Answers finally

well on the 12th my beta was 2430 and today it was 14.. so we now know I have had a miscarriage. Finally after a month we get answers. I am glad its over, but sad at the result.

Bad news.. I think?

Well it took a very long time for me to post this news. Because I am so unsure of whats going on.

My levels have been going up very slowly (HCG) I am pregnant... but no one knows if Its viable.

I had an ultrasound on my birthday that showed a sac that measured small. Then I went home to take a birthday nap and woke up covered in blood. SO I went to the ER, and was diagnosed a "threated Miscarriage" not a complete miscarriage because my cervix is closed and my levels where over 2430... so I was put on bedrest and now I am waiting for my next Ultrasound to see if the baby is gone or is still ok.. No one knows and everyone is too scared to breathe let alone hope.

WOOHOO for baby making!

I tested today and got a BFP (big fat positive) althought it was neither big nor fat... it was the thinnest little line there could be! But its all mine! YAY! we did it! I am having a baby for T and K!
or babies? who knows.. Ill take what I can get.. so will they I am sure!

News on the surrogacy front

Well after being poked and proded and dosed to the gills with hormones of all sorts. I went in this morning (11/12) for a baseline ultrasound, this checks the thickening of my uterus and lining to see if I am ready to transfer.

Now they look for a number above 7 (7 is concidered a medium thick wall) well my number was more then 7.. it was 12.95.. thats very thick... before she told me my number the nurse said "oh your so getting pregnant" Made me very very happy and made my Ips tickled pink.

So in 6 short hours I am leaving for Ohio... I will be there for 7 days and we are not sure of the exact day, because really thats all up to the embryos and how they hold up. but we know it has to be either this coming weekend or on Monday.. I will have invitro that will change my life for 9 short months and change my Ips lives for the rest of there days.


I could just wett myself I am so excited!!!

take care and think fertile thoughts for me and my Ips!

How to say goodbye to your best friend.

When hes a dog and doesn't know plain english?

My dog is my best friend... I have many best friends, My husband Dave, My faithful Kris, My friends Tara, and Becki..


But my best constant always by my side friend is My dog Bear. We are homies, soulmates... yes hes a dog, but I love him so much, Hes NOT like my child... I hear a lot of people talk of there pets like they are another child... Bear isn't like that to me, Hes my dogself, one of my girlfriends and one of my pastors or counselors, hes a little bit my brother and a little bit my father.

He is NOT just my dog, he is my friend, he is in part why I get up everyday and smile, he has taught me so much!

He is kinder then I am, more patient then any adult I have ever met, I know he is wiser then I am. and he is gentle and decent and constant.

When everything is shitty, when my day just isn't what I had hoped, I have Bear, always there, to look at me, The soul and understanding in his eyes is so strong.

Bear does have his weak points, but they are far and few, I can meet someone with 10 x the flaws and like them greatly, so the match Bear and I have, is more then dog and owner, its friendship, tried and true and soulship.

I have been trying to come up with words to tell my family that our beloved Bear, our best friend and our faithful brother is dying.

No words come to me.... Just pain in my heart, I can't imagine my life without Bear in it. The fact is that we have been truly blessed and fortunate to have him as long as we have. 12 years is a long long time for a dog his size to be around. Soon he won't be here and I will have to find a way to carry on. I know I will, I know that time is what it will take. And the thought of him with me inside my heart. But DAMNIT! I don't want him to go.. I want to be selfish and hold on to him and not let him leave me!

I look at him this morning as he can't seems to walk, I watch him drag himself to my side, everywhere I go, he comes crawling to me. Still so constant even when his back legs don't want to move. He is in this for me... He is in this life to be with me, and I can look into his eyes and see his calm and know that he is more worried about me, then about him dying. Like he is saying "shh, just let it be, It always has to be, and it will be ok" actually he probably would have said something much prettier if he could speak people. But he gives me comfort even now.


So how to say goodbye to my bestfriend... I can't give him a steak... he won't eat it.

He will just have to settle for some love, some hugs and my tears.

Even dying he is going to be the one I need and not the other way around.



I love you Bear.

