Increasing in Ribbing

Sounds simple, right? Well that's what I thought but until you actually sit down to do it you don't necessarily realize what a challenge it is until you figure it out. Now, I have increased before ribbing, I have increased after ribbing and I have increased around ribbing - no problem. But I had yet to increase IN ribbing until yesterday.

I decided to sit down and start this cute little baby sweater that is all knit in 3x3 ribbing. Now, even though I realize that the sweater is not a square, it didn't really dawn on me that I would be increasing IN the ribbing (believe me I see the irony in just telling you that the WHOLE thing is in 3x3 ribbing). I knew I was in trouble when I got to row 5 and had to rip out. So, I thought, no problem. I'll just go look it up. Well lemme tell you something - not ONE single person in ANY of the knitting books that I have (and I have many) discuss how to increase in ribbing!!! Now what the hell is wrong with that??? These people are supposed to be teaching me! So, fine. I went to look it up online. I'm not kidding you when I say that the most helpful thing I read was "It's not hard, just keep knitting your pattern and add in the increases". Please explain to me HOW you keep a 3x3 ribbing pattern AND increase 2 stitches in your row. Oh, and like most knitters, I don't increase on the ends.

I thought, really I am smart. I have a bachelor's degree and 2 master's degrees, surely I can figure this out. So, I thought and I thought (while husband quickly recognized 'the look' and brought wine - he really is so wonderful) and this is what I came up with. I don't know if this is the "correct" way but it is working so see what you think and PLEASE let me know if you have any light to shed on this process.

The pattern says 3x3 ribbing throughout - increase one stitch on each end every 4 rows 13 times. So I did this, if the row started out k3, p3 I did this: p1, k1, m1, k1, p3 then k3, p3 to the last 3 stitches then I did k1, m1, k1, p1. So basically I just change the 1st and last stitch of the row to the opposite of what it was. Does that make sense? Anyone else out there do it this way??

Now, on the other side of the sweater I will be DECREASING the sleeve.......hmmmmmmm.......I'm taking bids now for how to "correctly" do this. Anyway, here's the sleeve so far - it's in the latest issue of Knit Simple. Minty don't ya think?

Holy Cow...............

OK so as most of you know I have put a new page on my site for charities that accept knitted/crocheted donations. Now, why am I doing that? Because I want to do something NICE for these charities and give them some needed exposure. I figure any little thing I can do to add exposure for them is helpful, right?? After all, these organizations do great work. I am especially fond of those organizations that do for animals as pets are so near and dear to my heart. I was a veterinary technician for 10 years before I went to nursing school. I love working with animals, unfortunately, the pay just ain't that great. Anyway, I digress.........

So, I sent emails to ALL of the charities that I wanted to put on the site just introducing myself, asking their permission to link to their site and making sure that their program is still up and running and accepting donations. Everyone has been SO gracious thanking me for linking to their site and letting me know what kind of work they do. Well, everyone except for ONE particular organization who shall remain nameless............

They sent me an email back asking me to read their "terms of use" policy for linking to them and sending me to the page that housed all of their icons that I must use one of for display. Fine. It states that I can't alter them in any way. Fine. It states that I can't speak about them in any disparaging way on my website at all. Fine - ummm....why do you even need to put that in there anyway, right??????

So fine. We did all of that no problem. Cut and pasted their HTML text exactly as it is on their site. Well, this morning I get an email from them telling me that I have modified their image and that it looks "mushy" and I must remove the image and replace it with an unmodified version IMMEDIATELY. OK - so by now you can see that I am pissed. Then they went on to proceed to tell me how I could fix some things on my website so they would look better.

I am trying to do something NICE and they are being total bitches, right? So, you better believe that darn icon was for sure removed IMMEDIATELY never to return. This is the email that I sent back to them (who shall remain nameless):

No, we didn't modify the image at all and used your text that you had directly on your website. We were just trying to do you a favor and offer some exposure to your organization. We wanted to do something nice to expose some charities that do good for animals. I'm sorry that we haven't met your standards and your image has been removed since it does not meet your high standards. We will find another organization that meets our criteria. Thank you.

I'm trying to be somewhat nice while politely letting them know they are being nasty. I mean REALLY!!!! This is a charity and I'm trying to HELP!!!!

Ugh........people.

Anyone have any charity organizations that accept knitting (and that are NICE and APPRECIATIVE) that would like some added exposure on my site???

~ Knit Witch whose cauldron is boiling..........

Question........

OK - anyone out there read the Yarn Harlot's blog? Can someone please explain to me HOW in the hell she has time to knit so much AND do all of the crazy stuff that she does? It just took me 2 weeks to finish a man thong, ok. I think I need to quit my job so I have more time to knit and shoot videos.

I need to post a picture of the man thong. Coming soon I promise..............

Remember that last blog entry I posted about the weenie warmer? Well, the woman who wrote me the email made a weenie warmer for her husband and sent me the picture! Great!!! Another husband willing to model risque knitting projects! I love it! Knitters out there - knit your man a weenie warmer and then send me the picture!! I should start an "adults only" section on my website! Hahaha.......

