Knitting Nonstop

Almost There

2012-01-01T19:45:00.003-05:00

Just a few more days to go til we meet our little ones. I have been bad about blogging and bad about taking pictures. I had planned to do it on a weekly basis but that didn't happen. I have two more bump shots to show.

The next one is a picture in the new nursery. The color in both of these pictures aren't very accurate. The sun sets earlier these days and it's getting harder to get a good picture. Not to mention it's harder to stand up these days.

I will try to get some better shots of the nursery and some baby pictures soon ;o)

2011-09-12T10:51:00.006-04:00

Although I have not been blogging much lately I have been very busy with my two best WIP yet. That's right I am having twins. My DH and I are very excited and can't wait to meet our little ones. We found out at almost 18 weeks that we were having a boy and a girl. Now I can start on the list of things that I want to knit. I get the best of both worlds all the cute boy and girl patterns. I'm a little over 21 weeks now and am feeling great. I haven't been very good about taking bump shots but I have been trying to take them every 4 weeks or so.

14 weeks 2 days

You can see a big difference between 14 weeks and 19 weeks. Right after I took the 19 week picture I had another growth spurt.

19 weeks 2 days

I have one sweater pattern that I cast on for myself . I should be able to wear it pre and post pregnancy. It is a free pattern and it is called Abalone (Ravelry link). I need to get a move on so I can wear it before these babies are born. For now a picture of my best WIP.

I think that I may be in trouble already because they look like they are plotting to take over the world or at least pull a fast one over on their mom and dad. Baby A is our little girl and Baby B is our little boy. Hopefully I will have lots more knits to show you soon because the list of patterns I want to knit is long ;o)

Unchain My Heart - Now available

2011-01-16T09:37:00.012-05:00

My Unchain My Heart pattern (Ravelry Link) that I designed for Saffron Dyeworks is now available here and on Ravelry.

$6.00

Gauge:

Very Light Fingering - 9 sts and 12 rows = 1 inch

Sizes: S, M, L

S - 7" foot and leg circumference
M - 8" foot and leg circumference
L - 9" foot and leg circumference

Please Note:
If you are using a very light fingering weignt yarn your socks may seem tight until you block your socks and the yarn has a chance to bloom. If you have a larger instep be sure to go with the longer heel flap so your socks fit properly.

Shown in size M. Model wears a US size 8.5 - 9 shoe, medium width.

Materials:
US size 1 (2.25mm) double pointed needles

Yarn -1 hank Saffron Dyeworks Enya Yarn (colorway - Swoop). These look great knit up in other yarns too. You can check out all the FO's for this pattern here on Ravelry. You can use a heavier weight sock yarn also. Check these out knit out of Sanguine Gryphon Skinny Bugga, they turned out beautiful.

Tapestry needle

Click the buy now button to purchase and download a pdf version of the pattern.

Please note: If you are using your checking account to make your purchase you will receive the pattern once the payment has been processed. If you don't have a paypal account that's OK you can make a purchase without an account by using a major credit card. If you are a Ravelry user you can also purchase it through my pattern store.

Every attempt has been made to produce a high quality pattern, free of errors.

Christmas 2010

2010-12-26T16:41:00.006-05:00

I can't believe that Christmas is already here and gone. I hope that you had as much fun opening your presents as Max did. He had 4 presents this year and he knew which ones were his. He does a great job carrying presents if you tell him who they are for, he will also assist you in opening your gifts if you need help.

All the shopping and preparation and it is all over so quickly. I did very little Christmas knitting this year. Just a pair of socks for my cousin, a hat for my BIL and two pairs of mittens for the girls that live next door. The socks were men's size 11, but surprising they knit up pretty quick. The hat I knit several times because I am a perfectionist and didn't like my color choices. The mittens knit up quick and turned out great. I am going to cast on a pair for myself soon. No pictures of my FO's for this post. Hopefully some to follow soon.

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and that you will all have a safe and Happy New Year!!!

Rhinebeck - Day #2

2010-10-24T19:40:00.010-04:00

The festival didn't open until 10 AM on Sunday. We arrived about 15 minutes after opening and there were already a lot of cars parked on the lawn. I was hoping that it would not be as crowded so we could check out the Spirit Trail booth which was mobbed on Saturday. Another bonus was that the weather was 10 plus degrees hotter than it had been on Saturday. No fingerless mitts or hat needed. As soon as we entered the gates there was a parade of alpacas and llamas. Luckily I was able to get some really good pictures.

This one had some serious long locks. I was kind of jealous.

My favorite part of the parade was the little ones. They were so cute!!!

Once the parade past we went back through all the barns/booths to see if there was anything that we absolutely had to have before we headed home. Of course there was and I was able to spend the rest of my money. I tried to buy things that I couldn't get on-line, at my LYS or items that were hard to find. Luckily the festival was not as crowded so we did get to go back through several of the booths that were really crowded the day before.

After all that shopping we decided that we better get some food and decided to try the chicken pot pie line. Just as we stepped in line one of the ladies selling the pies said that they had 50 left and that we probably wouldn't be able to get pies. They smelled to good to give up that easy so we decided to stay in line until the last pie was sold. Thankfully, we were able to get 4 pies with plenty left for those in line behind us.

Mmmmmmm!!! It was as good as it looks. With full bags and full bellies we decided to call it a day and head back home. What did I bring back with me you ask?

Earrings from Jennie the Potter. I love pottery of any kind. I took several pottery classes when I was in Art school. I think I need to buy the matching necklace too.

Bugga from Sanguine Gryphon. Andrea and I both fell in love with this color but there was no name on the tag. Andrea (andiRN) asked Gryphon what color this was because it did not have a name on it. She explained that it was one of the one off colors and asked Andrea if she wanted her to name it. Of course Andrea said yes and Gryphon named it Andi Bug after Andreas Ravelry name. I am so excited that I am one of the few to have the Andi Bug colorway.

More Sanguine Gryphon, Edios base in the Eleatic colorway. Such a pretty green!!!

Lace weight yarn in the Cove Creek colorway from Creatively Dyed. I'm planning on making the Featherweight Cardigan with this. I can't wait to cast on.

Shelridge Farm DKW wool for a hat and fingerless mitts.

Some beautiful roving from Gales' Art. It is Blueface Swirl in the color Moldy Pumpkin. I need lots of practice spinning before I'm ready for this.

A beautiful drop spindle from Journey Wheel. It's made of walnut and weighs 28grams/1oz.

Finally, something for the pup and his paws that usually crack in the winter.

I had a great time in New York at the Sheep and Wool Festival and would definitely go back again. Thanks, Tina, Andrea, Alison and Jessica for a fun trip.

Last, I will leave you with one of the hi-lights of my trip. We always talk about knitted shorts or pants in my knitting group. Well, in New York I did see someone wearing a pair of knitted shorts. Really I did it was at the Ravelry party at the Elk's Lodge and you can see them here. I think this is one of my new favorite blogs and I have to say that Steven worked those shorts. Now I just need to find those pants that I was knitting. ;o)

Rhinebeck - Day #1

2010-10-19T14:38:00.008-04:00

I was lucky enough to go to New York Sheep & Wool Festival in Rhinebeck this year with a great group of friends Andrea, Tina, Jessica and Alison. I had no idea what to expect. I have been to fiber festivals in the past but none of this size or this far from home. We left early Friday morning because we had an 8 hour drive. The drive seemed to fly by because we were all so excited to get there. Tina and I managed to stay up the whole time chatting which was a good thing because Tina was driving. Andrea, Jessica and Alison were sleeping in the back and we have the pictures to prove it. Too bad they are on Tina's phone and not mine or I would show you.

We stayed at the Comfort Inn in Saguerties. We were a bit worried because it was suppose to be a two star hotel. Thankfully the rooms were nice and we didn't have bed bugs which was a bonus. Diner consisted of Subway and a glass of wine from plastic cups. We made sure to keep it classy. I think we all crashed by 10:30 or 11:00 PM on Friday. We wanted to get to bed so we could get an early start.

I guess I was the only crazy one that got up at 5:15 - 5:30. We were on the road by 8:00 AM so we could get to the festival nice and early. Our hotel was about 17 miles from the Fairgrounds so we didn't expect it to take too long. I had to take a picture of the sign with all the cute sheep.

The sign is a bit blurry but I think that is because Tina was driving 80 MPH trying to beat the crowds. Just kidding Tina!!! The sign says rain or shine and thankfully we didn't have any rain. We had strong winds in the early morning or at least while we were standing in line. I was dressed for the cool weather which was in the low to mid 50's. No one called me out for my Old Navy gloves or sweater. I even saw someone else wearing the same sweater in green so only she and I knew that we didn't knit our sweaters. Right?

The first thing that stood out to me about this festival was the number of people that attended and the diversity in the crowd. There were families, people of all ages and men in kilts. There were also no fashion rules about the number of hand knits you were allowed to wear at one time. There were lots of beautiful sweaters, hats and mittens worn by all ages.

Sanguine Gryphon was the first booth that we hit. Alison ran ahead of everyone taking out woman and children if they were in the way. Just kidding. It was hard to walk around and fondle the yarn because there were so many people trying to check out all their beautiful bases and colorways. We met Gryphon and Sarah in their lovely dresses. They are very nice and in my next Rhinebeck post I will show you the yarn that Gryphon named after my friend Andrea.

The Fold booth was also really packed because everyone was trying to score some Socks that Rock. The Spirit Trail and Brooks Farm booths were also really packed. We managed to walk through all the buildings including the ones with the animals. It was a bit overwhelming because there was so much to choose from but I did a good job not to spending all my money the first day.

By the end of the day we were all really tired. I could barely feel my legs so we decided to get some Artichokes French because all the Fried Artichokes were sold out and so were the Chicken Pot Pies. The artichokes were delicious!!! I'm glad that we all decided to eat them so all of us smelled like garlic. Hopefully we didn't have offensive garlic breath when we attended the Ravelry party that night.

In the background you can see a little bit of Alison's Mara Shawl that she finished on Friday. It turned out great and I am in love with the color she used. It was a good thing that she had the shawl because she was so excited to go that she forgot to bring a coat or sweater so she froze most of the day.

After the artichokes we decided to call it a day and head to the Ravelry party at the Elk's Lodge. We had to park at a school and wait for a bus to pick us up. We did our best to entertain ourselves but laughing is not suggested when you are cold and have to pee. I think we had to wait for 5 buses to come and go before we had our turn. When we finally got there I was just excited to see who we would see and meet.

Ysolda was there and she is absolutely adorable. Cirilia was also there, I think she was helping to guard all the items that were going to be raffled. She is even prettier in person, if that is possible.
Gudrun Johnson was there wearing her Moch Cardigan which I have in my queue and I totally need to cast on. Also one of our local celebrities Shannon Okey was there. She is a friend of a friend so I walked up t say hi to her. She was really nice and when she heard who our mutual friend was she gave me a big hug and a signed copy of her new book (The Knitgrrl Guide to Professional Knitwear Design). The party was good unfortunately none of us won any of the raffle prizes but we did get to see Jess, Casey, Mary-Heather and Sarah. I am so thankful that they created Ravelry. I have meet friends all over the world because of Ravelry.

We were home by 11:30 and in bed shortly after. Rhinebeck Day 2 and my purchases to follow.