Todays project Pink Loom

I am useing this pattern: Double Knit Dishcloths
I am trying to use a Pink LL long loom, because ALL of my knitting boards are either RG/LG and you can't loom these.... so we are trying.... on a pink loom and I will let you know how it goes.

The Pumpkin Pouch

I made the pumpkin treat bag found here
for my daughter who is 2 and will be going trick or treating for the first time ever.... I highly recommend this pattern to new knitters.... its very simple and made on the blue loom.










the yarn is a little darking inreal life.. pictures came out too bright... but you get the idea..I didn't use the lion brand thick and quick, instead I just used one strand of the thin jiffy and two strands of cannon simply soft pumpkin... came out awesome!@!!!


Happy Halloween everyone!

No Looming.. and a gripe

Today's post will not be about looming or the joys of surrogacy... It will be a gripe.

I try not to complain doing surrogacy, because I know my life would be way worse if I am the one that wasn't about to get pregnant.

But every now and again I feel a gripe fest coming on, I being a good wife normally take these gripes to my husband, Who I am sure never gets bored of me complaining (add snark smiley here)

So I figured since some of you are reading this with the hopes of one day being a surrogate, I won't fill this blog with only the beautiful part, but the whole part. So every now and then I am going to allow myself to complain here...


Gripe number ONE.... Lupron

Lupron is the drug we are using instead of the E2V we used last time.... in a word I hate it!
Normally the medications I take don't really effect my day to day activities and routine... But Lupron ////// oh Lupron is made by the devil I am sure of it! I take that friendly little needle every morning in my thigh or belly. Its a very small needle, same as a diabetic would use, and it sucks... it sucks BAD. It leaves lumps full of the devil juice that I have to rub down to absorb into my skin, then once this friendly little cocktail mixes with my blood I get tired... So very tired..

I had often heard of surrogates getting excited to use this drug and be "loopy on Lupron" there is no loopy feeling, just a complete wet kitten bone tired for 2 hours after I take it. Like how tired a newlywed is once the wedding is done. theres no time for sex, only sleep. so I take my lovely shot in at around 7am and I don't actually get out of bed anymore till about 10am. I hate feeling tired like this. Anyway that is my Lupron gripe. I will be so happy to move onto the big bad Progesterone shots.

here are some pics to compare sizes of the shots...

Small little Evil Lupron shot




Nice huge Angelic Progesterone in oil shot.










how weird is it that I hate the little shots but I don't even feel the big ones?

Knifty Knitter Long Loom Dog sweater

Ok so Yesterday I finally FINALLY got a set of KK long looms, I got them at Michaels, they are also having a 50% off sale on KK round looms...

Anywho!

I sat down last night with the smallest long loom.. the pink one and made this little dog sweater... It came out much better then the Blue round jig.

SO here is the sweater, with my shih tzu (yes i know she is shaved) Modeling her sexy new fall sweater!








And here is the SUPER easy way to knit this Long loom doggy sweater.. The ONLY stitch used is the ewrap!

I knit 8 rows with light brown yarn, then I made a Brim for the waist (just put the first knitted row back up on the pegs and knit over)

then I changed to dark brown yarn and ewrapped and knit 10 rows, I cut yarn and put on the green yarn, knit another 10 rows in ewrap stitch, cut yarn .,... then I tied on dark brown yarn again.. knit 4 rounds, then I picked the side of the loom I wanted to make the leg wholes,,, I choose the first 4 on each side... So I Binded off those 4.... Knit until you hit the 4 stitches... knit the first BO stitch, put that loop on the next peg, then wrap the peg again, knitting 2 over 1... put that loop on the next peg, wrap peg again, knit 2 over 1 again... until all 4 pegs are empty... then ewrap and knit all the pegs in between... stopping to BO the last 4 in the same fashion.


then I ewraped and knitted all the way around the loom, stopping at the last peg before the BO leg holes... I went back again to the other side (so just the other side without the leg holes twice.


then I attached the light brown or tan yarn to the pegs between! the leg holes and e wrapped and knit 6 rows back and forth and cut and tied that yarn... then just wrap ALL the pegs with the brown working yarn... knit the ones with two loops as you wrap the empty pegs, then I knit the rest to a total of 10 rows for ALL the brown.. so about 5 more rows.