OK....now THIS is the kind of knitting humor I can definitely appreciate! After my husband reads this darn thing I'm not even going to be able to fit his ego through the door though.....

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I was looking at all of your pics of FO's and they are lovely. Well, *blush* I came across your "weenie warmer"...hee hee and just love it btw. I belong to an awesome knit group on MySpace [name removed since I don't have permission], and just HAD to share that with them. I tell ya, those girls have giggled and shown it around to all of their gf's. Girls that dont even know how to knit now want to learn just so they can make one of those...LOL Here is my post that I wrote...I thought it was pretty cute...

"I was innocently nosing around Knit Witches website that I found off of her AWESOME how to knit/crochet video's on YouTube. I was looking at her wonderful FO's, when low and behold I clicked on the next pic. WOW!! Of course I thought of my dear [name removed] buddies, and just COULDN'T let you miss out on such a wonderful knitting project. I hate to say this but....for some of us it will take looooonger to make, and sorry to say for others it will take just a short amount of time. If this is your case, think VERTICAL stripes...LOL

(look over your shoulder before opening the link..not for the kiddies) Warmer"

Then I had an html link to the word "warmer".

Well, tell your hubby he has been the hit of our knitting group, and probably had more women looking at his "man package" today than he has ever had look at it before...LOL...well, I'm just guessing that might be true....LOLOL

Thanks again for your help.Have a wonderful day.

M
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I think that is GREAT! Some people that actually appreciated me putting that pattern on the website for exactly what it was - hilarious!!! I actually have had a few nasty comments about it. One that particularly sticks out in my mind is someone who told me they were ticked because they were expecting the pattern to be for a daschund sweater ---- well it's not even close!!!! But I could see how one could get confused....weenie warmer vs. daschund sweater. So, now there is a "warning" on the pattern that people see before they open it. Haha!

Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair

OK - I know, I haven't blogged anything for a while. Shame on me. BUT has anyone else seen this book?? Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair by Crazy Aunt Purl - ok here's the link - go check it out. This book looks hilarious and I simply must have it! I think I should write - Slightly Tipsy, Married and Covered in Dog AND Cat Hair as a knock off book....haha!

OK, also, I have another fun thing for you to check out. I have recently been corresponding with the Knotty Girls. They are pretty darn funny too so go look at their site at www.knottygirls.com. My favorite part of their site is where they are comparing each other's personalities. I told them that I especially like their Knitting Drinking Game that they have posted. Yeah, NO WAY to remain sober playing that game.............if you have a party involving this game do yourself a favor and stick to garter stitch anything. This game should come with a warning that claims "No Lace!". My husband told me I should have a knitting party and feature that game as the entertainment. Of course, that is only so that he will be surrounded by extreemly tipsy women who would ask him to model a thong I had knit him then (hopefully) beg him to be our stripper for the night thus becoming the encore to the knitting drinking game entertainment! Yeah.........I've got him all figured out.

Nothing much new to report other than we have decided we are NOT moving to SC after all. After some heartfelt discussions with hubby we have decided we just have too many friends and family here and we love our house and our neighborhood and we just aren't quite ready to leave this crazy city just yet. I know, Atlanta is getting bad and the traffic is atrocious and we hear gun shots at least once a week but, ya know.......it's home........for now anyway. So, we bailed on the deal we made on the house and began replanting ourselves here a couple of weeks ago.

In celebration, my husband decided to finally get our garage in a somewhat workable (read: able to walk through it) condition. My husband is a handyman and we don't have a handyman house (YET - it's under construction of sorts) to house all of his endless supply of tools. Oh yes, we have a tool for EVERYTHING. I have told him if he wants to really make some money he should open a tool rental place for the neighbors in our garage!! So anyway, now it is somewhat respectable and we can actually pull a car into it!! Amazing.......truly. I wish I had taken before and after pictures!! He put up shelves and made a work bench and all kinds of fun manly stuff!!

OK - enough about that. OTN: Still working on that knitted sweater for our bigger dog - hopefully it will be done sometime before the next millenium, still working on that darn huge crochet blanket (sort of - I saw the same one that Wayne's ex-wife made the other day [she gave me the pattern] and it was GREAT! So dang, now I feel like mine pales in comparison already and I chose sucky colors dammit!) and a crochet baby blanket for someone who doesn't really deserve it. I think I need a FUN project! Hmmm....I think I'll buy some yarn for that man thong!! Pictures to follow............

Owls!

I just had to share this!! We have had an owl box up in our backyard for about 2 years now and we have FINALLY had a resident move in!!! Yippppeeeeee!!!!! An Eastern Screech Owl!

Finally! A finished object to post!

Here is the baby blanket I have been working on. I made it for my mom to take to a baby shower with her in a couple of weeks. It took about 10 days or so to make. I will post the pattern on my website as soon as I finish writing it down!