More socks of course......Unchain My Heart

2010-09-18T09:13:00.006-04:00

I promised that I would update my blog more. Which even to my amazement I have been doing. I also promised that I would show you some of the designs that I've been working on. This is one of my favorite designs to date and with 397 skeins of sock yarn I have to find a way to use it all up. ;o)

I designed this for the Saffron Dyeworks Enya yarn, which is beautiful and you have to try it if you haven't. The pattern will be available on Sunday Oct 3rd and will be free with the purchase of a skein of the Enya sock yarn from the Saffron Dyeworks website. The pattern will be available on my blog and on Ravelry in January 2011.

Pattern Name: Unchain My Heart (Ravelry link)
Yarn: Saffron Dyeworks Enya
Colorway: Swoop
Pattern Source: Saffron Dyeworks
Available: Sunday Oct 3rd

The cables of the sock start at the cuff and continue down the heel. The picture below is from one of my test knitters Annie (QTKnits on Ravelry), it really shows off the heel pattern.

I can't wait to wear these with my clogs this fall and winter. The pattern looks like it would be much more difficult than it actually is, which is always a bonus. Enjoy!!!

The magic number is........

2010-09-14T21:28:00.003-04:00

I counted three times just to make sure I had the number right. I even thought about asking my husband to count for me but I wasn't sure that was such a good idea ;o) SABLE comes to mind or warm feet for the rest of my life, however you look at it.

397 - Yes that is right almost 400 skeins/hanks/balls of sock yarn.

1st prize - Jessica, who guessed 397. I think we should call her the Rain Man of sock yarn.
2nd prize - Andrea, who guessed 395. Yes this is the Andrea who laughed about my 50 skeins of sock yarn.
3rd prize - Knit'in Crazee, who guessed 390.

Thanks everyone for playing. I had fun reading your guesses. I think I should go and cast on a couple more pairs of socks to use up some of this stash ;o) Check back soon I will be posting the details of my new pattern.

The first step......

2010-09-07T22:21:00.005-04:00

The first step to getting help is admitting that you have a problem........ ;o)

One of my friends Andrea mentioned that she was reading my old blog posts. She said that she laughed when she saw that I posted about having 50 skein of sock yarn. Yes, I now have more than 50 skeins. So I went back and looked through my old posts and discovered that on September 7, 2007 I posted my first blog entry. I thought why not have a contest for my blogiversary.

Yes, I am going to show you pictures of my sock yarn stash, all of it I promise, (no laughing Andrea or you either Michelle ;0). The contest will run from tonight September 7 til Monday September 13th at 8PM. The individuals that leave a comment guessing the total number of skeins, balls and/or hanks of yarn that I have in my stash without going over will win. I will have a first, second and third place winner. One guess per person. If there is a tie I will draw names to determine the tie breaker. What will the prizes be? You guessed it sock yarn.

Prizes:
First place - 1 Sundara 100% superwash merino yarn in the orchid colorway
Second place - 1 Tuscan Grove 100% Superwash Merino in the Venice base, colorway Whisper
Third place - 1 Red Rocks Fiber Works Aspen Sock , colorway It's a Go

Everything on the floor and in the four bins is sock yarn.

Here is a close up of the bins. Some have have two layers of yarn and some have three layers.

Good luck everyone!!!

Goth Kiddie

2010-09-06T13:03:00.003-04:00

First, I have to say that I can't believe it has been almost 7 months since I blogged last. I have been very busy designing some new patterns and finishing up some new and old projects. I have lots to show you but I think I'll post my projects one at a time. That way I can be sure to post more ;o)

Recently I have acquired some Gothsock yarn and have even been able to score a much coveted spot in the Gothsock sock club. Yeah......Anyways I finished my first project with the OhMyGoth yarn that I received via a Raverly trade.

Pattern: Country Kiddie (Ravelry link)
Yarn: OhMyGoth
Color: Teenage Drama Queen
Size: I knit the largest size but the final product measures like the
6 month size. You can see more pictures here on Ravelry.
Needles: US Size 3 (3.25mm)
Verdict: I love how they turned out.
Modifications: None

I have to say that I enjoyed every moment knitting this because the OhMyGoth is super soft and squishy. It must be the cashmere and nylon in the fiber. I have some left over to make some cute little socks or booties. Not sure who this is for but they will be one lucky baby. Sorry for the drive by post but like I said I have lots more to share. Hope everyone had a great long weekend.

February Contest....

2010-02-15T07:13:00.005-05:00

So, I figured after the Ravelympics have come to an end that we could start a Knit Along with the Sinuosity sock pattern.

If you purchase the pattern, between today Feb 15 and EOD of Feb 28, you will be entered to win a skein of Destination Yarn. You get to choose between two colorways Sea or Shining Sea. I will send it out just in time for our KAL which will start on March 15. The KAL will be through the Knitting Nonstop Group on Ravelry.

Shining Sea:

Sea:

The great pictures are courtesy of Jeanne of Destination Yarn.

Another Hobby....

2010-02-02T21:58:00.004-05:00

Not that I need another hobby but I think I've caught the sewing bug. Saturday I had some friends over for a winter craft night. We made box bags to hold small knitting projects. These bags are sold all over etsy and I've bought a couple myself before I realized how easy they were to make.

This is the first one I made with Michelle's help. I love the material, who doesn't love chickens ;o)

The second bag I made all by myself on Sunday. These are sooooo fun to make.

The best thing about these bags is they can be made using fat quarters. If your interested in making one there are some great tutorials here, here and here. I cut my fabric 14 inches by 18 inches and I used a 14 inch zipper. I cut the ends off of the zipper after I sewed over the ends. I had not sewn in years so if I was able to make one anyone can make them. Have fun if you decide to make one.

Ravelympics 2010

2010-01-24T14:06:00.005-05:00

So I've decided to join the Ravelympics and compete in two categories. First is the WIP (the work in progress) category. I have lots of socks that I need to finish up and get off my needles so I can knit up the tons of sock yarn that I have (I'll show you that at a later time ;o). First up I need to finish the mates to my Sinuosity sock and my Cookie A Monkeys. I love that pattern. Both yarns are Hazel Knits Artisan Sock, one of my favorites.

Next, these socks were actually suppose to be done for Halloween but there is always next year. my Little Pumpkin socks (Ravelry link). Such a fun pattern and of course Malabrigo sock yarn is to die for.

I almost forgot about these. They are beautiful but I had to put the cables down for a little bit. I was so proud of myself when I finished the first sock. I have about 20% of the second sock done. These are the Cozy Cable Socks (Ravelry link). I extended the pattern down the heel because I wear clogs and I thought it would be fun to show the cables off.

I don't only knit socks although that's what it seems like lately. I also joined the Designer Original Dance.

This competition gives me 17 days to design and knit an original item. I can swatch before the Olympics but can't cast on until Feb 12th. I'm excited to see how I work under pressure. 17 days seems like a short time but when I was in college I always waited til a day or two before a paper was due to start. Am I crazy or is this the kick in the pants I need to finish my next design? Guess we'll find out.

Etsy Favs #2

2010-01-09T10:23:00.003-05:00

I have hunted for a wrap top that was flattering and wasn't too low cut. Most of the ones that I tried on were either way too expensive or when worn throughout the day ended up gapping open and exposing things I didn't want to expose. I was hunting around on Etsy and found this top at Lirola Designs. She has so many beautiful dresses and tops that are made out of jersey material. I figured I would give it a try and order a top. I ordered a custom top, which doesn't cost any more, and gave my measurements.

Excuse the hunched shoulders in this picture. Trying to work the tripod and set the timer didn't give me a lot of time to get in position. Anyways, it took about 3 weeks for me to get the finished top. It was packaged beautifully and best of all I received a 10% off coupon to use with my next purchase. I will definitely be back for more.

I should mention that this is actually a faux wrap top. The ties can be worn several different ways. You can see the other ways here.

All in all I love this top. I am planning to order one in the Mysterious blue colorway. The only thing I would change is slightly longer sleeves and maybe a little wider on the bust so it lays more like the original top. The top is beautifully constructed and was made to the measurements I provided.

Etsy Favs #1

2010-01-02T21:07:00.007-05:00

Usually this time of year I reflect on the knitting that I accomplished last year. Since I've actually knit a lot more than I've blogged I've decided instead to share one of the new Etsy shops that I found last year.

I was searching for a unique gift to give my knitting friends in our Christmas gift exchange. I was looking for something that was affordable and would work as stocking stuffers. I found Savor and thought that the beautiful handmade soaps would be the perfect gift.

I wanted to make sure that the scent that I chose would appeal to anyone, so I contacted Lisa who helped me pick the perfect scent. She also reserved my order and made sure that I received it in time for our gift exchange. Great customer service!!! I decided on the Gateau Au Citron scent in the Creme Fraiche whipped soap. The scent smells like fresh lemons. Perfect for me because I have perfume allergies and can't do any floral scents. I also purchased My Boyfriends Tshirt which is the jar that is open above. Smells just like cotton.

The Creme Fraiche is very sudsy so you don't need to use a lot. As you can see the jars are literally filled to the top. I will definitely be back to Savor to pick up some of the sugar scrubs and bar soaps.

More of my Etsy favs to follow. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Sinuosity Socks ..now available

2009-12-02T23:45:00.011-05:00

The Sinuosity Sock pattern is finally complete. I decided to make it available in multiple sizes which required a little more test knitting than I had planned.

$5.50

Gauge:
Light Fingering - 8 sts and 12 rows = 1 inch

Sizes: S, M, L

S - 7" foot and leg circumference
M - 8" foot and leg circumference
L - 9" foot and leg circumference

Socks will stretch 1 - 1.5 inches to accommodate a larger foot and leg. If you have a larger instep be sure to go with the longer heel flap so your socks fit properly.

Shown in size M. Model wears a US size 8.5 - 9 shoe, medium width.

Materials:
US size 1 (2.25mm) double pointed needles

Yarn -1 hank Destination Yarn (America the Beautiful Collection - color Sea) - Jeanne dyed up some of the Sea color so head over and get yours before it's gone.

Tapestry needle

Click the buy now button to purchase and download a pdf version of the pattern. Please note if you are using your checking account to make your purchase you will receive the pattern once the payment has been processed. If you don't have a paypal account that's OK you can make a purchase without an account by using a major credit card. If you are a Ravelry user you can also purchase it through my pattern store.

Every attempt has been made to produce a high quality pattern, free of errors.

Enjoy!!!

Sinuosity.....is the winner

2009-11-15T21:54:00.003-05:00

It was a hard decision and I changed my mind too many times to count. I decided to go with Sinuosity as the name for my new pattern. Thanks again to everyone who participated. Yardsailor, Jenny, Jersey and Debbie send me your email so I can send you a copy of the pattern as soon as it's ready. My email is in the side bar.

Kitten with a Whiplash send me your address so I can send you a hank of the beautiful Destination Yarn in Sea. Jeanne was nice enough to dye up another batch and I believe she will be dying up some more so it is available when the pattern is released.

Pattern will be available soon.

Change of plans.......

2009-11-12T11:22:00.002-05:00

I have decided to nix the blog poll idea and choose the winner of the pattern naming contest myself. Sunday Nov 15th I will announce the winner. Yardsailor, Kitten with a Whiplash, Jenny, Jersey and Debbie you will all be receiving a copy of the pattern. The winner will also receive a hank of Destination Yarn.

Thanks again everyone for participating.