Then I cut dark brown yarn and started with the tan again for the collar, I ewraped and knit 4 rows, then I did a chunky braid stitch, (ewrap loom 4 times, knit 3 loops over 1) then I was ready to BO all the pegs... What I did was the same as the leg wholes with one difference


Pick you first peg...ewrap it, move that loop to the next peg, ewrap and knit 2 loops over 1... then ewrap and knit one more time, then lift that loop and put it on the next peg, ewrap again, knit 2 over 1, then ewrap again knit over, move loop to the next peg... this makes a very cool bumpy braidey look.

Then once your last peg is there cut working yarn and slide it through the loop making a knot....

and put it on a dog!!! Congrats! I hope you like the sweater and the pattern.

831

Finger Knitting... and a baby mohawk hat

On One of my many many looming groups, someone brought up finger knitting. I love to finger knit.


So when I have just one skein and sometime, or when I am stuck somewhere without my yarn tools... I finger knit..

Yes the finger knitting your grandma or mama taught you.

So Simple but so fun, and useful,

For anyone not knowing how to finger knit... grab some yarn scraps and try it.. its a fun thing to learn and teach....

Here is an instruction page on how to finger knit.

http://yarnlady.com/newsletter/2005/endaugust2.htm

Yes its that simple.... easier then any knitting or yarn craft out there.

Little boys can do it, little girls can do it, they can use there imaginations on what to make, a thin fashion scarf?, a cowboy lasso, as much fun as playsilks and more rewarding because they made it themselves ... Christmas presents for everyone!


And adults can do it to pass time on the plane or anywhere! I do it in bed when I am awake with my daughter or puppy.

Here is last nights finger knitting Goodness

purdy feathery belt. thing and fanchy smanchy




And a long coloful rope? Its made out of Lion Brand Jiffy.




And I have a very close friend Who has the sweetiest little baby girl in the whole word. And Little Emma is going to be a cute little punk, in her Mohawk hat.



This is roughly a size 6 months... It was made on a red kk loom, I did the box stitch for the brim then just e wraps. I hope you like it.



I am now making an adult one... I think I will start with a half brim to make it more like a knit head mohawk hat... who knows.

My Wonderful Husband!

Well I am just tickled pink and the proudest wife in the world tonight!

We received news. Dave's issue of Midwest Homes Magazine is OUT!!! ON STANDS!!!!

I just can't believe how far this talented man has come in the 5 years I have known him. He is everything to me and I just know he is going to be a very well known artist someday.

I love you Dave, Your the best man and artist I have ever known, a wonderful best friend and father. Congrats honey!!! You have earned this!

For those of you that just can't get a copy here is a little of it
http://www.midwesthomemag.com/media/Midwest-Home/November-2007/Fantastical-Furnishings/

For those of you that would like to see His site its
www.carpeart.com

Carpe D.M.


Grab a copy, someday soon you will be seeing much much more of this amazing man that I am so fortunate and proud to call my husband!!!!

831

Surrogacy the many steps to creating life in the lab.

So I usually post when I have something new. I don't right now. BUT I always feel like I am talking to myself here! No comments. But then something odd started to happen, no comments, I started getting emails! With all sorts of questions in them about my surrogacy/journey So that means some people must be reading this after all!

I will take you step by step through the process. Now first you must understand that different clinics all have different protocol and No two REs are the same or practice the same theories. So If you are planning to be an IP (intended parent) or an GS (Gestational Surrogate) do not take this as your gospel to surrogacy. Because all IPs GSs and REs are different!!!

This is going to be a novel so get get a cup of Coffee or wine or pop or whatever, cuddle up and get comfy.


With my first surrogacy, I had a friend (who is NO longer a friend to me) She did a traditional Surrogacy, and always spoke out so angrily and bitterly twards the process and how she gave up HER baby. I always just said stuff like "uh huh" and "yeah ok" always thinking to myself what did she expect to happen? And how horrible I felt for the men and women who get surrogates that end up keeping there babies, not giving them to the rightful parents the IPs.

