.

Knitty Kat encouraged over-dyeing the sock since my sock pal, despite being a master sock knitter, may not have done this for herself. Great thought! I would love to give my sock pal something that is new and fun for her. (BTW, I have every other Monday off, but with "Heroes" ending its season last week I now have a void to fill on Monday nights. I may *sigh* have to devote that time to housecleaning but I'm sure I can insert some knitting time too!)

S B notes that dyeing yarn in the skein before it is knit up can produce better results than dyeing a finished knit; it hides the dyeing "imperfections". Great tip! She also really liked the Raspberry Chocolate...hard to argue with that.

Seanna Lea feels my "Heroes" lament and digs the Raspberry Chocolate, too. She asked about patterns -- I do have some in mind. I'm not big into knitting lace, but don't want to do plain stockinette. Something with a fun ribbed or cable pattern may be in order. I'll have to see what will work best with the yarn I choose. An upcoming post will be about my pattern options.

Muoriska says that she loves dyeing so much that she sometimes would rather dye than knit! Now that is a excellent red flag for me...the last thing I need is a new hobby! If dyeing is as addictive as knitting, I may be starting down a shadowy path of additional distraction and obsession. She likes the Raspberry Chocolate as well; good to know that even yarn-dyeing pros are into this colorway. Zen Yarn Garden certainly did a fine job.

Alison (the organizer of Sockapalooza 4!) sends words of wisdom regarding fears of knitting for a sock knitting superstar: "If she makes herself a lot of socks then she's a genuine sock-lover and will love whatever you make for her!" That makes me feel like a million bucks...thanks!

Carola offers some very practical advice -- you can't tell how the dyeing experiment works out until you're done. She also sends encouragement about knitting for a super sock-knitter: "...by participating in this exchange [she] signed up to the surprise. You will do fine!" So take heart, other newish sock knitters, the fun of these exchanges is in the surprise - not in the perfection - of the finished object. Very reassuring!

Jess Poskozim brings it home: "...if your petting and sighing is any indication, it will be fun to knit with something that soft". So true, so true. Using the same yarn (in a different colorway) to knit socks for Mr. Hipp was pure joy. The yarn is like butta, and it's DK weight so it knits up a lot faster than the fingering weight Socka Colori.

Some great food for thought. Thank again for your great comments!

Should I Dye or Reverse the Sock Pal Karma?

2007-05-21T18:56:00.000-07:00

Sockapalooza 4 has arrived to Casa de Hipp. Just my luck, I have been assigned to knit socks for a master sock knitter. She seriously posts four new pairs of hand knit socks on her blog each week. I assume they are all knit by her, but since her blog is not written in English (international sock pal! super fun!) that assumption might make and ASS out of U and ME in the end. We have already exchanged emails, in which I have warned her that I just learned to make socks last year and she has generously said she will be happy with anything I knit for her. Woo hoo! Easy going...now that's my kind of sock pal.

Nevertheless, I want to make socks that will make this nice lady happy in her far off land. The first order of business is yarn selection. Thanks to the Yarn Lady Bag Sale (no worries, purchased pre-yarn diet), I have eight balls of Scholler Stahl Fortissima Colori Socka Color. Go ahead, say it out loud to yourself. "Schoeller Stahl Fortissima Colori Socka Color". Fun, huh? The balls I have are blue, white, and gray. The yarn is good stuff, but my sock pal had no mention of blues or grays in her color preferences. Easy going, yes, but I can do better.

My first thought is to use this yarn anyway and overdye it with Kool Aide into something that is better suited to my sock pal's preferences. I've decided to make a pair of baby socks as my swatch. I'll see how they dye up and go from there. With all the pregnant ladies around me, my swatch can be used as a baby gift, too. Two birds with one stone!

My second thought is to use the sock yarn sent to me by the person who was supposed to knit socks for me in Sockapalooza 3. She ended up not having time to knit me an actual pair of socks, but did send two skeins of gorgeous soft yumminess from Zen Yarn Garden as a karmic offering. I have made a pair of socks for Mr. Hipp out of one skein, leaving this one - Raspberry Chocolate - for me to pet and sigh over. Please excuse the cat-as-background. She decided that it was her time to join the cat-modeling fun.

If anyone out there has any thoughts on the matter, I would be glad to hear them. Off to do some chores before "Heroes" comes on. I don't know what I will do with my Mondays this summer!

Happy Belated Mother's Day

2007-05-14T16:52:00.001-07:00

For all of the mothers out there (especially my own!), I hope yesterday was super duper wonderful. Yay, Moms!

My mom takes crafting to a whole other level. I think she sees it less as a hobby and more as a common-sense approach to getting what you want, how you want it, when you want it. Her crafts have included everything from remodeling houses, to sewing my homecoming dance dress (green velvet!), to building her own china cabinet. There is nothing she can't do, or at least won't try once! That's the kind of spirit that makes crafting not just relaxing, but also practical and rewarding.

And now for some Mother's Day news: the recipient of this baby knit arrived on Saturday morning, just in time for Mother's Day. I have also received word of two more mothers-to-be in recent weeks - that brings the count to up six pregnant ladies that I know (it was seven until Saturday morning!). My goodness!

Bootie Bootie Bootie Bootie Rockin' Everywhere

2007-04-20T20:15:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are photos of the completed Debbie Bliss baby bootie pattern adapted to knitting in the round.

Can someone please call the police? Because cuteness like this cannot be legal.

And the i-cord ankle tie came out so perfect. Better than the original strap with a button, if I do say so myself...and no worries about a choking hazard!

I'm no Grumperina, but even I can tell when a pattern is in need of improvement. I can see no reason for this pattern to be knit flat then seamed up the middle except fear of being intimidating. The modifications I made to knit it in the round are certainly not intimidating, even to a big lazy knitting chicken like me. Certainly nothing that a beginner with some cojones and a row marker couldn't handle.

I guess Debbie Bliss' patterns do not cater to the cojones crowd. What a shame.

Are You Ready?

2007-04-17T18:54:00.001-07:00

Sockapalooza 4 has 1,000 members! Wowza! I signed up -- did you?

The organizer of Sockapalooza 4 is also associated with a knitalong of Harry Potter knits. The knitalong is not just for fun, it's also for charity. I have previously been sorted into Ravenclaw. Raise your hand if you took notes in college using an outline format in four colors of ink and White Out to fix your mistakes right away! Hey, I am I the only one with my hand up?

Easter 2007

2007-04-08T09:12:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter!

The North Carolina Easter Bunny (aka my dear mother-in-law) sent us a special package.

Yum-aroo! Our sweet teeth are set for at least a week.

Notice anything else in the basket besides candy and scratcher tickets? Yep, it's yarn! Mr. Hipp took the hint and got me some very special Harry Potter-themed sock yarn from Dani at Sunshine Yarns.