Vote now.......

2009-11-08T09:14:00.005-05:00

First, I want to say thank you so much for all of your suggestions. You ladies are soooooo creative. It was really hard for me to choose. I loved reading what the pattern reminded you of and your inspiration for the names you suggested. Trust me the name I would have chosen would not have been as creative. I did a search on Ravelry to ensure that there weren't any other patterns with the same names. My top five choices are listed below. Voting will close on Saturday Nov 14th at noon.

Blog Poll is Closed

I also included an explanation for some of the names to help you in your voting process.

Sarasvati
"As a river/water goddess, Saraswati symbolizes fertility and prosperity. She is associated with purity and creativity, especially in the context of communication, such as in literary and verbal skills. In the post-Vedic age, She began to lose her status as a river goddess and became increasingly associated with literature, arts, music, etc. Her name literally means "the one who flows", which apparently was applied to thoughts, words, or the flow of a river."

Sinuosity
The quality or state of being sinuous. Sinuous - of a serpentine or wavy form.

Pattern Naming Contest

2009-11-03T06:02:00.005-05:00

I have finally finished my second sock pattern. I love the way it turned out with the beautiful Destination Yarn. I used the America the Beautiful collection in colorway sea. Usually when I complete a pattern I know what it should be named. Not so much this time.

So I have decided to solicit your help. Leave a comment with suggestions for pattern names from today til Sunday Nov 8th. I will then pick my top 5 favorites and we will vote on a winner. The winner will receive a copy of the pattern and a skein of the gorgeous destination yarn (color tbd). So far I have one suggestion, I think it was from Annie in my knitting group, Bubble socks.

Saartje's Bootees

2009-10-10T18:39:00.010-04:00

I couldn't resist making these for a friend of mine who just had a baby. I keep seeing this pattern all over Ravelry and have favorited several finished projects. It took me about an hour to make each bootie and the end result was so worth it. I love the pink and brown color combo for baby girls. Just too cute!!!

Pattern: Saartje's Bootees (Ravelry link)
Yarn: Rowan All Seasons Cotton
Color: Soul (Pink) #2521 & Bark (Brown) #2526
Size: 6 months
Needles: US Size 1.5 (2.5mm)
Verdict: I love how they turned out.
Modifications: I wanted these to fit a 6 to 9 month old
baby so I used a heavier yarn than the original pattern
calls for. They turned out just the right size.

These are addictive. I usually make baby socks with my left over sock yarn but I think I may just have to use it to make another pair of these. ;o)

Destash

2009-09-20T13:37:00.020-04:00

I finally got around to getting pictures of everything that I wanted to put up for sale. So hear goes, my yarn is kept in book cases and cubes in a smoke free home. I do have a dog but he doesn't bother my yarn.

If you're interested in purchasing anything or have any questions please email me (email is in the side bar). I am accepting payments via paypal. Please make sure to include the email address where you would like me to send your paypal invoice, if it is different than the address that you are sending your email from.

Prices include shipping in US/Canada. Willing to ship international but may need to increase shipping costs.

Burly Spun - quantity 2
100% Wool
132 yards each
Pd: $30.50

Asking: $18.00 including shipping in US/Canada

Noro Iro - quantity 2
75% Wool, 25% Silk
131 yards each
Pd: $ 40.50

Asking: SOLD

Blue Sky Worsted Hand Dyes - quantity 3

50% Alpaca, 50% Merino
100 yards each
Pd: $ 53.97

Asking: $38.00 including shipping in US/Canada

Rowan Denim - quantity 4

100% Cotton
Color Memphis
101 yards each
Pd: $26.24

Asking: SOLD

Rowan RY Luxury Cotton DK - This yarn has been discontinued

quantity - 8 (3 balls have been wound)
50% cotton, 45% viscose, 5% silk
197 yards each
Pd: $62.55

Asking: $40.00 including shipping in US/Canada

Berroco Suede - quantity 6
There is 3 different dye lots, the bottom row in the picture above shows them.
100% nylon
120 yards each
Pd: $61.74

Asking $40.00 including shipping in US/Canada

Olympus Silk Bijou - quantity 5
125 yards each
Pd: $35.00

Asking $20.00 including shipping in US/Canada

Debbie Bliss SoHo - quantity 4
100% Wool
72 yards each
Pd: $27.80

Asking: SOLD

Allhemp6 - quantity 3
100% long fiber hemp
165 yards each
Pd: $31.50

Asking: $19.00 including shipping in US/Canada

South West Trading Co. - quantity 3
100% Bamboo
250 yards each
Pd: $39.00

Asking: $23.00 including shipping in US/Canada

Rowan Kidsilk Haze - quantity 2
70% Super Kid Mohair, 30% silk
229 yards each
Pd: $30.00

Asking: SOLD

Rowan Linen Print - quantity 9, also includes Rowan Linen print pattern book
Rayon & linen
60 yards each
Pd: $85.50 for yarn and $14.99 for book

Asking: $58.00 including shipping in US/Canada

Schoeller Stahl Merino Stretch - quantity 10
174 yards each
Pd: $99.50

Asking: $50.00 including shipping in US/Canada

Valeria di Roma Capri - quantity 8
Color - 9030 teal (make sure you specify colorway in your email)
54% acrylic, 46% viscose
159 yards each

Asking: SOLD

Valeria di Roma Capri - quantity 7
Color - 245 multi (make sure you specify colorway in your email)
54% acrylic, 46% viscose
159 yards each

Asking: $25.00 including shipping in US/Canada

Yarn Botanika Handpainted Spinning Fiber 3 oz.
Colorway - Santa Fe Nights
Pd: $18.75

Asking : SOLD

Noro Kureyon - 10 skeins of the 12 are left
100% wool
110 yards each
Color 90 - I believe this colorway has been discontinued
Pd: $107.88

Asking: SOLD

Jordana Paige bag - Color Copper
Condition: New it has never been used
Pd: $69.00

Asking SOLD

Lantern Moon Basket/Bag
Condition: This basket was used to hold yarn only
Pd: $38.50

Asking: $24.00 including shipping in US/Canada

Suss Bigneck Pullover kit (includes pattern) - Will make up to a size 44 sweater
Color: Toffee Choklad
Pd: $95.20

Asking: $50.00 including shipping in US/Canada

Cascade - quantity 7 (3 in hanks and 4 wound)
100% Peruvian Highland Wool
220 yards each
Color - 8834
Pd - $46.20

Asking: SOLD

The winner is....

2009-09-14T06:58:00.005-04:00

Thanks for sharing all the great projects that you're working on. You gave me some great new ideas. I decided to give both prizes away so without further ado the winners are.....

Heather - Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Superchunky

Adrienne - Yukon sock yarn

Also, you will each receive a row counter courtesy of Pam from Prettyknittyjewelry.

Congratulations ladies. Please email me your address (my email is in the side bar). I will be picking your row counters up on Thursday and will be sending your package out on Friday.

Remember to stop back I'm going to be posting a de-stash this week. There will be bags, yarn and maybe even some roving.

Contest for 2nd Blogiversary

2009-09-07T21:06:00.007-04:00

I can't believe that it's been 2 yrs already. 2 yrs that have brought me many new knitting friends not to mention many laughs. So to celebrate I think a contest is in order. I love to see all the projects my friends are knitting and would love to know what everyone has on their needles. So from now til Saturday September 12th at midnight leave a comment and tell me what you're working on.

You will have a choice of two prizes and Pam has offered to throw in one of her great knitting counters. Thanks Pam!!!

First up is three skeins of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Super Chunky. There is enough to knit a hat and gloves. I made a pair of these great gloves with the same yarn for my grandmother.

If you don't like chunky yarn or don't live someplace that gets cold you can choose Pagewood Farms Yukon sock yarn. I had a hard time capturing the true colorway. It was dark and rainy today and the lightening just was not cooperating.

Don't forget in the comments to specify which prize you would like. I'm sure after I read all your comments my knitting queue will get much bigger. If this is your first time to my blog or your first time commenting WELCOME!!!

Good luck!!!

Process or Project.......

2009-09-05T10:27:00.003-04:00

I have always been a process knitter. I've never really cared about whether or not I was going to actually wear the finished object. That seems to be changing lately. I think it's because I want to make the most of my knitting time because it is an investment of both my time and money. That being said if I don't really love a pattern I find it hard to knit whether it's for myself or a gift. I've also been craving some instant gratification knitting and is probably why I have been knitting so many socks. This makes fours pairs of socks for me now. They're almost too pretty to wear.

Pattern: Summer Lovin Socks

Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy
Color: Funky Fushcia (less than 1 skein)
Size: 8.5
Needles: US Size 1 (2.25mm)
Verdict: I love this yarn and the Fushcia color is beautiful.

Monday I'll be posting a blog contest for my 2 year Blogiversary. Don't forget to stop back and enter. Now I have to think of something creative for the contest.

Color inspiration......

2009-09-04T22:19:00.003-04:00

Today's blog post is brought to you by the colors teal and orange. These colors have been making there way into many of my knitting projects and knitting inspiration. First up are some basic stockinette socks.

Pattern: Made it up as I went.

Yarn: Destination Yarn

Color: Copenhagen (less than 1 skein)
Size: Cast on 64 stitches
Needles: US Size 1 (2.25mm)
Basic Pattern: Cast on 64 stitches, K1, P1 ribbing for 12 rows.
I used the heel and toe from my Summer Lovin Sock pattern.
Verdict: I love this yarn and definitely need to get more to make a
baby hat and booties or a sweater.

Next up is my latest purchase from Hazel Knits. I was thinking about using the orange yarn (High ocTang) for my little pumpkin socks (Ravelry link) but it looks so great next to the teal (Beach Glass). I'm also working on a new design using these colors. Too bad they don't look good on me.

Tutorial: Picking up a missed YO

2009-08-14T17:19:00.019-04:00

Some of you have had problems forgetting a yarn over when knitting my Summer Lovin Sock pattern. Rather than rip back to fix the yarn over I thought I would post a tutorial on how to pick up a missed yarn over.

Just to give you some perspective this missed yarn over is on row 10 of the pattern chart.

Hope this helps. I know I hate ripping back to fix a mistake.

Knit Night

2009-08-09T09:13:00.012-04:00

I always forget to bring my camera to our Thursday knit nights but not this time. This picture is a few weeks old and was taken behind one of our LYS (Birds of a Feather).

Starting at the top from left to right (clockwise): Annie, me (bad hair day), Pam, Tina, Michelle, Jeanne, Alison, Jenny and our photographer Andrea. We had a good time and the weather was beautiful. We usually alternate between Java Cafe and Birds. If you live in the Cleveland area or are visiting come and join us. We post where we will be meeting up on Ravelry in the Cleveland Knits West group.

Guess who turned 10? That's right the pup is 10 years old already. I can't believe it. I got him for my birthday from the DH when we bought our first house. He was the best present ever.

Yes I did bake him his very own pumpkin bread. He and the DH enjoyed some. He looks very sad to have to be waiting to get his picture taken. Once he got the OK the cake was gone with one big bite.

I'm going to be having a de-stash sale soon. I just need to get pictures taken of the yarn that will be up for sale and decide on prices. I have lots of gorgeous yarn and bags that I will probably not use and I definitely don't want it to go to waste.

More socks......