But not knowing a whole lot about the process I decided to do some research, What I found where WHOLE HUGE sites and forums and articles and just a font of info about doing this.

to decide to be a GS over TS was simple, I do not wish to be related to the baby, I would rather the parents be related to there child.. simple as that.

I mulled everything I learned in the first week or so.... thinking about it.... I couldn't get it out of my head.... Why couldn't I do this? I am very fertile... I could get pregnant just winking at a guy. Then to hear all the stories of How this surro was taking drugs, this surro wouldn't surrender the baby. This surro taking money from people and then vanishing! And scam agency taking money from IPs to find them surrogates and taking off with the money. There are hundreds if not thousands of these "scams" going on. Giving the surrogates who do follow the rules and are in it for helping create families a very bad rap. Even talk shows have made surrogacy out to be some black market baby selling.... I have seen the pictures of one talk show guest sporting a sign that reads "womb for rent" I have read words from this women who was pretty much duped into the photo... Society needs to muck it all up, to take something that has pure intention and make it look dirty.

So I decided to just hint and feel out my husband on this . I said to him "What do you think about surrogacy" he admitted he didn't know much about it. I told him what I knew, let him search it out. He decided it was a great thing to do, then looked confused and said "we don't want any more kids, do we>?" I said "oh no, not for us, silly, But we could be surrogates for someone else" and he was like he always is... ok with it. My husband is a very laid back, go with the flow kind of man. If it was somthing I wanted to do, then he wanted it to.

So My next step was researching more.... Hours and hours spent in front of my computer deciding if I wanted to go with an agency or go indy.

The difference? Well an agency pretty much works with a clinic/IPs and GSs. They say that it takes the "paper work" out of it. So I picked an agency (who I won't name) and filled out an online application. I chose this agency because it seemed like it had a large number of Gay Intended parents. I thought it would be great to have a baby for gay parents. The things you have to decide are very important when filling out an application. Things like:

Your views on Selective reduction
Your views on Termination (abortion)
Your views on working with a same sex couple,
Your views on a multiple or higher multiple pregnancy.

Those things where easy for me. As for selective reduction, and abortion I don't feel those choices are not mine to make for someone elses's baby. Oddly enough I am pro-life. Pro Life for ME. Not for anyone else... So if It was MY baby I would be able to make a pro life choice for it. But its Not Mine, so that choice is not mine to make.

So the agency did call me about 4 hours after I filled out the application. To confirm and to chat about my life and my expectations and so on and so forth. What kidn of IPs I would like.

Then not more then 10 minutes later the doctor that we would be working with for the next 3/5 months called me. He Thanked me in a very tired monotone voice that I am sure he does for every surrogate.

And in just 2 weeks I was matched with M and J. Two very sucessful men in NY. They had one son through adoption but never went through the pregnancy stuff. I liked them right off the bat.

Then it was a trip to a fertility clinic here for a baseline hystosonogram! Big word for looking at the thickness of my uterus and seeing what happens when a small balloon was inflated in it.. or something like that. I guess I have a super star womb and they ended up asking me if they could tape the u/s to show in classes because it was well defined. I just mumbled through the whole thing. They then took about a gallon of blood (jk but you get my drift) from me and a little from my hubby.

Then I rushed home to take my MNPI test to make sure I was sane. I WAS!!!! (or so we thought)

I then had to speak with a counselor about what I was doing and why.... I met with my lawyer to discus our contract.. the contract was the longest part of the whole first faze.

Contracts are important business. You can very easily get caught up in the money aspects of surroacy. Thinking back on it today, I don't think we were learned up enough for this part of the journey, but things have been learned and life is one big lesson.

And for those reading wondering what kind of money is involved in surrogacy I will tell you what my comp was. It was 23,000.00 yes thats twenty three thousand. With more comp coming for unseeable things such as multiple births and c section as well as bedrest. average comp for a first time surrogate can be anywhere between 16-25 thousand.