From top to bottom: Colors inspired by Fawkes the Phoenix, a Welsh Green Dragon, a Swedish Short Snout Dragon, a Hungarian Horntail Dragon, and a Chinese Fireball Dragon.

This yarn is amazing. I couldn't quite capture the rich colors on this cloudy day but I promise it is better in real life. Mr. Hipp has already called dibs on any socks made from the Welsh Green or Hungarian Horntail.

We're going to spend the rest of the day watching the Masters on TV and getting some quality knitting done. I'm working on the curved front hem of the Sunrise Circle Jacket. I'm attaching the hem as I purl and bind off all at once; it's a lot of keep track of but seems to be working nicely. Not having to sew it down afterwards is worth it! Sorry about the blurry picture, I'm going to try to get a better one taken later today.

After finishing the hem, I'll either start right into the other sleeve or go back to the baby booties. Choice choices choices. Have a happy day!

Coming Up for Air

2007-04-05T19:55:00.000-07:00

Crafting content has been put on an unfortunate hold as I deal with this at work. If you've ever wondered what an epidemiologist does, this is a doozy of an example.

No pictures yet, but my attempt at knitting the latest baby bootie in the round is a success! I've decided that a button for the ankle strap is just a little too risky for my taste. Um, would you want to be the knitter who introduced a potential choking hazard to your friend's baby? So I'm going to try making an i-cord that's long enough to tie into a bow instead.

My mother gave up on waiting for her Scholar Collar. She found an acceptable substitute for herself at an REI sale - $2 for a 100% silk knit scarf! Sorry, Mom, that I didn't finish your scarf in a reasonable time, but I think you scored a major deal in the end.

Keeping checking back for my next gasp of fresh air! Send good thoughts to the ill people in this outbreak for a quick and healthy recovery.

Eye Candy Friday - March 30, 2007

2007-03-30T20:25:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a while since I've posted for Eye Candy Friday so I decided to make it a good one.

This is an old church reflected off of a new office building in downtown Dallas this February. I love how the reflection of the church is distorted but you can still see some of the design elements.

Have a happy Friday!

Dementia Prevention

2007-03-28T20:13:00.000-07:00

This baby bootie is so freakin' cute I can hardly stand it, despite the weird instructions to knit it flat and seam it up the middle of the sole. Bootie #2 will be knit in the round, partially to get rid of that annoying seam and partly as some knitterly dementia prevention. If all goes well, I can rip out Bootie #1 and re-do it in the round to match. When a knit is this small, it's not too painful to unravel it...even for a slow knitter like me!

Harry Potter Sock Yarn Alert!

2007-03-26T19:00:00.001-07:00

If you are allowed to buy yarn in your Knit from Your Stash 2007 rules, you might want to do so at 11AM EDT tomorrow. Sunshine Yarns is making a bunch of her hand-dyed yarn available for sale at her Etsy shop and promises Harry Potter-inspired colorways. You may have seen these great Gryffindor socks around blogland. (Think Mr. Hipp will get the hint?)

We've Only Just Begun

2007-03-25T18:10:00.000-07:00

From Wendee on the "Babies Babies Everywhere" post:

I hear that we are having one of the biggest baby booms since, well, the baby boom.

That certainly seems to be the case for people around me. I know five expectant mothers right now, one with twins! Look at what arrived in yesterday's mail...

It's time to start another baby knit! Now, if I were a savvy knitter, I would start on each baby knit when I learn of each pregnancy rather than when I learn of each baby shower. That would be quite smart and organized of me. That would also make Mr. Hipp cry out, "Who are you and what have you done with my wife!?!" Savvy, smart, and organized aren't words that are often applied to me...at least not the knitter in me. (I try to bring a bit of savvy, smarts, and organization to at least my work life...I think that about exhausts my supplies, though!)

So in an effort to be a bit more on the ball, I have started this baby knit ASAP. Always the rebel, I cast on for a non-beaded, non-fair isle, version of Debbie Bliss' Beaded Fair Isle Shoes.

These are coming along swimmingly so far. They are knit more or less flat and have a seam along the bottom of the sole and up the back of the heel; it seems odd to have this sort of construction when it could just be made in the round. Good thing babies aged 3-6 months don't do much walking or else that seam would get really uncomfortable really fast.

Molasses

2007-03-24T19:25:00.001-07:00

The baby bonnet from my last post arrived in South Carolina yesterday, just in time for the baby shower today. I sent it off on Wednesday via Priority Mail with fingers crossed for a Saturday arrival (and toes crossed for arrival before the 2:00 PM start time for the shower!) and it gets there a whole day early. Gotta love the US Postal Service.

With this baby gift off my list, I was able to devote a bit of time to the Sunrise Circle Jacket. I am on Row 73 of the left sleeve/front.

Only four more rows before the turning row for the hem. Woot woot! But man oh man, those loooooong purl rows are about killing me. I timed myself this morning: eight minutes to do the 137 purl stitches of Row 72. Yeesh, slower than molasses.

Fickle Finger of Fate

2007-03-20T18:57:00.000-07:00

A more fickle knitter you will never meet. The baby booties, despite the three versions -- plus one more (failed) test for a revised Robin-Hood bootie -- and some super soft cashmere-blend yarn, have been deemed a failure. The ribbed version just didn't look nice in the end. It looked so...home made. As a crafter this is painful to say, since "home made" is usually a motto of pride. But this poor little bootie was less "hand crafted especially for you" and more "you're auntie made this for you so you're going to wear it, no matter how much your friends laugh". I just couldn't bear the thought of starting this child on a path of ridicule.

So I turned to blogland and came upon the Top Down Bonnet at brooklyntweed. Yes!

It was done in about eight hours...not too bad for a last minute change of knitting plans.

Lacking an actual baby to model the bonnet, I hunted around the house for something else small and round. A vase from our Costa Rican honeymoon seemed close enough when turned upside down.

The vase enjoys wearing the bonnet while facing forward...

...and turned to the side.

I am in LOVE with this bonnet. It looks home made in the good way. The parents of this baby are leaving the baby's gender a surprise, so I figured the green stripes would be both gender-neutral and fun.

Now all I have to do is get this thing to South Carolina before Saturday. Ack! Think I have time to knit some baby tube socks before tomorrow's FedEx pick up? Heh heh.

Babies Babies Everywhere

2007-03-14T19:13:00.000-07:00

It seems like everyone I know is having a baby nowadays. The Jaywalker socks, Sunrise Circle Jacket, and Knock Off Bag have been put on a three-day hiatus so I can make a quick gift for an upcoming baby shower. I can't attend the shower, but I figured I should send a little knitting love to the baby anyway. (If you know which baby I am talking about, please don't spill the beans before the shower!)

My first thought was to make these Robin-Hood-like booties from Debbie Bliss' The Baby Knits Book. The construction seemed simple but interesting. You knit three diamonds:one for the outside (black), one for the lining (tan), and one for the heel (both colors).