2009-08-02T08:58:00.008-04:00

I finished another pair of the Summer Lovin Socks (Ravelry link) for my grandmother. I used Pagewood Farms Yukon in the color Bird of Paradise. This is one of my favorite yarns that I use to have to order online until my LYS started carrying it. If you've never used it you have to give it a try.

I also ordered lots more sock yarn as you can see. The yarn below is Destination Yarn and has been dyed by my friend Jeanne. The green, blue and yellow are from her America the Beautiful collection. The multi is Copenhagen and is dyed to match a beautiful picture of Copenhagen Denmark. The next colors that I want to get are called Tuscany and Vienna.

Next, I ordered some yarn from Knitting Notions. My friend Andrea loves their yarn and has used it for several projects. The variegated rust, colored yarn in the back is Tuscan Grove but everything else is Knitting Notions.

Since, I've been knitting up my sock yarn stash I can justify buying more. LOL!!! Below is proof, these are some socks that I'm knitting up for my mom. Red is her favorite color. The yarn is Zauberball in color Reds 1963.

I didn't have a pattern so I cast on 72 stitches and K3, P1 for the cuff and the top of the foot, I used a different color for the heel because I wanted the color to blend down the top of the foot. I did a wedge toe. They are a little snug on me but they should fit my mom. I really like this yarn it was addicting to knit with. The texture of the yarn is simlar to the Noro sock yarn. It's suppose to be machine washable. Let's hope so because I'm sure my mom will throw them in the washer.

Sock KAL

2009-07-31T22:59:00.003-04:00

For those of you that are interested in knitting the Summer Lovin Socks join our Summer Lovin Sock KAL on Ravelry.

These are the socks that Pam test knit for me with her beautiful hand-dyed yarn. Can you believe that she used Easter egg dye.

Summer Lovin Socks

2009-07-19T09:07:00.052-04:00

Finally the pattern is ready for the Summer Lovin Socks. Thanks Andrea and Pam for test knitting. The pattern is available below or on Ravelry (link). I hope you enjoy.

Gauge: 8 stitches and 11 rounds = 1 inch

Materials: 1 hank Hazel Knits Artisan Sock (color Laguna)

US size 2 (2.25mm) double-pointed needles

Tapestry needle

Skill Level: Intermediate

Abbreviations:

K – knit K2tog – knit 2 together P- purl

P2tog – purl 2 together RS – right side

SSK – slip, slip, knit St(s) –stitch

WS – wrong side YO –yarn over

Cuff:

Cast on 64 stitches dividing them evenly onto 4 needles. (16 stitches on each needle)

Join in the round being careful not to twist the stitches. P1, K1 to the end of the round. Repeat for a total of 12 rows of ribbing.

Leg Pattern: (Chart A)

Begin knitting round 1 of Chart A.

Chart A:

Repeat each round of chart pattern 4 times per round.

Repeat round 1-20 of chart A 3 times for leg of sock.

Setup for Heel Flap:

Turn work so wrong side is facing you. You will be working the stitches that you just knit. Slip 1; purl next 31 stitches on to 1 needle. You should now have all stitches on three needles, 16 stitches on two needles and 32 stitches (heel) on one needle.

Heel Flap:

Row 1: (RS) Slip 1, K1, repeat to end.

Row 2: (WS) Slip 1, P1, repeat to end.

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until your heel flap measures 2 inches, ending with a WS row.

Turn Heel:

Row 1: (RS) Slip 1, knit 18, ssk, k1. Turn.

Row 2: (WS) Slip 1 st, purl 7, p2tog, p1. Turn.

Row 3: Slip 1, knit 8, ssk, k1. Turn.

Row 4: Slip 1, purl 9, p2tog, p1. Turn.

Row 5: Slip 1, knit 10, ssk, k1. Turn.

Row 6: Slip 1, purl 11, p2tog, p1. Turn.

Row 7: Slip 1, knit 12, ssk, k1. Turn.

Row 8: Slip 1, purl 13, p2tog, p1. Turn.

Row 9: Slip 1, knit 14, ssk, k1. Turn.

Row 10: Slip 1, purl 15, p2tog, p1. Turn.

Row 11: Slip 1, knit 16, ssk, k1. Turn.

Row 12: Slip 1, purl 17, p2tog, p1. Turn.

Row 13: Knit row. (20 stitches)

Gusset:

Needle #1 - Slip the last 10 stitches that you worked onto a separate needle. Using the same needle pick up and knit 18 stitches along the edge of the heel flap (28 stitches).

Needle #2 & #3 (instep stitches) Begin row 1 of Chart A.

Needle #4 - Using a new needle pick up and knit 18 stitches along the edge of the heel flap and knit the last 10 stitches of the heel. (28 stitches) This will now mark the end of your round.

You should now be back to 4 needles

Needle #1 – 28 stitches.

Needle #2 – 16 stitches.

Needle #3 – 16 stitches.

Needle #4 – 28 stitches.

Gusset Decreases:

Round 1:

Needle #1 – Knit across to last 3 stitches, k2tog, knit 1.

Needle #2 & #3 – Continue in pattern following Chart A.

Needle #4 – Knit 1, ssk, knit to end.

Round 2: Knit all stitches.

Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until you have 16 stitches on all four needles. (64 stitches)

Foot:

Continue working in stockinette on needles 1 and 4 and in pattern on needles 2 and 3.

Knit until foot is 2 inches less than desired length. Be sure to end with an odd row on your instep or pattern stitches.

Toe Decreases:

Round 1:

Needle 1: Knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1.

Needle 2: K1, ssk, knit to end.

Needle 3: Knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1.

Needle 4: K1, ssk, knit to end.

Round 2 & 3: Knit.

Round 4: Repeat round 1.

Round 5 & 6: Knit.

Round 7: Repeat round 1.

Round 8: Knit

Round 9: Repeat round 1.

Round 10: Knit

Round 11: Repeat round 1.

Round 12: Knit.

Round 13: Repeat round 1.

Round 14: Knit.

Round 15: Repeat round 1.

Round 16: Knit.

Round 17: Repeat round 1.

Round 18: Knit

Round 19, 20 & 21: Repeat round 1.

(20 stitches)

Knit across needle #1 (5 stitches). Your yarn should now be at the side of the sock toe, on the right side. Using a yarn needle Kitchner stitch the sock toe closed. Hide your ends and block socks if desired.

Enjoy your Summer Lovin Socks!!!

Inspiration....

2009-07-13T05:45:00.006-04:00

So last time I posted I was feeling uninspired and couldn't find anything that I just had to cast on. So of course I went hunting around on Ravelry and found one of my favorite designers Marnie MacLean. If you haven't had a chance to check out her designs you should. Her garments are beautifully constructed down to the smallest detail. I feel in love with two of her designs one was published through Twist Collective and is called Bijou (Ravelry link). I'm just waiting for my yarn to arrive in the next couple of days so I can cast on. The second design of Marnie's is her newest and it's a beautiful shawl called La Cumparsita (Ravelry link). I'm not much of a shawl girl but this design is so gorgeous I just have to make it.

I'm thinking of using my dream into color smooshy in Cocoa Kiss to make the shawl. I love the gray and brown combination in this yarn. Since the shawl requires 540 yards I'll probably need to order another skein.

The inspiration didn't stop there. I found two sweater patterns that I fell in love with also. The first one is called Buttercup (Ravelry link) and is a free pattern. I first fell in love with it when I saw Jessica's finished sweater. I love top-down seamless sweaters. Not much into finishing and I love that I can try them on as I go. Also easy to modify the pattern as I go.

The second pattern I had to have is called Moch Cardi (Ravelry link). This one is worked from the bottom up; sleeves are joined and eventually grafted at the underarms. I'm not ready to cast on this one yet but I think this will make a great fall sweater. I just love the yoke.

Now that my queue is full I just need to go through my stash and find the perfect yarn.

Queue-less

2009-06-27T13:20:00.003-04:00

Usually I love me some summer knitting but, this year I don't have anything in my queue that I'm itching to cast on. I have lots of great yarn that I'm sure would make some great summer tops. So since I am looking for some inspiration what is everyone casting on this summer? Maybe I'll just cast on and design something for myself. That way I can make it fit perfect and hide any of the stuff that needs to be hidden.

My new sock pattern is almost done. My friends Pam and Andrea offered to test knit so once they are done I'll make the pattern available. The picture above is a beautiful Peony that I got at Whole Foods. I love that store.

Off to hunt through my stash to find some summer yarn that speaks to me. ;-P

First Sock Design

2009-06-21T20:52:00.006-04:00

So I finally finished the socks I designed in the Sock Innovation class that I took with Cookie A. I loved the class and had a lot of fun creating these. The yarn I used is Hazel Knits Artisan sock in Laguna.

I'm finishing the second sock and writing up the pattern. Once the pattern has been test knit I will make it available here and on Ravelry. Anyone have any suggestions for pattern names?

Hope everyone had a great weekend!!!

Addicted to socks!!!

2009-06-16T20:42:00.009-04:00

I think I might need an intervention. When I'm not knitting socks, I'm buying sock yarn or searching for new sock patterns. Now that I took the sock innovation class with Cookie A, I'm even creating my own sock patterns. Cookie A was a lot of fun. Her class was great, I really learned a lot and she even signed my book. I made sure to charge my camera battery so I could take some pictures but I failed to bring my memory card. That kind of describes me a day late and a dollar short.

I'm almost done with my sock from the class. If it turns out okay I'll write up the pattern. Since I have no pictures of my sock in progress, you guessed it more sock yarn. This is the first shipment I received from the Scout's Swag sock club. Now I just need to find the perfect pattern to show off the colorway. Then I received my 3rd shipment in the socks that rock sock club.

I love this color. It's called Pepe Le Plume. It's too pretty to knit. If that wasn't enough I just bought a skein of my friend Jeanne's sock yarn, Destination Yarn, in Copenhagen . She has some other great colors like the Tuscany which I hear calling my name. Off to finish the sock I started in class. Hopefully I'll have some pictures to post soon.

Stitch n Pitch

2009-06-09T19:31:00.013-04:00

Today is Stitch n Pitch at Progressive field. It's the Indians vs. Kansas City Royals. A few of the ladies from my knitting group Cleveland Knits West (rav link) went down to the game.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to go and I had the t-shirt to wear and everything. I'm already on vacation a couple days this week so I couldn't leave work early today too.

I took Thursday off because I'm taking a knitting class with Cookie A at River Colors Studio. I'm so excited I'm going to learn how to design socks from a pro. The class is 6-7 hrs long so I'm sure we're going to learn a lot. I just picked up Cookie A's new book Sock Innovation. Lots of great patterns. Maybe I can get her to sign my book. I wonder if she'll bring her mannequin leg? LOL!!!

I have been meaning to post some pictures of the stitch markers that my great friend Pam made for me. Aren't they adorable.

Pom poms, a skirt and a sweater. Isn't she talented!!! Now I just need to find something to cast on so I can use them.

It's about time......

2009-06-07T08:28:00.002-04:00

So life and work has finally started to settle down a bit. I can't believe that it's June already. Where has the time gone. Even though I have been busy I have been trying to make some time for knitting. Lots of babies being born so I knit a couple of baby blankets and some baby socks. Still have to finish the last sock.

I love to make baby socks to use up the last bit of the left over sock yarn. They're fast and too cute. The blanket is the 8 hour blanket pattern by plymouth. It's made using size 13 needles with two strands of worsted weight yarn held together. I used plymouth encore white and colorspun (7962). For the socks I used my left over Pagewood Farms Yukon in colorway New Horizon and the pattern is a Fortissimo baby sock pattern.