You might be thinking "holy crap!! thats a lot of cheese!" well your wrong its not. The comp breaks down for fetal care... so its not like you have a baby for people they come and get it and you get this big lump sum of money. You are paid 1 to 2 thousand dollars a month. Then whatever money is left after the baby/ies are born you are given within 7-10 days after the baby is born.

SO now all that was left was to get my med cycle from the RE. My IPs already had an egg donor in place. All I know about her was that she was a Greek med student. So our cycles had to be matched. So once she had her egg retrieval then I could fly out to California for my transfer.

I got my calender about 1 week later... so about 2 weeks after I started this whole ride. I wait...wait and wait for Dear old AF (Aunt Flow) to show up..

2 days before my period starts I get a wonderful box full of pills and needles and vials.

I am instructed to take only the active Birth control pills that are in the package.

So I do.. for 3 weeks... then I am instructed to start shots of E2V injections... those are big needles but just a little bit of fluid. So i do that for a bit... things are getting closer and closer to transfer, We start to tell our friends and family. Almost all of them take the news very well and are very supportive. A few however are not as open minded as we are and have a hard time with it. That was ok with us, we where not doing this to gain favor.

We get the call that our transfer is going to be sooner then we thought and we are rushed on a plane to California where we are picked up by M. This was our first face to face meeting and it was awesome. We got to see all over California and drove through Compton!

The very next day we are in the clinic to transfer. Our Egg donor only gave us 3 embryos. One was already dieing and the other 2 looked good and strong. Each IP had fathered one embryo in hopes one would stick or maybe both! I had to start taking my Progesterone in oil shots... these are huge thick oily needles that are about an inch and a half long and you have to put the whole needle in. they hurt, but you get lumps that hurt even worse from them! But even with all that It was so exciting and I was happy to get the shots! My hubby gave me every shot needed! He is blessed with a good stabing hand, I only felt one or two stings the entire surrogacy... everything else was like a knife through butter I didn't feel a thing.

So I was loaded full of water and sat through the transfer, then the horrible part was laying on a tilted table for 2 hours with a very very very full bladder. A lot of surros can't make it, so they pee there pants and I was so terrified I would too, I was saying "oh God don't let me pee my pants in front of my IP) Thankfully I didn't!

Then it was back to the hotel, for 36 hours of bed rest. My IP made sure we got whatever we wanted, So for 3 days we had room service and pay per view on cable, besides not being allowed to get out of bed it was great!

Then after a very bumpy flight back home, the 2ww started (2 week wait) for a surrogate its not really a two week wait, because we start peeing on sticks right away. Looking for that faint positive. Well on day 5 (5 days after the trasfer) I got the 2 lines! I was so amazed

here is pic of the positive



its so faint but trust me its there, you get surro eyes and can detect anything, even when everyone else is saying, I don't see anything! then you download it, invert the colors and then you hear "oh now I see it"

that was one of ALOT of positive tests! everytime I took a test I would take a picture and email it to my IPs who were took shocked for words.

I scheduled and early beta with my doctor.... and my beta # was 24.. anything above 4 is pregnant so I just had to pray my numbers would double every 48 hours... and they did!

then at 5 weeks I started having horrible scary cramps, so I went in for an ultrasound... this is what I saw



Twins, witch meant I was carrying one baby from each father! twins with two dads! I was so excited and just couldn't wait to tell them!

everything went fine for awhile, I was doing good with very horrible morning sickness! But things where good and the babies were right on target.

Then at 14 weeks I started having horrible right sided belly pain, I couldn't have x rays or a scan so they had to only guess I needed my appendix removed. So the babies where just on the safe side of the 2nd trimester, I had my surgery and the babies made it through fine, it took me 6 weeks to recover!

Here is my twin belly with scar


and here is me at 20 weeks finally up and about


then everything was fine... I did well up until 32 weeks then had to go on bedrest! Fun fun, I had a trib pump in my leg because of high blood pressure. I made it to36 weeks then tests came back showing mild toxemia so they felt I should deliver the next day.

This was taken the night before the twins where born


I will not post the pictures of the twins because I feel that there image belongs to there parents.