Wait a minute, black booties for a baby? I say you are never two young to have a good pair of basic black shoes. Besides, it's what I had in my stash. So there.

This bootie ended up sort of weird-looking, though. First, it's huge. Like toddler huge. The front is pretty cute (center bootie, below), but the diamonds come to a sharp point in the back that just doesn't make any sense. Unless babies have fighting blades attached to the backs of the their heels, a la cockfight?

So I moved on to just making a basic tow-up sock with the lining yarn (a yummy cashmere blend). I felt sort of bleh about the first one, too (left bootie, above). The second one has ribbing at the top (right bootie, above) that I think is going to be the big winner in the end. I think the ribbing will help it stay on Baby's teeny feet.

I'm going to have to work on that Robin-Hood bootie pattern. I can't get it out of my head! I feel like it has such potential...just need to get rid of those fighting cock blades...

New Time, New Color Scheme

2007-03-13T19:48:00.000-07:00

In keeping with the sensory changes brought about by Daylight Savings Time, I've lightened up a few things around Hipp Crafts. Enjoy the new color scheme! It will be around until my mood changes again. :)

Lake Forest Knitting Society

2007-03-10T09:24:00.000-08:00

My friends were so encouraged by their foray into knitting that we have established our own knitting society!

From L to R: J is swatching for a fuzzy fair isle hat, A is working on a wide scarf, M has started a narrow scarf, C has started baby booties (she has discovered Koigu, aka crack), and I am making headway on the Sunrise Circle Jacket.

Our last meeting was just four short weeks ago. So I was SHOCKED to see the amazing progress C has made on her own. The scarf she started last time? Um, yeah it's done and a totally huge and beautiful stole now.

C has also made a successful leap into more advanced knitting. She has now mastered ribbing and short rows. Check out her cute Calorimetry.

I've been eyeballing this pattern for a while. After seeing C's, I am definitely going to make one!

Mr. Hipp wants to join our society, but couldn't pass up the chance to try out somebody's Wii.

After trying on C's Calorimetry, though, he might decide to start knitting after all!

Kick in the Pants

2007-03-10T08:53:00.000-08:00

Lolly Knitting Around posted recently about biting the bullet and finishing a sweater that has been "in progress" since last year.

Oh, if I had a nickel for every unfinished project in my bins...I would have tons of money to buy more yarn! (But not until 2008, of course.)

The winner for longest-wallowing-project is a sweater I started for Mr. Hipp before we were married. Actually, I started it before we were even engaged. Does anyone else have an unfinished project from 2001?

Yeah, six years. Pretty embarrassing. All it needs is a front, some seaming, and a neckband. For some unexplained reason, I just lost interest in the project. Maybe I was subconsciously worried about the sweater curse? Presumably not an issue now that we are married, so I guess I need to get my butt in gear and just finish the darn thing.

Also in the wallowing pool is a modified version of the Ram's Horn Jacket from Knitting Nature. I saw that I was running low on yarn, so I shortened the sleeves from full-length the three-quarters in hopes of having enough left over for the fabulous ram's horn collar, which is kind of the whole point of the jacket. The sleeves, fronts, and back are done, and I've started seaming it together.

I still have to knit the bands for the front edges of the cardigan and the collar. I am still worried that I don't have enough yarn for the collar. Putting the project aside for a while seemed easier than doing the math to know if I really don't have enough yarn or searching the internet for more yarn. My gosh, how lazy can I be!

I am going to take Lolly's example as inspiration and return these two projects to the "active" pile. I need more freaking finished objects to show you!

"American Idol", Eat Your Heart Out

2007-03-07T19:16:00.000-08:00

Thanks again to all who voted on my Jaywalker poll. The results are in:

A whopping 12 votes were cast. I was quite impressed with this number. To be honest, I didn't think I would get even that many votes!

Then Mr. Hipp spilled the beans and told me that he voted four times, all for keeping on with the Jaywalkers as is. There is a saying in epidemiology: Garbage in, garbage out, meaning if the data you bring in is biased, invalid, unreliable, etc., then the results you get out of the data will be meaningless. Assuming no others cast multiple votes, I cleaned my data of Mr. Hipp's duplicate votes and came up with some adjusted results. The overall winner remains the same, but by a much narrower margin:

Onward with the Jaywalkers!

Eye Candy - Mardi Gras!

2007-03-04T09:20:00.000-08:00

My amazing friend in New Orleans, Alison, celebrated Mardi Gras in fine crafting style this year. Check out just one of her costumes for the festivities. Alison is the one in the feathered headdress.

Gotta love the fleur-de-lis hot pants!

Distractions

2007-02-27T19:08:00.000-08:00

In an effort to distract myself from my Jaywalker quandary, I decided to cast on for the Sunrise Circle Jacket using the giant Irish spools of yarn.

Note the ruler in the pencil-cup on the right. That's right, this spool is a good 12 inches tall. Irish yarn does not mess around.

And on the left side? My favorite mug, a gift from a good friend.

You still have time to cast your vote on my Jaywalker quandary! Help an indecisive girl out! UPDATE: Voting is closed, thanks!

Quandary

2007-02-25T15:34:00.000-08:00

I have always been a docile person. Happy to please, content with following direction, I tend to coast through life with little argument or stress. My teachers always gave me "E" for "excellent" in behavior. I was voted third friendliest in my high school. My most recent performance review at work includes the phrase "a pleasure to work with". This easy-going attitude is useful in most situations, but is a constant challenge when it comes to my crafting, especially knitting.

After ripping back a few rows and a whole heel, I thought the worst was over with my Jaywalker socks. I chugged along happily, my only modifications being a short-row heel and making it toe-up instead of cuff-down. I started the foot at the larger size of the original pattern (78 stitches around) since my foot is pretty wide. The foot itself was actually a bit loose, which I didn't mind, so I figured keeping with size would be fine for my normal-sized ankle and leg.

But now I am at a crossroads with these socks. The foot fits fine now that it has a bit of pull from the heel to keep it snug. It slips on like butta. The heel is fabulous (if I do say so myself).

But the ankle! Oy, it is so freaking tight! I have to grunt...

...and tug...

...to get it on. Once it's on, it's fine. It feels snug but hey, it's a sock, it should fit snugly, right?

So here is my quandary. My docile nature is telling me "Keep going, trust the pattern and the yarn, the process of knitting will be soothing to your senses." But then my latent, seldom expressed, independent streak comes blaring in with "These don't fit! You will hate these socks every time you see them."

And I hate to admit it, but the pooling is starting to bug me. How can yarn sing so harmoniously with a knitting pattern to produce this...

...also hit so many sour notes?

So I need your help. What should I do about these socks? Please cast your vote below!

UPDATE: Voting has closed, thanks for your input!