I've also started the Mad Color Weave socks (Ravelry link). I frogged my first attempt using some of my Socks that Rock because the color was pooling. The pattern is a lot of fun and is simple enough to do while watching TV.

So far I just have the ribbing done. I love the yarn. It's Sunshine yarn that I received in my first Harry Potter sock club mailing. The colorway is 'The Quibbler'. Dani does such a great job. Her sock club is definitely worth it. Check out the fun card she encloses to explain her inspiration.

I can't wait to get my house yarn in August.

Still here......

2009-05-31T08:27:00.004-04:00

I swear this is still a knitting blog and I have actually been doing quite a bit of knitting. No pictures to post now since my camera battery is charging. I've been trying to take advantage of any sunny weather to clean up all the weeds in my flower beds before the neighbors riot against me.

I have lot of things to post. I have a tutorial for how to line my Christine bag and am working on my next pattern. Just wanted to post a quick update of what is to come. Hope everyone has a great rest of the weekend.

Contest

2009-04-21T06:41:00.009-04:00

In my last post I told you that my friend Pam was going to be running a contest on her blog. She is running a 1 month blogiversary contest and she has some great prizes. I donated some Noro sock yarn in color S150.

You can't tell from this picture but it is mostly blues and greens. Below is a more accurate representation of the colors.

Pam also has some great stitch markers and a row counter from her Etsy shop PrettyKnittyJewelry. Quick go enter so you can win. She will be announcing the winner on May 1st.

Good luck!!!

Knitting Slump

2009-04-19T17:49:00.006-04:00

So I've been in a bit of a knitting slump lately. I haven't really felt like knitting after I get home from work. Too tired? Maybe. Too lazy? Possibly. Lost my knitting mojo? I think that is what it is. Not sure if it's because we can't get any real spring weather to stay for more than a day or an hour around here. I need some sunny weather so I can sit out on the back patio and relax. Maybe have the knitting crew over. I have so many sketches of summer sweaters that I would like to design but I'm just not feeling it. I love the design process and am so into it once I start. Now I just have to figure out how to get started? Maybe I should just sit down with sketches, pen, paper and my knitting and see what happens.

To try to get my knitting mojo back I made myself start a baby blanket for a friend who's wife is due in June. I'm usually dying to cast on a sweater or socks or something. I usually find it hard to finish things up before casting on for the next project. The mindless knitting of the baby blanket is helping to get the creative juices flowing. I got my Socks that Rock package in the mail a few weeks ago which is also helping.

The yarn and the pattern are beautiful. Very springy colors. That Stephanie Pearl-McPhee is a genius.

I should be posting in the next couple of days about a contest that my friend Pam is going to be running on her blog. I donated a ball of Noro sock yarn in color S150. I'm sure Pam is going to have some great prizes. As soon as the contest is up I'll post a link.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!!

A New Look.....

2009-04-02T20:32:00.004-04:00

I decided that I needed a new look for spring so I found this fun background. Feels very springy to me. Now if we can just get some spring weather that will stay. Unfortunately I haven't been knitting much because I have been so busy. Things have slowed down a bit so I can finally get back to knitting. I didn't realize how much I miss my knitting time. It really helps me de-stress. I need to finish up my Cozy Cable sock so I can cast on for the Spring Forward sock. I picked up Comfy Sox from The Loopy Ewe. I was thinking I was going to use the Spring Green but both colors are so pretty.

I also received my second package from the Socks that Rock sock club. The colorway is beautiful. When I get a chance I will post a picture. I also picked up some more Dream in Color Starry from The Loopy Ewe in the Cocoa Kiss colorway. I couldn't resist even though I absolutely don't need it. So since I have a little spare time, I'm off to knit.

Jewelery for your Knitting

2009-03-22T09:17:00.007-04:00

My friend Pam just opened her very own Etsy shop PrettyKnittyJewelry. We are all very proud of her she is soooooo creative. Her row counters help people like me who always loose track of what row they are on. The row counter clicker thingy never works for me because I always forget to click at the end of the row. I tried the hash marks on paper but I forget those too. I like Pam's counters because when I get to my counter I know to slip the ring below onto my needle. Pam does a much better job explaining how to use them in her shop.

You can see my row counter in use above. Pam made one for everyone in our knitting group. Thanks Pam!!! She has different sizes, 20 or 100 row counters. You don't have to be a sock knitter to use them. Everyone needs a little bling for their knitting.

I couldn't resist shopping again at the Loopy Ewe. They just got in some Dream in Color Starry. I'm thinking about making a Clapotis with the Black Parade colorway that I bought.

I also bought some Dye Dreams Comfy Sox. The colors are beautiful. I bought one skein of both the Magenta and the Spring Green. I'm trying to decide if I'm going to use the Spring Green for the Spring 09 KAL that my knitting group is doing.

We are going to knit sock patterns with the word spring in them. Not sure if I'm going to start the Spring Fern socks (Ravelry link) first or Spring Forward socks(Ravelry link). I'm a little behind because we started the KAL the first day of spring. I still need to finish my socks from last months KAL.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-17T20:09:00.013-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!! So no this year I didn't get to go down to the St. Patrick's Day parade. As a kid I marched in the parade every year. I was in drill team 6th, 7th and 8th grade and I loved it. The only thing that I didn't look forward to was dodging the poop that was left behind by the Police Mounted Unit horses. Those were some seriously large piles. I had to march around them, which wasn't very easy, while trying to stay in line with the girl next to me and behind me.

So I found a fun little quiz to find your Leprechaun name. I'm Irish but I thought I would give it a try anyways. My Leprechaun name is:
I don't think I'll be changing my name anytime soon. Leave a comment and tell me what your Leprechaun name is.

Yesterday I got my email from Scout's Swag. I had entered the lottery to win a spot in the sock club. I won!!!!!! I can't wait to see what she is going to send.

I hope everyone has/had a Happy St. Patrick's Day and I can't wait to hear your Leprechaun names.

Socks, socks and more sock yarn

2009-03-14T16:00:00.003-04:00

Yes, I have more than enough sock yarn but, I just can't stop ordering more. First, I joined the Socks that Rock sock club.

I received a beautiful pattern that is made with beads called Queen of Beads (Ravelry Link). When you join the club you receive 6 shipments for the year. They consist of a colorway that is dyed specifically for the sock club. A pattern from a well known designer and some fun extras. I joined late so I should be receiving my next shipment in March. Can't wait to see what colorway and pattern will arrive. I think there are still some spots open if you're interested.

Next, I joined the Sunshine Yarns Harry Potter sock club. I've always wanted to make some house socks, Gryffindor of course. There are also a few spots still open and you can pick your house skein and yarn type. Next, through an ad on Ravelry I found Hazel Knits Etsy shop. I couldn't resist the beautiful colorways that were available.

It's amazing all the beautiful yarns and patterns I've found on Ravelry. I'm not sure if that is good or bad because I have a hard time resisting buying everything. As if that's not enough sock yarn I entered the drawing to win a spot in the Scout's Swag sock club.

Hopefully I win a spot!!!

Bad blogger

2009-02-22T11:10:00.006-05:00

OK so the new job has been keeping me busy. I can't believe it's been so long since I posted last. I've been doing lots of knitting and organizing of my knitting stuff. First, is my Cozy Cable Socks. Sock #1 is complete and I've cast on for my second sock so I don't loose steam. I used Dream in Color Smooshy in Vino Veritas. I love this yarn.

I don't know if I'm more impressed with the fact that I finished the sock or the fact that I was able to get my foot down from the counter top. Note to self: It may be a good idea to stretch out before pulling another ballet move like this.

I also bought some new cubes and containers for my yarn. I purchased the cubes at Target and the pails are from Organize.com. I got the inspiration for the pails and cubes from Sheep in the City. Stacey has such a beautiful and well organized room she inspired me to step it up a notch.

No this is definitely not all my yarn. Off to clean up a bit and work on my second sock.

Have a great rest of the weekend!!!

February Already???

2009-02-01T11:48:00.007-05:00

I can't believe it's February already. I start a new job tomorrow. I'm excited and nervous at the same time. It's not a job that I applied for I was chosen for the position and it's a promotion so that is definitely a good thing. I think I'm going to have a busy February and most likely a busy year. I'm not complaining, with the way the economy is and all the recent layoffs around the world I'm definitely happy to be gainfully employed.

On the knitting front I'm working on a February Lady Sweater for my grandmother's birthday. I have to get a move on because her birthday is the 8th. For myself I purchased some Dream in Color Classy to make Francis Revisited (Ravelry link).

I'm not sure what color I'm going to use between the Absolute Magenta and Chinatown Apple. I'm leaning toward the Magenta. I also started a Knit-along on Ravelry that begins on Ground Hog's Day to make the Cozy Cable Socks (Ravelry link). I can't wait to cast on the cables are gorgeous.

I'm addicted to socks again. When I first started knitting I had a sock project in my purse at all times. They kept me company at many long waits in the doctor's office. Latley I've been tempted to pull them out when I sit for hours in traffic. Like my 3 hour drive to work last week during our big snow storm. I have to figure out how to get a driver to take me back and forth to work so I can use that time to knit. LOL!!! As my grandmother would say " In my wild and crazy dreams".

I'm cured!!!

2009-01-25T12:18:00.006-05:00

I'm not sure why but I can knit a pair of socks as a gift without a problem but for some reason I have never been able to complete a pair of socks for myself. I've knit single socks for myself but never a pair until now. I finally finished my New Years Day Socks. I participated in a KAL that started on New's Day.

Pattern: New Years Day Socks
(Ravelry link )
Source: http://www.millharrow.com/weblog/front_content.php?idart=146&idsel=182
Yarn: Pagewood Farms Yukon
Color: New Horizon (Less than 1 hank)
Size: To fit size 8 1/2 - 9 shoe size, I completed 7 pattern repeats for the cuff and 14 total repeats for each sock.
Needles: US Size 1
Modifications:I changed the toe by following the decreases until I had 16 stitches left and then I did the kitchner stitch to close the toe. Toe is nice and round. Changed the skp’s to ssk’s throughout the entire pattern.

This is a really great pattern, the lace pattern was really easy to memorize. I would definitely makes these again.

I had to order some sock blockers from The Loopy Ewe for my new socks. If you have never ordered from Sheri before you definitely need to. With your first five orders you receive a small gift and with your 6th order I've heard you receive a fantastic gift and you become a member of the Loopy Groupies club. Also for every $250 you spend you get a $25 credit. I'm sure that won't take me long to get there with all the great yarn, patterns and accessories Sheri has available.

The yarn above is Dream in Color Smooshy in Cocoa Kiss with the great Sock Blocker that I ordered. My free gift was a needle inventory tracker for double points, circulars and straight needles along with some yarn sample cards. I can't wait to place my next order.

February Lady Sweater

2009-01-18T18:33:00.005-05:00

I finally finished my February Lady Sweater. I love this pattern. I wasn't sure it was going to be very flattering but I was wrong. The fit is great. Of all the sweaters I have knit for myself I think this is my favorite.