I will say that I had a planned c section, both girls where healthy and needed no NICU and weighed in at 5 pounds 1 oz and 5 pounds 12 oz. they were the spitting image of there fathers.

I do not keep in contact with them and I never find myself wondering about them. Some people I know think thats odd.... But to me there not my children and are where they belong. I don't need to know they are ok. My job was done. I know the fathers are greatful and have thanked us enough! I don't feel like having someone tell me thank you all the time. Because Its me that was thankful for the journey!!!


The babies where born october 18th 2006 and I knew before I left the hospital I would be doing this again.


If you made it this far..... thanks!!!!!

feel free to ask any questions you like!

Chiranian

Now the kennel club calls these little hybrids Chiranians... I am not too fond of that and like the cute name of Pomchis.


So I have a new puppy! He is the sweetest little piece of fluff!

We have named him Sarge... His full name is Sargent Gunny (yay full metal jacket)

He loves it here already and the kids are in love with him too.


So here he is in all his puppy goodness.... with a sweater on.

Pup Sweaters and the difference between him and me.

My husband is a carpenter/artist/furniture maker...A lot of stuff huh? Busy guy... thats good though, because he lives to be busy. I on the other hand, live to do the little stuff, like love on babies and animals and knit, and read.

He on the other hand is a mover and a shaker... he lives to be doing something all the time. Right now as we speak he is building someone an entire Shed today.

He makes these wonderful pieces of functional art... he does finish carpentry... ugh the man has a gift with wood and metal.

I on the other hand am a naturally lazy person. I raise my daughter and do surrogacies for people, take care of my brother and the other animals lol. But My "passions" usually are for the things that won't make me sweat or breathe hard. Like knitting. And lately the knitting has centered around Dog sweaters... I am addicted to them for the moment. I have made several and would love to show you all! But the mover and shaker has stolen my camera to build a shed.

So in other news I will bore you all with surrogacy news and info ok?

I am a gestational surrogate. Witch means I find wonderful people to have children for, I do not use my eggs so I am not related to the children I birth. My last surrogacy was for a gay couple, I gave birth to twin girls last October, the journey was so wonderful and exciting that I knew right when I saw there faces at the first ultrasound that I was going to do this again!

So Here I am in my second journey for a wonderful and deserving straight couple. They are wonderful and I cannot wait for them to be parents! We are using eggs from a relative and We are SOON to be going to OHIO to transfer 3 little embryos into my loven Oven!

We are on our second cycle, our first did not work and didn't even make it to transfer because my IM (intended mother) was attempting to use her own eggs. She was understandably devastated when our clinic called her to cancel the cycle because she wasn't responding to the medication and injections. So we were on hold for awhile trying to find an egg donor. Well we did and we are now set to transfer on November 16th. I have been on Birth Control for the last month, Tomorrow I start my injections again. I will start every morning for the next 15? weeks taking Lupron in tiny little shots into my stomach or thighs, Then in 2 weeks I get to start Progesterone Shots in my rear! Those are big huge thick oily needles, they are 1 and a half inches long and you have to put the hole needle in. I actually don't mind the big ones, its the little ones that sting badly.


Anyway thats where I am ... without a camera to show you my projects and starting a huge step in my second surrogacy journey.

:)

End of the camping season

Well I have been knitting doggy sweaters like mad!

I only have one picture of one sweater though, something is up with my camera!

My aunt has a lovely cocker spaniel Lexi who is old and has cancer so she gets cold a lot, so what better reason is there to knit?

I also knit two others, for some shih tzu doggies I know. One green bay packers, and the other out of some yummy rowan wool.

But here is Lexis sweet sweater!

Looking for loads of loom patterns for free?

Ok well the best source for loom knitting patterns that I have found so far, is

http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/loom_knitting.php

they have tuns, Also Bev's Country Cottage has a tun of them too. Bev worked pretty hard and has done awesome at looming tips and patterns. She also does a heck of a lot of charity and good works.

they just did all the work for you, so instead of googleing one pattern after another you just chose a project and they link you to it.

They did a great job, and I think I love them.

And for learning stitches and having a great tutorial on how to's I go to Isela Phelps at The Purling Sprite

Isela is my Hero, She has a book out called Loom Knitting Primer and I highly praise this book!

