Monica Knits

I like my camera, but it has a poorly designed lens cap. I wasn't the only one who noticed this; it was a common complaint I found on the internet. All my previous cameras had either screw on type lens covers or iris type which covered the lens when it retracted upon shutdown. It only took a year for the strip of adhesive backed sealer (pressure sensitive tape) to wear off and then the lens cap wouldn't stay on at all when the camera was moved. Because it is an autofocussing camera, perhaps the designers thought they would rather pop the lens cover than damage the focussing mechanism. But since I had another camera prior to this with an iris style lens cover, which operated reliably during 5 years of use, that is a weak argument. Protecting the camera lens should be a primary function of the lens cover throughout the life of the camera.
Since I like to take the camera with me, this is extremely incovenient, so I knitted a camera case to hold the lens cap in place and protect the camera in transit. Read more...

This small needlepoint purse was embroidered by my mother-in-law and has different rose patterns on each side. This photograph was taken in front of the hydrangea they planted over 10 years ago. Some of the blooms are over a foot wide, and the plant is now tree sized. The purse is the perfect size for holding my sock knitting dpns.

Pompoms can be used to decorate clothing, accessories and home decor items. They can be made in custom sizes and in single or multiple colors. Although you can purchase pompom makers, it is easy enough to make your own. Read more .... for instructions

This Linked Rib scarf is similar in appearance to Lynne Barr's Twisted scarf in the manner that New Wave is similar to Easy Wave, all samples from her book: "Knitting New Scarves - 27 Distinctly Modern Designs." Of the four patterns I tested, this one had the most challenging instructions, which I modified slightly to facilitate knitting. Read more .. for additional discussion of the "Linked Rib" scarf.

I decided to include an additional swatch illustrating Lynne Barr's 3-dimensional knitted scarves to better illustrate her range of twisted reversible knits--in fact this one is called Twisted. The scarf reminds me of individually wrapped bonbons, strung in a chain, with every other candy turned 90^o. This design, also from her book "Knitting New Scarves - 27 Distinctly Modern Designs," actually looks more complicated to stitch than it is. It knits up quickly on two circular needles and the pattern is easy to memorize, so you can knit it in an evening or two, depending on how long you wish to make the chain. Read the related book review: New Twist on Reversible Knitting.

In the book "Knitting New Scarves - 27 Distinctly Modern Designs", Lynne Barr experiments with both color and texture and includes examples that combine reversible knitting with other stitches. The two swatches shown are adaptations of Easy Wave and New Wave, but there are many others, including additional whimsical and fun to stitch scarves. Read more ... for the rest of the book review and a discussion of these swatches.

Whirligig Gloves Promise of SpringThe late winter colors of sky blue, brilliant sunshine, snow, dried grasses and leafless trees evoked the sense of spring awakening. The effect was both uplifting and fascinating and inspired Fair Isle style gloves in 4 cheerful colors: sky blue, cream, rust and yellow. Read on ... for Independent Designer Pattern (IDP) and yarn information.

These fingerless gloves were knitted with alpaca yarn so soft, it feels like you are caressing a kitten or puppy. Not only was the yarn a pleasure to knit, but the gloves are luxurious to wear. They were designed as fingerless gloves to allow me to wear them while typing at the computer. Alpaca yarn was selected for its warmth and a stranding technique was used to provide a further layer of insulation and greater warmth. The room in which our computer is housed is cold--good for computers, not so good for typing! The gloves provide the perfect mix of comfort and style, while keeping the fingers cozy. The photo on the right shows the stranding technique.

Oh - oh!What happens when the temperature drops dramatically -10 to -20 F with chill from a 40 mph factored in, and your favorite neck warmer gets damaged? I knited my Koigu neck cozy/warmer a couple of years ago and though I've knitted a few more since then, I gave them all away, so I had no back up.

Obviously I'll should knit another for myself, since I wear it so often. While I'm reading, blogging or knitting I wear it to keep me warm and cozy. In other words I wear it every day right now, particularly on the day our furnace stopped at some indecent hour of the morning. In the mean time, ten minutes of mending and I had my cozy back in use. Read more .... to see before and after photos of the repair.

For a quick, festive, warm gift to knit, beaded wrist warmers sparkle. They take longer to knit than wrist warmers without beads--the time depends upon how many beads you decide to use. When you pair beads, plus yarn, you create a unique tribute to the wearer. These narrow, fitted wrist warmers were designed for a medium sized woman working at her computer. The turquoise blue color was selected to complement my sister's coloring. The beads resemble ornaments on a Yuletide tree.    Read more .... for pattern instructions.