Pattern: February Lady Sweater

(Ravelry link)
Source: http://www.flintknits.com/blog
Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Kettle Dyed
Color: Jay Kettle (7 skeins)
Size: smallest
Needles: US Size 8
Modifications:

Decreased the 9 underarm stitches because I did not want my sleeves to be wide.

SSK, K5, K2tog
SSK, K3, K2tog
SSK, K1, K2tog
Slip 2 knitwise, K1, PSSO.
One stitch will be left. On row 1 of the gull lace pattern knit the remaining stitch together with the last K1 of the pattern repeat.
Bound off sleeves on a purl row using size 8 needles. Binding off on a purl row creates a nice finished edge.

I got these buttons from as cute as a button. I think they are perfect. They look black but they are actually a navy blue.

If you use the Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Kettle Dyed be very careful when you block your sweater. I always block my sweaters by washing them on delicate and then laying flat to dry. My machine doesn't agitate so I am usually okay. I have never had any problems in the past. Unfortunately there are a few spots on the back of the sweater where the lace pattern is not as pronounced because it was starting to felt.

I've had a lot of time to knit this weekend because we've had more crazy weather/snow. I finished my first News Day Sock and am almost half way through the second. I love this pattern. It is pretty easy but difficult enough to keep my interest.

I'm already thinking about the next sock pattern I want to knit. I decided on the Cozy Cable Socks. I purchased some Dream in Color Smooshy in Vino Veritas and Happy Forest. I'm not sure which color I'm going to use. Too hard to decide.

Vino Veritas

Happy Forest

I'll leave you with a picture that I took at sunrise this morning. As soon as I woke up I ran for my camera to capture this beautiful sky.

Shalom Cardigan

2009-01-14T18:23:00.005-05:00

I have been doing a lot of knitting because we were snowed in last week. We got about 10 inches of snow over the weekend. Last night it was -10 degrees and we have about a foot of snow on the ground now. I just need a snow suit so I can go outside and make snow angels like I did when I was a kid. To be able to play outside making igloos all day. That was the life.

The snow gave me an excuse to stay in with a hot cup of tea and my knitting. I finished my Shalom Cardigan and my February Lady Sweater. It has been really hard to photograph both sweaters and get an accurate picture of the yarn color. I'm also close to finishing my New Years Day sock. I can't wait to cast on for the second sock. The cable pattern was a lot of fun to knit.

So here are the details of my finished Shalom Cardigan. I love how it came out. It's definitely warm and cozy and perfect for this crazy weather.

Pattern: Shalom Cardigan
(Ravelry link)
Source: http://involvingthesenses.blogspot.com/
Yarn: Malabrigo Chunky
Color: Paris Nights (5.75 hanks)
Size: 32
Needles: US Size 10 1/2
Modifications:

Cast on using long-tail cast on.
Cast on counts as first row.
Completed 3 buttonholes on rows 6, 20 & 34.
Row 45: K28 (front), place next 33 stitches (sleeve) on scrap yarn, cast on 5, knit 47 (back), place next 33 stitches (sleeve) on scrap yarn, cast on 5, knit 28 (front).
Row 46: K5, P26, place marker, P51, place marker, P26, K5.
Row 55: Knit until 2 stitches before marker, SSK, slip marker, K2tog, repeat once, knit to end of row.
Repeated row 55 four times as directed in pattern.
Row 83: Knit until 1 stitch before marker, M1L, K1, slip marker, K1, M1R, repeat once, knit to end of row.
Completed row 83 twice.
Knit row 97 and then moved on to garter stitch bottom band. My row gauge was slightly off and I didn’t want the sweater to be too long.
Knit 8 rows of garter stitch & bound off on row 9.
Sleeves - placed sleeve stitches on needles, picked up 4 stitches under arm, placed marker (for future decreases) picked up 4 more stitches under arm.
Sleeve - Knit 4 rounds. - Complete one decrease row. SSK, knit to two stitches before marker K2tog. - Decreased every 6 rows (5 times). - Decreased every 5 rows (4 times). - Completed 8 garter stitch rows. - Bound off on row 9 (purl row). Sleeve measured 17 inches from end of yoke to end of cuff.

This is a great pattern and very easy to modify. It's also a really quick knit. I would definitely recommend this pattern if you're on the fence about it.

I'll leave you will a little eye candy. This is Sophie's Toes sock yarn. I purchased it on etsy here.

Cooking with Gas

2009-01-02T13:26:00.009-05:00

I have been a knitting mad women. My sink is clogged and the kitchen is a mess but that's okay because I'm happily knitting while the DH snakes the drain. At least I have my priorities straight. LOL!!! I have been happily knitting on my New Years Day Sock. The only modification I'm making is substituting ssk's for the skp's. I'm not fond of having to pass a stitch over. If I can avoid it and still get the same look I will definitely do it.

I'm using the Pagewood Farms Yukon Hand-dyed yarn that I purchased when I was in Colorado. It's 70% wool, 20% bamboo and 10% nylon. I'm loving knitting with it. The pattern is a lot of fun and has just the right amount of cabling to add interest.

I learned how to knit without a cable needle using Grumperina's tutorial. It was a little intimidating at first but once you get the hang of it, it's really easy.

I have also been working on my Shalom cardigan. I'm using the Malabrigo Chunky. This yarn is so soft and yummy. I will definitley be using it again.

This is a great pattern, very easy to adapt. I'm adding long sleeves and more buttons. I'm not sure yet if I'm going to add 3 or 4 button's. I can't wait to finish the yoke and split the sleeves because I want to try this on.

I have also have been making stitch markers again. I ordered a bunch of beads from Oriental Trading . I also ordered these sheep beads from Fairy Bear's Beads. I couldn't resist they are just too cute.

My friend Michelle also made me some stitch markers. She actually gave them to everyone in our knitting group. We had a Christmas Knit get together the week before Christmas.

One can never have too many fun stitch markers.

2008 FO's

2008-12-31T15:37:00.011-05:00

I can't believe that 2008 is almost over. There are so many things that I wanted to knit and many more that I started but didn't get finished. Here is a look back at what I did finish.

In 2009 I'm going to focus on organization. I would love to redo my pantry and get some new closet and garage organizers. I also have some knitting items that I'm getting ready to cast on.

Shalom Cardigan - I'm going to swatch today. This one should be a fast knit.

February Lady sweater - Body is done but the sleeves seem a little too big. I think I may decrease some stitches on the sleeves.

New Years Day Socks - (Raverlry link) I can't start these until midnight tonight. I'm in a KAL and those are the rules.

I hope every one has a Happy New Year!!!

Blue mood

2008-12-21T22:04:00.008-05:00

I seem to be drawn to the color blue these days. I'm still working on my February Lady Sweater but I couldn't get a good picture of the true color. The swatch below of the Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Kettle Dyed in Jay Kettle isn't accurate.

The color is actually a bit darker. It's more of a navy color. I also did a bit of shopping at Webs. I bought some Malabrigo Chunky, in the color Paris Night, to make the Shalom Cardigan. I found this finished sweater on Ravelry (link) and just had to make it. I think I'm going to make mine with long sleeves also because I'm a freeze baby. Here is what the Malabrigo Chunky looks like.

I can't wait to cast on for the cardigan. Should be a quick knit because it calls for size 10.5 needles. I also bought some Classic Elite Waterlily in Wedgewood.

I'm thinking that I may use this to make another February Lady Sweater for my grandmother. She keeps asking me to make her a cardigan in blue. I think she will really like this color. Her birthday is in February. I think if I cast on now I can get it done by then.

I love the variegation in the waterlily. I might have to order some more for myself. It's getting late and I have to get up early for work tomorrow. All this Christmas wrapping, shopping and baking is kicking me in the butt. I'm on vacation beginning Christmas Eve through Jan 5. I can't wait!!!

December already???

2008-12-06T19:01:00.016-05:00

I can't believe that it's December already. Christmas will be here and gone soon. I finally put most of my Christmas decorations up. I still have a few Christmas lights to hang up in my windows. I use to be so good about decorating the day after Thanksgiving. I love the way everything looks once it's up. I just hate to have to take it down. According to my grandmother everything has to be down before January 1st. She always says you can't bring in the new year with last year's decorations or it's bad luck. Not sure if it's true or not but I know that I don't want any bad luck following me around. I'm klutzy enough, I don't need to walk into any more chairs and stub my toe or fall down or up the stairs. Yes it is possible to fall up the stairs.

I finally decided what I'm going to do about the February Lady Sweater that I was working on. My dilemma was that I started to make the sweater using Dream in Color in the November Muse colorway. Unfortunately I ran out so I picked up another two hanks and was all set to start knitting until I put the new hanks up to my half completed sweater. Not even close. My sweater looks reddish brown and the hanks are brown with some black and gray. I'm not going to give up looking for some matching hanks. I am however going to start a new sweater using the Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Kettle Dyed yarn in the colorway Jay Kettle. The color is beautiful. I ordered the Soot Kettle, Jay Kettle, Bordeaux Kettle, Ivy Kettle and Auburn Kettle. I couldn't resist, it was all so tempting.

No yarn pics today since it's dark out already. So, I will leave you with some pictures I took for a photography class I signed up for. I'm learning all about exposure.

I love this one because you can see the snow that's on the end of his nose and whiskers.

He is my only willing subject. Everyone else complains that they don't want their picture taken. A couple treats and he'll pose for any picture as long as you're okay with a little drool in the picture. LOL!!! Those of you that have Labs know what I mean.

Tutorial #1: Seaming & attaching handles

2008-11-30T15:55:00.031-05:00

I have received quite a few questions regarding the best way to finish the Christine bag (ravelry link). So I thought the easiest way to explain would be to do a series of tutorials. This is the first and it will cover seaming and attaching the handles.

Seaming Sides

Supplies:
1- Metal yarn needle
2- Coordinating yarn approximately 24 inches long
1- scissors
(Optional) - Pins to hold your bag together as you seam.

1.) Lay your bag out with the cast on and bind off rows together.

2.) Turn your bag so the top of the bag is facing you.

3.) Before you begin seaming it is important to understand the difference between the outside stitches and the inside stitches. (See the image below).

4.) To begin seaming you will insert your needle & yarn into the first outside stitch on the left side of your bag. Be sure to leave a tail about 6 inches long to be secured later.

5.) Next you will insert your needle in the first outside stitch on the right side of your bag.

6.) Back to the left side, insert your needle in the next inside stitch. (Refer to image in step 3 if needed to determine proper placement).

7.) Insert your needle on the next inside stitch on the right side of the bag. (See image above)

8.) You will repeat steps 4 - 7 working your way down the bag until all your stitches have been seamed up. Your bag should look like the image below.

9.) Now that you are done seaming up the side it is time to hide your ends. Insert your needle between the last two stitches you seamed up and pull your yarn through to the inside of your bag.

10.) Secure your ends by working back and forth through the side seam. You may even tie a knot if you want. You won't see it once the bag has been lined. Do the same to secure the tail that you left in step 4. Trim ends if needed.

11.) Repeat steps 2 - 10, to seam up the other side of your bag.

Attaching Handles

Supplies:
1- pair purse handles - I purchased my wooden handles from Jo-Ann fabrics for about $7.00.
1- metal yarn needle (I have broken several plastic needles)
1- scissors
2- Coordinating yarn approximately 115 inches or a little over 3 yards.

Please note: You will skip the first 5 stitches (P3, K2) and the last 5 stitches (K2, P3). If you attach the handle to these stitches you will not be able to open your bag enough to get your items in and out. Below is an image of the bag with the handles already attached so you can see what I mean.