Eye Candy Friday - February 23, 2007

2007-02-23T21:41:00.000-08:00

Kid Tested, Mother Approved

2007-02-21T21:56:00.000-08:00

Mom wanted her subtly-requested Scholar Collar to be in a neutral color so that she can wear with her work clothes. Something in black, beige, or red was preferred.

In case you couldn't tell, I'm not afraid of bright colors. Trying to balance the request of my dear mother with the limitations of my self-imposed Knit from Your Stash 2007 rules proved to be a challenge. I thought I might have to break down and go yarn shopping (note the exemption for just such an occasion), but deep deep down in my stash I found something that might work.

I wasn't totally sure it would fit the bill since it has a lot of dark brown mixed with the beige, but I decided to start knitting so I could show her a swatch during my visit to Dallas. She approved it on the spot. Whew!

This is Lion Brand Al-Pa-Ka, a wool-alpaca-acrylic blend that is now discontinued. It's made from one dark brown strand and one beige strand twisted together. The two twisted colors knit in garter stitch end up looking like a moss stitch. Brainless knitting that looks more complicated? Yeah, I'm down with it!

There are three balls in my stash so I should have plenty for this project. I have had this yarn in my stash since 2001. Yep, that's right, 2001. Thank goodness my mom approved it for her Scholar Collar, because it is time for this yarn to get off its lazy but and do some work!

I Heart Mr. Hipp

2007-02-19T17:05:00.001-08:00

This post is a few days late, but sweet nevertheless. Despite his moaning and groaning about balls of yarn all over the house, I believe he secretly loves being married to a knitter.

The proof is in the pudding. Ever eco-minded, Mr. Hipp presented these lovely gifts to me on Valentine's Day.

Nature's Palette fingering weight yarn in "Spring Grass" and
a tree-free card.

He could not help but inject a bit of Mr. Hipp humor with the card. Note the wording at the bottom.

This yarn is so soft and squishy. And it's completely within my customized rules for Knit from Your Stash 2007. The green and yellow blend so prettily together. Here is a close up for all of you yarn-porn fiends out there.

This yarn may just have to join the Green Socks Knitalong. Hmnm, yet another project for another day.

P.S. If you're interested in getting yourself (or a loved one) some eco-friendly yarn, head over to Earth Friendly Yarns. It is definitely worth checking out!

Dallas - More Fun than I Thought

2007-02-18T16:57:00.000-08:00

We had a good time in downtown Dallas yesterday watching a dragon parade. Happy Year of the Pig!

There was a long line in the chilly weather to get into the Asian art exhibit, so we all pulled out our scarves to keep warm. It was a proud day in Hipp Crafts history -- all three scarves were hand knit by yours truly!

Mr. Hipp is wearing a Gryffindor scarf I made for him in the summer of 2005 while reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Notice the tiny "A" (his first initial) embroidered into the first red stripe. My mom is wearing a stockinette stole (bunched up) I made for her birthday in 2004.

And of course, I was wearing my entrelac scarf. One of my favorite knits ever!

Eye Candy Friday - February 16, 2007

2007-02-16T22:04:00.000-08:00

Howdy from Dallas! Visiting my mom gives me access to her photos for Eye Candy Friday this week.

On a crafting note, here is some beautiful Maasai beadwork she saw while visiting Tanzania and Kenya last summer.

And on a Hipp note, here are some hippos she saw in a wildlife park. She has some amazing zoom power on her camera.

Tomorrow we're heading to downtown Dallas to see dragons on parade. Happy Lunar New Year!

Off to Dallas

2007-02-15T14:58:00.000-08:00

We're off to Dallas for the long weekend to visit my mom. The Jaywalkers and mom's Scholar Collar are coming with me. I'll try to post while there. Such lovely birthday and Valentine's Day goodies to share!

New Knitters in Progress

2007-02-12T20:40:00.000-08:00

Mwahh ha ha ha...my evil plan of converting all of my friends into knitters is slowly taking shape! First, Orange County. Next... THE WORLD! Mwahh ha ha ha!

Okay, so actually, it was just that a couple of friends want to start knitting and asked for a bit of guidance. They tempted me with the promise of gustatory goodies so really the choice was easy.

A bottle of wine, some lemon bars, and two segments of a knitting DVD later, we had some serious knitting action going on.

There were a few moments of consternation, but what is craft without a bit of a challenge?

J figured out her source of consternation and was soon happy happy joy joy again. She had some latent knitting know-how so she jumped right into making a log cabin blanket for her cats. Once she was refreshed on the knit stitch and binding off, I showed her how to pick up stitches and there was no stopping her!

C was equally impressive. She made several inches of progress on a scarf made from lovely sparkle yarn (which is also quite splitty...not an easy task, even for an experienced knitter!). Woo hoo, C! She also makes excellent lemon bars.

We also had some helpful assistants. M used to be a knitter, thanks to a seventh grade class called "Yarn Arts and Tea" (ah, the wonders of the Oregon public school system!).

M and Mr. Hipp brought us empanadas for dinner, cleaned up afterwards, and made witty conversation throughout.

Goodwill is Great

2007-02-11T11:55:00.000-08:00

I have never had the heart to intentionally felt my own knits. Part of the appeal of hand knitting, to me, is being able to say, "I made that!" for each and every little stitch. The thought of rubbing those individual stitches -- worked so carefully by my own hands -- into undefined oblivion is, well, unbearable.

The crafting potential of felt, however, is quite bearable and even delightful. Betz White's work is full of felted cuteness.

So why is the Goodwill store great? Because you can get 100% wool, non-hand-knit sweaters for cheap. In other words, knits that can be felted without grief!

I got these two beauts for just $10 total:

The gray ribbed cardigan started at 21.5 inches across at the bust and 25 inches long from the shoulder to bottom seam. The fair isle pullover started at 24 inches across and 27 inches long.

After one run through the washing machine on hot with an old pair of jeans for extra agitation, they looked like this:

The parts around the seams and zipper felted unevenly and buckled badly. It looked like they had felted enough to keep from unraveling, so I cut out the seams and zipper to give the fabric a chance to re-felt as flat pieces.

It was interesting to see the anatomy of a raglan cardigan when the side and sleeve seams were cut:

The pieces are back in the wash right now. I can't wait to see how they turn out.

Now to decide what to do with all this felt. Cute is not enough. It must still be practical. A cupcake pincushion would be fun. My iPod could use a sleeve. A bag or scarf would be quick and easy to whip up.

Have any of you made stuff from felted recycled sweaters?

Do you have any ideas to share?

Eye Candy - Saturday This Time

2007-02-10T22:32:00.001-08:00

How did I ever survive without the internet?

Our internet service has just returned after 36 hours. We had to find things to keep us distracted from our lack of access during this time: work, refrigerator bargain-hunting, a tennis tournament, and spending time with our Little Brother -- wait a minute, who has time for surfing the internet anyway?

But it is finally back. Woo hoo! Alas, Eye Candy Friday was again delayed.