When my hubby is too busy to make my looms I buy them at D.A. LOOMS

So yeah thats my thoughts for the day. I hope they have lead you somewhere useful!

Another Day with no loomin at all

Ok well today is a busy day, schools coming soon and I have to get the kidlets organized. I am working on a shorties pattern on the yellow loom. they seem to be knitting up pretty big though.

Saturdays always go by so fast.

Today is rainy and ikky or as Pooh would say a very very Blustery Day.

My friend Becki Is FINALLY throwing a house warming party. So I will go and party with her once the kiddlets are in bed.

Whats on the loom?

Red KK is full of wool, I am making some slippers extra wide because my hubby has big wide feet.

Long double sided knitting board has loads of pink/blue baby yarn and has a big blanket on it.

Smaller 28" board has a washcloth on it.

I went to The Yarn Cafe and OH MY GOD what an awesome place that is! Loads of yarns in hanks and comfy couches with a fireplace near by! Also you can order yummy food, wine, beer and pop as well as coffees and such. I was in Heaven!

i got some yummy wool and they also had Rowan Big Wool on sale for 3.99. It was a very fun time.

How to make a Round Knitting loom

My husband was nice enough to write up his instructions for making a round knitting loom.

Here they are.

Steps to make a round loom


1) Choose a square piece of solid hardwood like oak or maple ¾” thick. Find the center of the square and mark it.

2) Use the following formula to determine the circumference of the circle you need. The example in the formula is for a 48 pin, ¼” center to center round loom.

3)formula:

Take the number of pins(48) and multiply by the
spacing you want .25(1/4")
this will give you the circumference of the circle
which would be 12" next divide the circumference(12") by 3 and this will
give you the diameter of the circle you need which would be 4". Then just mark out the 2 axis lines
and continue to go around in 1/4" increments.
This worked out for me and I wound up with 48 c pins
1/4" center to center.

This formula should work for any amount of pins you need.


4) Now that you have your circle drawn and the pin locations marked, I drill a 3/32” hole for each pin(when using 1/8” cotter pins). Drill hole 3/8” deep for each pin. I used a drill press but a hand drill will work as well and cut cotter pins to the correct height you want.

5) Next draw a circle 3/8” smaller diameter from the center point this will be the center hole.

6) Draw a circle a 3/8” or larger diameter from the center point, this will give you the outer edge of your loom.

7) Cut the outer circle using a jig saw, cut the inner circle by drilling a hole in the center then cutting with a jig saw.

8) To install pins I put a flat head bolt in my drill press, held the pin in place and pushed it down with the drill press 3/8” down into the piece of wood. (note: drill press was not turned on)

9) Sand inner and outer edges, top and bottom till smooth, coat with paste wax(available at hardware stores) or polyurethane. I used the wax, it dries faster and you can use your loom right away!

10) Congratulations! Your all done!

making a round Knitting Loom

A lot of women from my yahoo group Roundlooms have emailed my hubby to ask him how to space the pegs on there looms. Here is what he has told them. If you would like more complete instruction just drop me a line or comment and I will help you out with that... Well HE will because he is a super talented man!

So here is what he told me to tell you all!

Take the number of pins(48) and multiply by the
spacing you want .25(1/4")

this will give you the circumference of the circle

which would be 12" next divide the circumference(12") by 3 and this will
give you the diameter of the circle you need which would be 4". Then just
mark out the 2 axis lines and continue to go around in 1/4" increments.

This worked out for me and I wound up with 48 c pins
1/4" center to center.

This formula should work for any amount of pins you need.

I hope this helps!

More Loomy Goodness

Well this was a super fast knit. I used Rowan big wool in color Tricky.

I used the red KK loom and the pants took about 1 hour and the hat about 20 minutes because I had to stop a couple of times for life.

Here they are.





and a pic of the yarn I used





Ok So here is what I did.