1.) Inset your needle in top of the appropriate stitch. Be sure to leave a length of yarn about 6 inches long to secure while you attach your handles. If you used Brown Sheep Burly Spun be careful not to pull too hard. Burly Spun is not plyed and will pull apart if you use too much tension.

2.) Wrap yarn around handle and insert from back to front in next stitch. Be sure to wrap yarn around the yarn tail that you left. This will eliminate the need to secure the end later. Below is an image of the back view of the handle.

3.) Continue attaching the handle until all but the last 5 stitches have been attached.

6.) Once you have completed attaching the handle you will need to secure your ends. Turn your bag so the wrong side of the handle is facing you. Insert needle into top of stitch closest to the handle. Be sure to pull your yarn tight.

7.) You are now going to feed your needle back through the wrapped stitches on your handle.

8.) Repeat until you have worked your way through all the wrapped stitches.

9.) Secure your yarn as you did in step 6 and hide your ends.

10.) Repeat steps 1 - 9 to attach 2nd handle.

I will be posting a tutorial for lining your bag in the next couple of days. Stay tuned.

Turkey Day

2008-11-27T10:57:00.009-05:00

I hope that everyone has a safe and wonderful holiday!!!!

Yarn, yarn and more yarn

2008-11-15T18:52:00.027-05:00

Chicken soup and Thera-Flu is about all I've been doing for the past couple of days. I came down with a chest cold and I feel like *&%$#. Not much knitting, but I have been searching for the perfect sock pattern to knit up my new Red Rocks sock yarn.

I bought this over on Mary-Kay's blog. I think she still has some left if you're interested. I couldn't resist this color, it's called 'It's a Go'. I can't wait to see how this knits up. I haven't made myself socks in a long time. Maybe that's because I usually get second sock syndrome. I prefer double points to knitting two socks at a time but I may need to reconsider that. I have too many single socks knit waiting for their partners.

I'm about half done with my February Lady Sweater. I bought another skein of the Dream in Color. I can't believe that they don't have a dye lot. Check out the difference in these two skeins. They are both November Muse.

Even if I alternate skeins I'm afraid you're really going to be able to see the color difference. The one on the right looks red and the one on the left is reddish brown with some black. Not sure what I'm going to do. I ordered this on-line and I can't remember where I got it. I could rip out what I have and buy two more skeins at my LYS. I guess I'll be putting this to the side while I decide what to do.

I also got some Malabrigo Silky Merino from my LYS, River Color Studio. They have a great selection of yarn. I managed to stay away from the Koigu. They have practically every color you could want. Well, off to watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Isn't it a bit early for Christmas cartoons? It is snowing outside.

Eleonora

2008-11-02T00:57:00.051-04:00

It's finally here, my newest design Eleonora. This classy but simple shrug is perfect with jeans or over your favorite little black dress. You can knit this up in either DK or fingering weight yarn. Cuff and body ribbing are done in a simple lace repeat. Shrug is knit sideways starting at one cuff and finishing at the other.

DK version shown above & below. Size small shown knit with cotton fleece.

Gauge:
DK - 20 sts and 26 rows = 4 inches
Fingering - 28 sts and 32 rows =4 inches

Garment sizes: XXS, XS, S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X

Materials:
DK - US size 5 needles
Yarn - Brown Sheep cotton fleece 4 (4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6) skeins

Fingering - US size 2 needles & US size 4 needles
Yarn - Bristol Yarn Gallery Buckingham 5 (6, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9, 10) hanks

tapestry needle

stitch markers and split stitch markers

Fingering weight version shown above & below. Size small shown knit with Bristol Yarn - Buckingham.

The Buckingham yarn is really soft and luxurious. It has great drape and is very affordable.

$6.50

Click the buy now button to purchase and download a pdf version of the pattern. Please note if you are using your checking account to make your purchase you will receive the pattern once the payment has been processed. If you don't have a paypal account that's okay you can make a purchase without an account by using a major credit card. If you are a Ravelry user you can also purchase it through my pattern store.

Every attempt has been made to produce a high quality pattern, free of errors. Pattern includes both charts and written instructions. Enjoy!!!

Long time no see

2008-10-21T20:52:00.003-04:00

So it has been awhile since I posted last. Things have been a bit crazy. My grandma was in and out of the hospital over a three week period. They kept sending her home and telling her she had inflamed ribs. Turned out she experienced some very severe side effects due to some meds she was on. She is finally on the mend so things are getting back to normal.

On the knitting front I'm almost done with Porom. No pictures to post. I got home late and it was already dark out. I hate to take pictures with my flash. Since I don't have any knitting to share instead I will share one of my favorite recipes.

Turkey Meatloaf

2 packages of ground turkey breast
3/4 cup instant oatmeal
2 eggs
1 cup frozen chopped spinach
basil
cilantro

For the herbs I go to Trader Joes. They have basil and cilantro, in the freezer section, that are frozen into little cubes. You could definitely use fresh basil and cilantro if you prefer. For me the frozen cubes are more convenient. If I buy fresh basil I end up having to through some of it out because I can't use it up before it goes bad.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Thaw and drain the spinach. In a large bowl combine all your ingredients. I mix everything together will my hands (cleand hands LOL!!!) and place in a loaf pan. Cook at 375 for 50 - 60 minutes or until it's no longer pink in the center.

I love how moist and yummy the meatloaf comes out. It's great warm or as a cold meatloaf sandwich. I'm lucky to have leftovers for the next day. My husband practically eats half the meatloaf himself.

For a little twist you could also add some salsa to change it up a bit.

For me.......

2008-09-21T11:50:00.013-04:00

It has been a very busy two weeks. I am hoping things will slow down so I can get back to knitting and blog reading. I did find the time to do some shopping with my Birthday money. I have always wanted a dress form to use when sewing or when I am designing a pattern. I splurged and bought the lady valet dress form. Isn't she pretty!!!

She is in route all the way from the UK. I couldn't find any US stores that carried this type of dress form. The stand is wood, which is what I wanted. The best part is the form is adjustable so I can alter it to my exact measurement. It should be arriving this week.

On the knitting front I am still working on my February Lady sweater and I have two new projects that I think I may be knitting for Christmas gifts.

Brooklyntweed just came out with two beautiful hat patterns. The first is a cable hat called Habitat. I have a couple of men that I think will love this hat. The second is for the ladies and is called Porom. I have yarn in my stash for both hats but I may need to purchase some more.

I love quick knits for Christmas gifts. Can you believe that there is only 95 days, 12 hours, 52 minutes and 47 seconds left til Christmas. But who is counting. LOL !!!!

And the winners are.....

2008-09-18T08:38:00.003-04:00

Thank you to everyone that joined the blogiversary contest. I really enjoyed reading your blogs and getting to know more about each one of you. I know you are waiting to find out who won the goodies so the winners are:

Lornas's Lace Shepherd Worsted goes to Judy

Regia Canadian Color sock yarn goes to Erin

Noro Kureyon goes to Evergreen Knits

Send me your info ladies so I can get these in the mail to you.

Congratulations!!!!!

Blogiversary Contest

2008-09-11T13:19:00.008-04:00

It's been a year since I started blogging. I have met so many wonderful people through my blog and made some great friends. I wanted to do some type of contest but have been too busy to think of anything creative. So leave a comment from now until Wednesday September 17th and you will be entered to win 1 of 3 prizes.

First is Lorna's Lace Shepherd Worsted in colorway Embers (2 skeins - 225 yards each).

Second is Regia Canadian Color. This is one of my favorite self striping sock yarns. I don't think you can get this anymore. When I found it I bought 10 skeins. You know I love sock yarn.

Last is 3 skeins of Noro Kureyon color 139. The colors are purple, pink, teal, blue, green and rust.

Goodluck and thanks for reading!!!!!

Number crunching

2008-08-30T16:31:00.014-04:00

I have been working on finishing the pattern for Violet. As you can see I have been crunching numbers trying to size the pattern up. Math isn't my strong point so I'm checking and rechecking my numbers. Then when I was almost done I decided that I should make the pattern

available for multiple gauges. Which means more number crunching this weekend and then off to have it editted and test knit.

Guess what came in the mail last week? Custom Knits!!!!! Yes, I got two copies. I was soooo excited about it coming out that I didn't realize that I paid for and pre-ordered two copies.

There are a lot of really great designs. The best part is Wendy tells you how to alter each design to make it your own. I love the design above but I'm not much into belly showing shirts so I would customize the pattern to make it long enough to cover my stomach.

I absolutely love this hat. I usually don't wear hats but I might make an exception for this one. I think this would make a quick and beautiful Christmas gift. Yes there is only 116 days til Christmas. OMG!!!!

I love this top. Too bad summer is almost over. I will definitely be adding this to my future project queue.

If I didn't have so many UFO's I would cast on for this gorgeous number. I'm drawn to the green. There is another picture of this same sweater in a dark tealy blue with no shirt beneath it. Seems like a very versatile knit.

Too many beautiful designs. The book is also a great read. I haven't had a chance yet to read it cover to cover but I plan on doing it soon. Wendy is very talented.

I know that I have way too many projects going on around here but I decided to join a sew-a-long for the Amy Butler Weekender bag. You guessed it there is a group on Ravelry called Amy Butler Lovers. I ordered the material over a year ago.

I haven't sewn in awhile so this should be interesting. The hubby will be happy because he bought me a sewing machine over 5 years ago and I never used it. I had good intentions but I never broke it out to sew. I'm excited because Amy Butler's fabrics and patterns are gorgeous. My friend Michelle has made many of her bags and she says the patterns are easy. Check out Michelle's beautiful bags here and here.

I promised to post some pictures of my Namaste Newport bag in peacock. The color in the pictures is pretty accurate. It is not the bright teal color that it appears on some of the on-line stores.

The yarn in front of the bag is knit picks yarn in various shades of blue. I love this bag and the color is just beautiful.

Off to finish crunching my numbers. Have a great long Labor Day weekend!!!!!

Glad to be home

2008-08-23T18:53:00.011-04:00

My trip to Colorado was nice but I'm glad to be home. It was a busy trip. Most of my time was spent working and going out to dinner with co-workers. I did manage to slip away to do some shopping. My first stop was the Knitters Kove in Colorado Springs. I found them through ravelry there is a knitters kove group.

I wasn't shopping for anything specific, I just wanted to browse and see what they had. It's not a really big shop but they did have quite a big selection of yarn. I bought some Pagewood Farm hand dyed sock yarn Yukon in colorway new horizon. It's 70% merino, 20% bamboo and 10% nylon. I couldn't resist the color. I also picked up a hair pin lace loom. I've always wanted to learn how to do hair pin lace to make this skirt. I also picked up some stitch markers and some double points. I don't know what happens to all my stitch markers they keep disappearing. I planed on stopping at Posh Yarns in Denver but I never got a chance.

Colorado Springs is beautiful. This is the view looking out my hotel window. It took me a little while to get use to the dry Colorado air. I'm use to the high and I mean high humidity that we have in Ohio. The best part about the dry air was no frizzy hair.

I did take some knitting with me but I really only got to knit on the plane. I started the February Sweater (ravelry link). I knit quite a bit on the flight to Denver but ended up ripping most of it because I didn't like the way my one row button hole looked. I decided to use this version of the one row button hole.