So here's your candy for the week...as an epidemiologist, this sort of thing is tons of fun for me (click on picture for larger image):

It is a weekly morbidity and mortality report from an era gone by. I snapped this photo while taking the excellent tour of Plas Mawr in Conwy, Wales, last September. We do a similar report at my workplace that lists all of the reported infectious diseases for the week. While technology and knowledge in public health has advanced dramatically since this report was made, the same basic questions in epidemiology remain. When? How many? What caused it?

Notice the high number of plague cases (all deaths). What gets me are these two causes of death:

Broke her skull by a fall in the street at St. Mary Woel church......1

and

Suddenly......2

Cracks me up every time!

Slowly But Surely

2007-02-07T19:44:00.000-08:00

Despite being too big to bring along to work and travel for some quality knitting time, progress is being made on the Knock Off bag. Things move fast on big needles and chunky yarn!

It is pretty floppy, just like the inspiration (I finally found a real picture of it). Mine was sort of big, so I threw in some decreases to narrow it down and also give it a slightly different shape than the strictly rectangular inspiration.

I am loving the chilly blue color and chunkiness of the Patons Up Country. But what's up with the splotches of dark blue that randomly pop up?

I guess that's what happens when you try to make something that costs $145 for yourself.

The question now is how to attach the handles. The inspiration piece has nice leather straps sewn directly to the knit fabric. I am worried that I won't be able to attach leather to chunky knit fabric in a way that will be as strong or as neat as the original. Anyone have any advice?

One cute alternative uses corduroy as a thick binding for the top edge with corduroy straps attached to it instead of to the knit fabric. I think that the corduroy binding will make a sturdier base for the straps since it will be attached to the knit fabric all the way around. The straps would essentially be anchored to the fabric by the binding instead of just in four attachment points. Has anyone tried anything similar? Any tips to share?

Hmmm, now that I see the inspiration again, I may have to make a second one when this one is done!

BTW, some people have had trouble leaving comments. I have changed it so that comments are no longer in pop-up window. I hope this makes it easier -- so leave a comment!

Eye Candy Fri...Um, Sunday

2007-02-04T17:48:00.001-08:00

So I'm two days late with my Eye Candy Friday post. I was born two weeks late -- and would have been later if my mother hadn't insisted on being induced -- so I suppose I can argue that being late is part of my nature. That, and I had a very busy Friday and Saturday (busy but a whole lot of fun so I can't complain too much). Nature or environment? You decide.

And now to the Eye Candy!

Hey, isn't this just a progress shot of the Jaywalker socks? How can that count as Eye Candy?

Ah, Dear Reader, if only you had seen the state of the Jaywalkers just a few short days ago. I was near tears...tears, I tell you.

I was zooming on these socks. Even the uneven pooling didn't slow me down. These are FUN to knit, even with bitty sock yarn and size 1 needles. I thrilled at pulling out the blue Koigu again to make the heels. Oh and such pretty short-row heels they were, too!

When I picked up the main yarn again to connect the heel to the instep and continue up the leg, horror struck -- I had dropped a stitch on the instep side. Worse, it had laddered down almost an inch. In a hand knit sock, an inch feels like a mile.

The dropped stitch should have been incorporated into one of the double decreases in the pattern. I was not brave enough to rescue it it with a crochet hook while maintaining the pattern. There was nothing I could do. I had to frog it back to below the dropped stitch. To add insult to injury, the stitch had dropped several rows below the start of the heel, so the whole pretty blue thing got frogged as well. Waaaaaaah!

Here is the poor little Jaywalker mid-frog.

But by Friday, all was well in Hippville once again. The offending stitch was rescued, the pretty blue heel was re-done, and the waterworks were thankfully averted.

I Get the Hint

2007-01-29T21:10:00.000-08:00

My mom sent me an email yesterday containing a picture of this. There was no text in the message, just the picture. The email's subject line was "Hey this is nice..." She has also been saying how cold it is in Dallas.

I guess it's time to dig through my stash and get cracking on a scarf for Mom. It should be a good chance to learn how to make knit-in button holes.

BTW, the original scarf is from the amazing brooklyntweed. If you haven't already, you must go see his man-sweaters!

Eye Candy Friday - January 26, 2007

2007-01-26T22:07:00.000-08:00

With a last name like Hipp, you can't help but love hippos.

This pink beauty is from the It's a Small World ride at Disneyland. It sort of looks like it was made out of papier-mâché. Talk about a craft project!

The Bandwagon

2007-01-22T19:12:00.000-08:00

Every sock knitter who has not knit a pair of Jaywalkers yet, please raise your hand.

Oh hey, I'm the only one with my hand in the air.

The niche of small and portable projects for knitting breaks at work was empty. (Yeah, I knit during my work breaks. Thank goodness for labor laws! Mandatory 15 minutes of knitting for ever four hours of work.) So, of course, socks came to mind. I've been periodically squeezing my yarn from Purl and daydreaming of the pretty socks that would emerge from them someday. Then I saw this finished pair and decided to jump on the bandwagon.

Call me unoriginal. Call me trendy. Call me a follower. Call me a copy cat. Whatever.

I think I am in love. Shhhh, don't tell Mr. Hipp. No wonder this pattern is so freakin' popular.

Eye Candy Friday - January 19, 2007

2007-01-19T21:28:00.000-08:00

Just five weeks after setting an amaryllis bulb in a sunny spot with some water, you get these beautiful flowers. If only all things in life were so easy and satisfying!

Entrelac Scarf...OC Style!

2007-01-15T20:57:00.000-08:00

The entrelac scarf is all done. Yay! It has been chilly in Southern California lately, so the timing could not have been better. What to wear with a fabulous, warm, and wooly entrelac scarf when in Orange County? Why, shorts and Uggs of course!

Tree-hugging is optional, but highly recommended.

Don't worry, I am far too old -- and have way too much sense -- to really dress like this. But if you have ever been to the OC when the temperature goes below 70 degrees, then you know that this is look is laughably common.

Here are the specs on the scarf:

Pattern: Entrelac scarf, a shrunken version of the Lady Eleanor stole in Scarf Style. After seeing how huge Lady Eleanor is, I knew it would be unreasonable for me to embark on the full pattern given my knitting speed (slow) and the local climate (generally warm). But a scarf I can do!
Yarn: Noro Big Kureyon, Color 1, about 2.5 skeins
Needles: US 10 Clover bamboo circulars
Modifications: Used only three base triangles instead of seven for a narrower scarf. The knotted fringe is shorter, too.
Size: 8" wide by 60" long, not counting the fringe

I LOVE this scarf. The preliminary uncertainties in width seem to have worked themselves out. The fabric is sort of stretchy in all directions, so I think the stitches just needed to get settled. It was also a lot of fun to knit. The directions in Scarf Style were excellent; it only took a couple of rows of rectangles for the pattern to click. Then it was easy street all the way.