I took the red KK loom. and I cast on 14 stitches then I used 2 by 2 ribbing .. thats knit 2 purl 2 for 4 rows.
then I just knit a flat piece for 25 rows using the ewrap, measure the infants leg.. i just guessed at the row number for newborn size. I cut the yarn and left it hanging in the middle of the loom.. then I skipped to pegs and cast on another 14 pegs (you should have two empty pegs on one side and one on the other) so then do another 2 by 2 ribbing for 4 rows. then another flat piece for 25 rows. using the e wrap. then I did NOT cut that yarn. I simply started knitting in the round along the whole loom even the pegs in between that where bare. I knit for 14 rows then started doing my 2 by 2 ribbing for the waist. I did this for 4 rows. then I used the super stretchy bind off. and seamed up the legs and crotch. and voila! wool longies.

then I just used the small blue loom to whip up a hat really fast.. this hat has NO brim I think it is less then 20 rounds though.

Good Luck!

Longies Pt 2

Ok well I am currently making some wool longies and a matching hat. I am trying to make an infant size 6ish months. To make for a friend who recently welcomed a new baby girl.

I am using Rowen wool in the colorway Tricky.. I think it is going to make a sweet looking pair of longies and hat.. I am worried about the wool and the hat though... not too sure if it will be scratchy.. so far it feels soft to me.

I will update with pictures and another how to on a red loom.

Longies on a knifty knitter

these are about a 18-24 months in size

materials: Green knifty knitter round loom. 2 balls of wool yarn for longies... or regular worsted weight yarn for leggings. knitting tool of your choice and a tapestry needle.

leg number 1: using two strand held together,or 1 strand of thicker yarn cast on 16 pegs and knit 2 x 2 ribbing for 6 rows. 2 by 2 ribbing is simple.. Start first 2 pegs in the knit stitch next 2 pegs are purls next 2 are knits .. continue knit 2 purl 2 through the rows for 6 rows. then just e-wrap and knit for a flat panel, You want to measure your child's leg. I used 45 rows for this.
Now when you are done the 45 rows cut the yarn but don't bind off.. leave the yarn tail in the center of loom.


Leg number 2 : move over 2 peg 16 pegs and make a second leg. when you have the desired number of rows, don't cut the yarn.. just start knitting in the round the whole loom even the pegs between. With the green loom you should have 2 empty pegs on either side, just knit them too. I knit about 25 rows. if you need to measure your child's rise that will help you too.. measure under the crotch to waist.

waist: knit another 4 rows of 2 by 2 ribbing. remember thats knit 2 purl 2 all the way around the loom.

I binded off using a stretchy bind off method used here: http://yarngear.com/looms/tips.htm

It seems hard but once you get the first 2 or 3 its easy peasy.

I took red yarn with my tapestry needle and just weaved it in the waist and legs.. and well done a pair of longies in as little as 2 hours, especially if you knit faster then I do. This took me about 3 and a half hours.

So I did it!

I figured out how to make longies on a knifty knitter.

there was a huge storm last night and I was able to have nothing else to do but loom. SO I sat down and figured out how to do it.

For those that might not know.. Longies are wool or close to wool pants you knit up to put over diapers.. like cloth diapers. But I also know people that put them over disposable diapers to, because they have a super soaker kid that soaks through everything.

Wool longies are awesome I used them for my daughter and still do sometimes at night.

So I have 20 more rounds to go.. I have figured out it takes a little over 3 hours for me to do this. probably a little less for more speedy knitters.

I will post a pic of finished project and I will tell ya all how I did it!

Hello!

well I have been reading looming blogs for a long time. I have decided to make my own!

I have been looming for about 1 year. I still have a lot to learn!

My husband is an artsit who makes functional art, I am a frugal mother and gestational surrogate, witch means I carry babies for infertile or gay couples. I am working on my second surrogacy as we speak and will hopefully carry a baby for a wonderful couple in Michigan.

I delivered twin girls in October for a couple in NY, it was an awesome, humbeling experience and i cannot wait to do it again!

I hope to live and learn and share!

I live in Minneapolis MN with my hubby Dave 36, 3 sons (Evan10, Christian 9, and Ethan 8) and daughter (Izzy 2) and i also take care of my disabled brother Bobby 29. Oh and I am 27 :)