This is a child's tuque and scarf I knitted a couple of years ago. It was my first and last knitting project. I like knitting and I hope to get back into it this fall and winter. Somehow it's one of those things I put to the side in place of other, faster gratifications. This project was entirely knit in garter stitch which was funny because that was the only stitch I knew how to do. It made the knitting quite tedious and the toque a little baggy. I have since learned to purl and can now rib and make things stretchy. Gauge is still a bit of a mystery but I imagine the only thing for that is practice. I was lucky enough to receive a big box of yarn and a bunch of different sized needles from a fellow freecycler, so I have everything I need to pick up and knit again. All I need is the proper motivation. It is my hope that posting my one success will inspire me again. I also have crochet needles. Hmmm. Anyone a knitter? What are you making? Any tips for the novice??In other news, I am growing out my hair. I used to be addicted to highlights and most of my family thinks that I am a natural blond because I wore it that way for so many years. In the last year and a half or so I have been growing out my natural color for a few reasons: a) I have no idea what it really looks like beyond a few inches of roots, although now I am beginning to see that I am what the french call chatain or a dark reddish blond. It's not nearly as bad as I feared and I do have natural highlights which are quite nice. b) my natural hair is so much softer and touchable than the bleached out hair and my natural curl comes out a lot better and c) highlights are expensive and it's one of those unnecessary expenses that I have been trying to pare down in an effort to be more budget conscious and frugal minded. On another note, my husband has told me he really likes my natural hair a lot better. So, there you go! It is a little dry on the ends from the last remaining bleach, so I gave it a bit of a trim and did a home hot oil treatment. I used olive oil and two steamy towels. You heat up a small damp towel in your microwave until steamy. While that is going, you distribute the oil through your hair until all the ends are well covered. Then you wrap it in the steamy towel. Not too steamy, of course, or you'll burn your head. Use common sense, please! While the second towel is heating, you get a hot oil treatment. Switch out the towels a few times then shampoo your hair and condition. Wow, what a difference!
Do you have any home beauty treatments you'd like to share? Recipes? Please leave a comment.
Happy Thanksgiving, Canada! I will try to post again before I go back to work.
5 comments:
I'm just learning how to knit, myself! I borrowed the 'klutz' brand book (which is geared toward young girls) from my sister, since it is the easiest book I've found to learn from. I bought the crochet version and it was the first time in like 20 years of trying to crochet that I finally got it. So I don't have any sage advice for you, just encouragement. Keep trying and eventually it will become second nature.
I like your hot oil treatment idea, I think I'll try that myself. My hair gets a little dry at times on the 'no-poo' regime.
No-poo? I have heard of that, do you just use baking soda? I only wash my hair when it gets dirty, otherwise I brush it so the natural oil can get to the ends. I may have to look into this no-poo thing, as funny as it sounds! Thanks for your comment.
I love your hat and scarf! So cute. The colors are gorgeous. You should definitely keep knitting.
I used to knit, crochet, macrame, needlepoint, and I don't know what all when I was about 10. It's funny to me now, because it couldn't be that hard but I'm a bit intimidated. I bought some gorgeous yarn to knit a small throw blanket for my parents in 2001, and the yarn is still in the bag! Other projects took precedence.
I think I should start with a scarf. But I can't imagine learning from a book. Someone must have taught me the basics, so maybe I could take a class.
As for you, you should make something for yourself and then something for a friend for the holidays. What a great gift that would be!
And thanks for the hot olive oil treatment reminder- I used to do that and it's much cheaper than buying the stuff at the drugstore. And it works great!
It's funny how husbands always seem to like us best "a la natural."
Angela- it's like riding a bike and talk about frugal! I am really trying to get back into it. There are tons of free patterns on the web. And I get all my supplies second hand. Very Compacty wouldn't you say?
Ya, I use baking soda. I blogged about it here: http://broadbrains.blogspot.com/2009/07/i-havent-shampooed-my-hair-in-months.html
It was a big change for me since I was an every day shampoo-er, but I really like it now.
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