This scarf looks pretty on the "right" side (left) and the "wrong" side. Brilliant!

BTW, I am hugging our own Hipp little magnolia tree, generously given by my in-laws. Talk about a great Christmas present!

Beer and Knots

2007-01-14T16:51:00.001-08:00

My goodness, I am almost done with the entrelac scarf. I finally made it to the end of the knitting! (Woo hoo!) For a slow knitter like me, this is a big deal. Can you believe cosmicpluto knits! did roughly the same amount of knitting in just 18 hours? Amazing.

Now it is on to the knotted fringe at each end. The scarf kept slipping off the table while I was trying to tie the knots, so I had to use my beer to hold it in place. Maybe one day I will be sophisticated enough to sip a kir royal while doing finishing work on my knits. Until then, Sapporo will do just fine!

Sockapalooza 4 is Coming!

2007-01-13T16:04:00.000-08:00

I can't wait! The Blue Blog organizes it every year or so. This year's sign-ups start some time in the end of January. My first knit socks ever were made as part of Sockapalooza 3, back in my pre-blog days. It was a great way to tackle my fear for knitting socks...they seemed so intimidating at the time! But Sockapalooza assigned sock sisters to the beginning sock knitters for help, and there were great links for beginners on The Blue Blog (the links are still there on the right side if you are interested). Here are the socks I made for Sockapalooza 3:

They came out well, despite all my fears at the onset. For the knitters out there, they were made with Lorna's Laces shepherd sport, Motherlode colorway, using size US 3 needles with Magic Loop. Toe up, plain stockinette, with short-row heels and toes, and some ribbing at the top.
Correction: toes were done using Turkish cast on and then increasing on both sides as I knit around.

There were 606 participants in Sockapalooza 3; this is the big leagues, folks. Let's hope something in my stash works for Sockaplooza 4 so that I don't have to violate my own Knit from Your Stash 2007 rules. Ah, a fresh challenge!

Eye Candy Friday - January 12, 2007

2007-01-12T19:28:00.000-08:00

What could be better for Eye Candy Friday than a picture of two people in love?

Here are my brother and soon-to-be sister-in-law at Las Vegas when they got engaged. You can see the ring on her finger!
May we all feel this happy today!

The Catwalk

2007-01-08T18:56:00.000-08:00

In response to this post, my mom emailed me and asked, "Did you knit only one sock?" Despite my tendencies to become bored half-way through a knit project, I actually did complete the second sock. I still have a couple of ends to weave in but they were done enough for some modeling this morning.

My first finished object for 2007!

Pattern: For Me All Me Koigu Socks
I made it up as I went on the first sock then "read" the first sock to make the second one. Toe-up, short-row toes, arch ribbing, and Widdershins heels.

Yarn: Koigu Kersti Merino Crepe, 2 skeins, from my stash.
This yarn was a birthday present from a non-knitting friend. Not bad, eh? I can't find the yarn labels right now. A turquoise somewhat solid was used for the toes, heels, and ribbing, a mulitcolor was used for the rest. I split the multicolor skein in half then knit each sock until each half ran out (ah, the beauty of toe-up socks). Most of the somewhat solid yarn was used; I have about 10 yards left.

Needles: US 4 and US 3 (on the ribbing) Addi Turbos using Magic Loop.
I love me some Magic Loop. It is perfect for DPN klutzes like me.

I didn't get very far in the photo session before someone decided she wanted to show off her modeling skills.

Then she decided to take a nap.

Non-Crafty Content Ahead

2007-01-06T18:00:00.000-08:00

Okay, so this post is not craft-related, but since friends and family visit this site, I thought I would share the good news.

My brother got engaged this weekend!

Best wishes to the happy couple!

We will now resume our usual programming...

From The OC to The NC, Part II

2007-01-06T16:20:00.000-08:00

Vacation Days 6 & 7: Lenoir, North Carolina (continued)
Mr. Hipp grew up in Lenoir, so we spent some time visiting sites and friends from his childhood. His high school sweetheart and her husband own Hogwaller Outfitters, an amazing store downtown. They have everything from outdoor gear to kids educational toys to skateboards to fresh roasted peanuts! It was buzzing with holiday shoppers but we got to say a quick hello to the proprietress.

Next door is Java Joe's, which is everything Starbucks once was and, unfortunately, will never be again -- cozy. Work from Lenoir artists is on the walls, including some great stuff from Mr. Hipp's high school friend, Charlie. He used to have a website with his artwork, but it is no longer active. I did get a shot, though, of Mr. Hipp attempting to steal one of his pieces from the wall of Java Joe's:

We have our own Charlie original that we treasure. It was a wedding gift and has a prominent spot in our dining room. Charlie and his wife, Leigh Anne, are remarkable people. They are both special education teachers who made a conscious effort to stay in Lenoir and make it a better place. Leigh Anne is working on a master's degree full-time and they are the proud parents of an impressively well-behaved and super-cute little girl (the aforementioned 2-year-old who was, sadly, only mildly impressed with my Magic Sock). Where do they find the energy?

Here is Leigh Anne, Charlie, Baby G, Sarah, and Wiki by some public art outside of Hogwaller's and Java Joe's.

From Lenoir, we hit the road for Asheville for even more good times with friends and...YARN!

From The OC to The NC, Part I

2007-01-03T21:55:00.000-08:00

When I make plans for a trip, I get excited about my destination and the people and places I will get to see while there. But I have to admit -- I also get pretty excited about the trip itself.

I firmly believe that a knitter was on the design team of the modern commercial aircraft. Free movies? Ear phones? Seat-front pockets to hold your yarn? Belts that keep you seated for hours on end, requiring that nice people bring drinks and snacks to you? It is none other than Knitting Paradise!

The right airplane project(s), however, must undergo thorough screening before being allowed to board:

Lightweight
Small
Quick and easy to take out and put away
Requires no pattern, or have long stretches of easily-memorized sections to minimize the amount of time referring to a pattern
Not require double-pointed needles (I am more skilled at losing them than knitting with them)

The following additional criteria is nice but not mandatory:

Requires minimal finishing
Requires little to no blocking
Can be worn during the trip

So what fits the bill? Socks! I received some beautiful Koigu Kersti Merino Crepe for my birthday this year and it has been waiting until just the right airplane trip to make its transformation into a pair of socks for me-all-me.

Vacation Day 1: Layover in Washington Dulles Airport
Start a short-row toe. Overhear guy whose flight to New York City had been delayed make an angry phone call to United, tells United rep that he's missing has bachelor party because of the delay. At first feel pity for him then decide he's just smarmy enough to lie to weasel a free flight out of them. Shake my head and return to sock toe.

Vacation Days 2 & 3: Hipp In-Laws' Home in NC
Zip along on foot. Decide to add 1x1 ribbing at the arch for a super-huggy sock.

Vacation Day 4: Drive to Raleigh to Meet SIL's New Beau
Turn heel using toe-up heel flap method adapted from Widdershins socks. Become very excited. Force others to share excitement with me. (By the way, SIL = Sister-in-Law.)

Vacation Day 5: Hipp In-Laws' Home in NC
Work on ankle of sock while watching "Cool Hand Luke" in TV. Decide Paul Newman was once The Cutest Man in America -- he was relegated to second place, of course, in 1996, when Mr. Hipp turned 18.

Vacation Day 6: Drive to Lenoir to See Friends
Finish sock #1! Spend remainder of day showing sock to anyone within arm's length. Tell a 2-year-old that it's a "Magic Sock" in hopes of planting the seed for a future knitter.
Truth be told, I actually also brought the entrelac scarf to work on. I did make some good progress on it from LAX to Dulles, but it still basically looks the same as the last time I posted about it, just a little longer. C'mon, that's not nearly as interesting as a Magic Sock!

Happy New Year 2007

2007-01-02T19:24:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

It feels like to has been so long since the last post! Mr. Hipp and I were in North Carolina and the surrounding areas for 11 days. There is so much to catch up on in Hipp Crafts that I am not even sure where to begin. Perhaps the easiest thing will be to start from the beginning and work my way back up to the present.

Before we left, I scrambled to get these done for my coworkers:

It was several evenings of washing, ironing, cutting (oh how I love my rotary cutter!), sewing, and finishing, but it was so worth it. The little bags came out so pretty -- I almost kept them all for myself!

These bags were inspired by a lovely little bag brought back from Hong Kong by an uncle and auntie. I adore the little bag they gave me. It is the most perfect thing for carrying around an in-progress knit sock. My auntie gave me my sewing machine, so it seemed fitting to sew gifts for others that echo this perfect little bag.

These bags were stuffed with yummy-smelling almond and honey soap and a goofy card with a picture of my Little Sibling and me pretending to be chupacabras. I lined each one with a contrasting fabric because happy fabric linings always make me smile to myself, so why not spread the smile to others?

The real gift to my co-workers was a donation in the name of our office to Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Orange County...the little bag and soap were just a fun way to package it up, as well as giving me an excuse to wallow happily in craftiness and good scents for days.

Yarn Diet, or How Many Weight Watchers Points is in a Ball of Koigu?

2006-12-20T17:15:00.000-08:00

After successful forays to Ireland and the Yarn Lady bag sale, I think Wendy Knits has the right idea.

Wendy is encouraging personalization of the rules for Knit from Your Stash 2007 in order to make it easier for each knitter to stick to her/his own special needs. Here are the rules I have come up with for Hipp Crafts:

1. Hipp Knit from Your Stash 2007 will start January 1, 2007 and run through December 31, 2007 -- a period of twelve months.

2. I will not buy any yarn during that period, with the following exceptions:

* If someone asks for a specific handknit gift that I really and truly do not have the yarn for, I may buy yarn to knit that gift.

* If I am knitting something and run out of yarn, I may purchase enough to complete the project.

* If I am traveling in an area with locally produced or otherwise geographically special yarn, I may purchase some of that yarn as a souvenir.

* I am allowed to receive gifts of yarn and/or gift certificates for yarn. (Pay attention, Mr. Hipp!)

4. Necessary knitting supplies (needles, stitch markers, etc.) are exempt.

I have tons of gorgeous, beautiful, yarn just waiting for me to use it. I was excited when I bought it and get re-excited when I see it in my stash baskets, so why not be excited about knitting it?

Will you be participating in Knit (or Craft) from Your Stash 2007? What are your rules?

If You Can't Afford It, Make It Yourself

2006-12-16T19:26:00.000-08:00

While waiting from Mr. Hipp to arrive for $20 rush seats to a night out with Molly Ringwald, I took a window-shopping stroll into the fancy shops at South Coast Plaza and unabashedly fondled things that I cannot afford.

I stumbled upon a sweet little handknit tote bag with a surprisingly tart price tag -- like enough for Mr. Hipp and me to have four nights out with Molly Ringwald, plus a meal at In n Out. The only picture of it that I could find online is here -- it is the fourth picture that scrolls by in the "Pure Holiday" montage.

The rustic, handmade look charmed me. I made some quick mental notes on the construction and sent a silent thank you to The Designer (or her unnamed designee) for the idea. Luckily, I had just the right yarn in my stash already: Patons Up Country in an icy blue. It is 100% wool, barely spun, with the occasional bit of dried grass or twig embedded in it.

I made a rectangle for the bottom, then picked up stitches on all four edges and started knitting in the round for the body. Single purl stitches in the corners create right angles within the plain stockinette body and help maintain the rectangular shape. The inspiration piece has an interior zippered pocket which was also knit but at a much smaller gauge. I think instead I will give it a fabric lining to protect things from poking through the stitches -- it must still be functional in the end!

The thought that this project might be a last-minute holiday gift briefly crossed my mind, but reality quickly set in. So now I will just enjoy it for what it is and hope it comes out nice enough to give to someone, someday, maybe.

Blog Shout Out!

2006-12-12T19:57:00.000-08:00

Ahhhh! I am so excited. Hipp Crafts has been mentioned on another blog - the fabulous Nubian Craftster. Just a few weeks after adoring her Sunrise Circle Jacket in my first blog entry, I ran into her at the Yarn Lade bag sale. (75% off...drooooool.) Shrinking violet that I am, I interrupted her yarn shopping with an embarrassingly loud, "Are you the Nubian Craftster?" You would have thought I had just seen Brangelina with all three kids in tow.

Go check out her blog -- there are some breathtaking photos of her recent trip to Indiana.

I wish I had had my camera with me during the bag sale (had to keep my hands free for grabbing the yarn) because she was wearing the Sunrise Circle Jacket and it was even better in person. The yarn she used looks a lot thicker than what I got in Ireland. I might have to double it to get the right gauge. Do you think I have enough yarn to do that?

Pebbled Mirror

2006-12-10T14:39:00.000-08:00

Knitting is a wonderful, challenging, and fascinating craft. But in my impatient hands, even small projects can just be too darn slow. There are times when I need a little filler, something quick and satisfying and brainless. Enter the Pebbled Mirror.

The pebbles are from Crate and Barrel, the mirror from Ikea (home of all things great and cheap). I think the pebbles are intended for use as decoration in vases and around candles, but each one had a nice flat surface - perfect for this project.

The 15% of me that is anal-retentive decided to sort the pebbles by color, then lay them out on the mirror without glue to see if I had enough pebbles. Sure enough, I needed to add a few green glass marble-things to finish off the edges. Unlike the Ugliest Hat in America, this last minute addition of something green actually seems to work.

The Pebbled Mirror is a bit small to be truly functional as a mirror, but I am happy with how its mellow colors contrast with a beautiful and brightly painted box from Peru -- a gift from one of my mother's global mountain-climbing adventures -- on top of a cheerful blue bureau.

I don't know if it was the soothing joy of arranging pretty pebbles or the fumes from the industrial-strength glue, but working on this project realigned my crafting stars...the knitting mojo is back. If only every frustration in life could be solved so simply.

The Fringe Benefits of Crafting

2006-12-03T18:10:00.000-08:00

Mr. Hipp and I went to Disneyland today and took a ride on the Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters - easily the best ride ever. You get to shoot targets as you go through a battle against the Evil Emperor Zurg and your shooting scores are tallied along the way. The ride snaps your picture in the throes of battle and makes a composite image with your scores and some images from outer space.

I beat Mr. Hipp by 9,400 points. Perhaps all this crafting, especially knitting, has given me superior forearm strength and finger dexterity. Or maybe I'm just way better at this game than him!

Inspiration for New Knitters

2006-11-27T18:32:00.000-08:00

A friend, Dr. Anna, has just started knitting. Yay, Dr. Anna! Word is she's making a scarf for her husband as a first project. As inspiration to her and other new (or soon to start) knitters out there, I would like to present my first ever knitted object - known in some circles as The Ugliest Hat in America.
This hat design is knit flat, with decreases at the top to shape the crown. The sides are then sewn together to make a cone and *poof!* a hat is born. The first iteration, however, was too small, so I decided to knit up a wedge-shaped piece and sew it in place to increase the hat's circumference. "Ingenious!", I thought. "I am a master of knitting and geometry!" I also decided that it was too short, so I added additional length to the whole thing.

Unfortunately, I was out of the original yarn.
At the time, the dark green yarn seemed like a nice, coordinating color - brown, orange, green...like a walk through the woods on a brisk Fall day. Upon further reflection, however, it just looks like crap. Notice also the odd hump formed by the top of the green wedge - evidence of my poor (aka absent) geometric calculations.

You may be saying, "This is supposed to be inspiring?"

Yes! Take heart, noble novice knitter! No matter how many stitches you drop or how uneven your gauge is, your first project is bound to be better than this!

Mr. Hipp, dear soul that he is, actually loves wearing this hat. He puts it on when he is sick and claims it makes him feel better. He also likes to wear it when playing flag football or Ultimate Frisbee on chilly nights, mostly because it can get trampled in the mud without looking worse. Here is how he usually wears it: green wedge in the front (to mask the odd hump) and a patient smile on his face.

Happy Thanksgiving 2006

2006-11-25T12:09:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! Mr. Hipp and I hosted Thanksgiving dinner at our little home this year, partly to bring together friends who are far from their families, and partly to satisfy Mr. Hipp's desire to cook a big ol' feast. He made turkey, oyster dressing, sweet potato casserole, chocolate pecan pie, macaroni and cheese, sausage balls (shown below) and rice - one of the surprisingly many food items shared by Filipino and Southern cuisine.
Our charming guests also brought food and drinks - apple nut muffins, pumpkin martinis, baked ham, and so much more. You would have thought 40 people were eating dinner at our place instead of just six. We finished the evening with board games and laughter. We are so thankful to have good friends, plentiful food, and a safe place to have fun.

Back to the crafting - I want to share the prettiness of the yarn I got at Purl. Clockwise from upper left: Koigu multicolor sock yarn, two skeins of white/olive Lornas Laces, and blue Koigu. Homie at Purl was a bit sloppy in winding the yarn into balls.
And because someone noted that my first two posts were about buying yarn rather than actual knitting of yarn, here is one of my current projects:
It's an entrelac scarf using Noro Big Kureyon. It is just me, or does it seem to be getting narrower? Either the yarn is a bit thinner here (Big Kureyon is not a consistent thickness) or my gauge has changed (I am not a consistent knitter!). I think a little blocking will even things out the end. And if it doesn't, oh well - no one can tell when it's wrapped around my neck. Many Noro yarns change colors within the same skein. This color change usually results in stripes, but in entrelac it ends up looking like pieces in a stained glass window.

I love it! Once a few necessary household chores are done today, Mr. Hipp and I are going to plunk down on the couch with "The Office, Season 1" on DVD, some candy, and the entrelac scarf. Hurry, laundry, hurry!

Squeeze the Yarn

2006-11-21T19:15:00.000-08:00

We recently traveled to Connecticut for a family wedding. While there, we spent a night in NYC to see some friends. (Thanks again for the excellent hospitality, "Mrs. O'Bannon"!) I was lucky that Mr. Hipp's college roommate and his wife were visiting NYC as well - she is a crafting fiend from a crafting fiend family. She had a long list of wonderful craft stores to visit. Men in tow, we skipped happily in and out of stores to see thousands of buttons and endless spools of ribbon. Photos of the spoils to come soon.

Of course, I had to add one more place to her list - Purl in Soho. She had already asked Santa for knitting lessons, so it was fun to see her get excited by all the colors and softness at Purl. I sense a future yarn addict in the making. Here we are - caught in the act of squeezing some sock yarn.

A visit to Purl would not be complete without checking out their Lorna's Laces sock yarn dyed in colors just for Purl. I got some in white and olive, along with some lovely blue Koigu for the heels and toes. All the socks I have made in the past have used thicker yarn. I hope I can make a pair out of this yarn on US1 needles in time to wear them this winter. I am a fairly slow knitter with an unfortunate amount of other priorities in my life - work (bleh), scooping cat litter (bleh), being nice to Mr. Hipp (not so bad really). Then again, yarn this lovely may prove to be as good as a big, hot, cup of coffee...sip sip sip and next thing you know it's done.

Welcome to Hipp Crafts

2006-11-19T17:48:00.000-08:00

After many months of gaining inspiration from other people's blogs, I have finally started my own. This site will be home to all Hipp Crafts, from knitting to sewing to DIY home improvements. I hope you enjoy it!

Let's start with some recent history. Mr. Hipp and I traveled to Wales and Ireland in September. We met up with other Hipp family members in Dublin, then traveled together to Killarney.

Does this picture give you any indication of how much I enjoyed the trip? That's right, two huge spools of amazing, 100% wool, tweedy-licious yarn. I purchased it at the Muckross House gift shop. They have all sorts of traditional crafts, including a working weaving studio. I guess this yarn was intended for a loom, but no reason it can't be knit instead! The orange yarn has bits of blue in it so the two yarns should go together nicely.

I am thinking of making a Sunrise Circle Jacket with this yarn - orange as the main color and blue inside the hems for a little pop of fun. This knit-along has shown some great examples of how this jacket looks on "real people". I especially love the one completed by the Nubian Craftster. Seeing her completed jacket made me think, "Okay! This can really work!". Of course, goodness only knows how long it will be before I can actually start on this project. I have a long list going already, so the Sunrise Circle Jacket will just have to wait patiently for its turn.