I'm using Dream into Color Classy in November Muse. The color reminds me of the fall leaves. I can't wait to get to the gull lace portion. Off to relax and knit.

What to Pack?

2008-08-18T06:11:00.006-04:00

I'm headed to Colorado Springs today for work. I had to get up early today to pack because I spent yesterday cleaning out my flower beds and deciding what projects I wanted to take with me. At least my priorities are straight. So I decided I'm going to take the February Lady Sweater (ravelry link) for my airplane knitting. I'm using Dream into Color Classy in November Muse. I actually don't have enough yarn to complete the sweater so I'm going to need to order more. I only have two hanks and I think it's going to take about 3.5 hanks.

I'm also taking Violet. It's my own design which I will make available both on my blog and on Ravelry. Here is a little peak on what it looks like. I've been trying to get this pattern written up for way to long (since January). I've also got the name of a couple of local Colorado Springs yarn shops. I'm hoping that I will have enough time to stop and check them out. The hotel has free internet so I'll see if I can get a post or two in.

Addictions????

2008-08-15T20:46:00.014-04:00

I entered a contest on Ravelry to win a Namaste goodie package through the Namaste Love group. Here's the pictured I entered with me and all my Namaste bags. As you can see I'm thinking about getting the Charcoal Laguna.

So far I have:

Black Jetsetter
Camel Jetsetter
Raspberry Jetsetter
Mauve Messenger
Lime Malibu
Peacock Newport

The Newport is a new purchase. I got it in the mail last week from kpixie. These bags are addicting. I own a lot of knitting bags that I never use. They just sit in my closet. The best part about these are they are a knitting bag and a purse in one. That way I don't look like a bag lady.

I've also found that I have another addiction. Yes it's an iPhone. I got it about two months ago. It isn't the new 3G version but that's okay. I'm still learning about all the apps that are available and yes there is a group on ravelry called iLove my iPhone.

The group has been really helpful. I learned a lot about what cases work the best, look the best and protect the phone the best. Not to mention all the reviews for the iPhone apps. I'm thinking about downloading stitchminder, which is a basic row and pattern counter. There's even an app (iFlickr) that lets you take a picture with your iPhone and then upload it to Flickr. I haven't got as far as installing any apps for now.

New Skirt, New Hair

2008-08-10T21:43:00.011-04:00

I finally finished it and the best part is it fits!!! I was worried that this was going to be too small once it was washed. It blocks great and shrinks in length only and by blocking I mean wash it and through it in the dryer. I actually started this last August. Other than blue fingers from it bleeding on my hands, the Rowan denim was great to knit with. My favorite part is the lace and the ruffle.

Pattern: Indigo Ripple Skirt
(Ravelry link)
Source: Interweave Knits, Spring 2007
Yarn: Rowan Denim
Color: Nashville (8.5 balls)
Size: Smallest
Needles: US Size 4
Modifications: I did the usual mods. I cast on for the second
smallest size and increased until I had the correct number for the
smallest size. I also lengthened the stockinette portion of the skirt to
15 inches before washing. I did 50 rows for the lace portion and crocheted
a chain for the draw string with a size H hook and the yarn held doubled.

I wore the skirt to the grocery store yesterday and some lady stopped me to tell me how cute my skirt was and to ask where I bought it. I proudly said I made it. This is definitely one of my favorite knits and will be a summer staple.

I also got a new hair cut by a stylist trained on how to cut curly hair. I learned about how curly hair should be cut in the book Curly Girl. If you're a curly girl you've got to get this book. It has taught me so much about how to care for my hair. It even teaches you how to make your own shampoo and curl refresher.

The hair cut was very different from any that I've ever had. The stylist cut my hair dry one curl at a time. She also taught me how to properly apply product and gave me some great styling tips to help avoid frizz. I got her name on the naturally curly website. I was a little worried going to a new stylist because I've had some really bad hair cuts. My hair shrinks when dry so if it's cut too short I can end up with baby doll bangs. Usually not a good look for me. The hair is cut with the natural curl pattern so my hair actually ended up curlier after the cut. It's a little shorter than I wanted but I am still happy with it.

Too Nice For Yoga

2008-08-02T19:44:00.010-04:00

I'm a huge Knit and Tonic fan. Wendy's patterns are so fun to knit and easy to modify for a perfect fit. I can't wait for her book to come out. I pre-ordered mine on Amazon.

This is another one of Wendy's great patterns the Yogini Bolero. I was worried when I was knitting this because it looked way to small. I'm really happy with the final product and the fit. I'm thinking of making another short sleeve version out of Blue Sky Skinny Cotton. I also bought some Cotton Fleece in a deep purple to make a long sleeve version. I love these fast knits.

Pattern: Yogini Bolero
(Ravelry link)
Source: http://www.knitandtonic.typepad.com/
Yarn: Hemp for Knittig Allhemp6LUX
Color: Zinfandel (2.5 hanks)

Size: Small
Needles: US Size 5
Modifications: Instead of the 6 decreases for the
optional shaping I only completed 3 decreases. I also
lengthened the top. The size small says to knit until the
top measures 10.5 inches from the cast on before binding
off. I knit until the top measured 12 inches before binding
off. I have broad shoulders so I think that's why I had to
lengthen the top. Because this is knit from the top down you
can try it on as you go so you can achieve a perfect fit.

Another blog that I love to read is Lara's blog. She knits so many great things and all of her FO's fit great and are so flattering. She had a contest for her blogiversary and I was one of the winners. I won a hank of Sundara 100% hand-dyed superwash merino wool (fingering weight) in the colorway Bird of Paradise.

I can't wait to knit this up. I'm not sure what I want to make with it. Socks? A scarf? The hank is 350 yards. If anyone has any pattern suggestions leave me a comment.

Too many projects

2008-07-27T11:12:00.013-04:00

I have been busy painting and remodeling my dining room. I took some before shots so I could post some before and after shots. I have managed to squeeze some knitting in. The Indigo Ripple skirt is close to being done.

Here's a close up of the lace pattern. I love it but I'm kind of over knitting this. I had to put it down for a little while and move onto something else. I started the Yogini Bolero. I'm using the same yarn and color that Wendy used. I wanted to make it in the Red Hemp but Kpixie didn't have three skeins in stock when I placed my order.

This has been a really fast knit. I'm glad this is one of those patterns that you can try on as you go. I'm making the size small so I knit until it measured 10.5 inches from the cast on but when I tried it on it was too high up on my bust. I made the top a little longer and bound off to try it on but it still seems too high. I'm debating if I should add a little more length. I may sleep on it before deciding to rip out my bind off.

Well, I'm off to finish my paining.

Fiber Fix

2008-07-19T15:59:00.013-04:00

Today Michelle and I went to Miss Chickpea's Funky Fibers in Hudson. I needed a fiber fix and Michelle was more than happy to go along for the ride.

The shop is really cute inside. Miss Pea (Ravelry link) was not there but her staff was very friendly and they had quite a few yarns that I had never seen before. The best part was they were having a Christmas in July sale. Michelle and I tried to restrain ourselves and limit our purchases but it was tough.

The shop is located in the First & Main shopping district in Hudson. There are a lot of great stores and restaurants in the plaza. I will definitely take a trip back to Miss Chickpea's and make a day of it.

What did I buy you ask? Of course I did not leave there empty handed. I got some cotton fleece in an eggplant color to make the Yogini Bolero. I think I'm going to make the long sleeve version.

I also picked up three balls of Puffin by Crystal Palace. This is made of polyester fleece. I think this is going to become a baby jacket or sweater. It will definitely be warm. Last I picked up two hanks of sock yarn. No I don't need more sock yarn but I couldn't resist the color. The yarn is Hacho hand dyed merino wool.

We also stopped at Chico's. They were having a sidewalk sale and everything was 50% of the sale prices. I got this great skirt. Michelle got two skirts and three pairs of shoes. She got quite a deal the shoes were only $7.00 each.

It's my Birthday!!!

Today is Max's 9th birthday. I can't believe my little pup has been with us for 9 years. Well I have to go make him some homemade dog biscuits. I asked him if he wanted me to make him some treats and now he is laying in front of the oven whining.

Quick Update

2008-07-15T20:59:00.003-04:00

No progress pictures today but I'm almost done with my indigo ripple skirt. I'm really enjoying the process of knitting this skirt. I love the Rowan denim. I just hope it is going to fit once I wash and block it.

I have also been busy power washing the patio and back steps. This weekend I added a sand cement mixture to the joints in between the pavers and did lots of planting. When I'm done I take some pictures. I hope the rain stays away for at least a couple more days so I can put my patio set outside and soak up some sun.

Eyelet Cardigan

2008-07-08T07:41:00.007-04:00

I finally got some pictures of my finished Blue Sky Alpaca Eyelet Cardigan (Ravelry link). I have mixed feelings about this top. I don't like the way the sleeves fit. They are too wide. As I wore the top throughout the day the sleeves at the elbow kept getting wider and folding up. I'm not sure how to fix this. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know.

Pattern: Eyelet Cardigan
(Ravelry link)
Source: http:www.kpixie.com

Yarn: Blue Sky Alpaca Dyed Cotton
Color: Orchid (4.5 hanks)
Size: Small (34)
Needles: US Size 6
Modifications: I shortened the sleeves. Instead of doing all
the ribbing I did only half of the ribbing the pattern suggested.
I didn't want to fold up the ribbing but I have to anyways because
the sleeves are long and too wide. I wish I would have made
them shorter. I also made only one button hole at the top of the
button band. I did not find a button I liked so here I have a brooch
holding the sweater closed.

I am still working on the indigo ripple skirt. I'm finally done with the increases so it's easy mindless stockinette until the skirt is 14 or 15 inches. I haven't decided yet. I'm making the skirt longer than the pattern suggested because I don't want the lace to come up too high on my leg. I love the Rowan denim the only problem is it leaves my hands blue. I'll have to make sure when I wash this I don't throw it in with anything that it could bleed on.

Ribbed Lace Bolero

2008-07-05T12:39:00.006-04:00

I finally got the DH to take some FO shots of the Ribbed Lace Bolero. This is a really fun pattern.

Pattern: Ribbed Lace Bolero

Ravelry Link
Source: http://kellymaher.wordpress.com/

Yarn: Lion brand cotton-ease
Color: Charcoal (1.5 skeins)
Size: Cast on 98 stitches
Needles: US Size 8 & 10.5
Modifications: None

If I make this again, which is possible, I will cast on less stitches. The bolero keeps sliding off of my shoulders. I didn't measure as the pattern specifies to custom fit the bolero. I just thought 98 stitches sounds good. I did do my gauge swatch but as far as the measuring part I threw caution to the wind. I still like the way it fits and will get a lot of wear out of this. Plus with how affordable cotton-ease is, I can always make another.

I have been working on the Shetland Shorty. This is going pretty fast now that I got gauge. I had to go down to US size 3 needles. I hope it's going to fit because right now it looks like it will fit a 9 yr old. This is an addictive pattern. I hear it calling my name.

Knitting Bags

2008-07-04T09:44:00.021-04:00

The postman brought me a package yesterday. You'll never guess what I ordered. Of course its another knitting bag. Not one but two bags. One can never have too many bags. I found a group on Ravelry called Namaste Love. All the ladies were discussing the namaste bags that they own. Who knew there were so many options. I already have the namaste messenger bag in mauve. I love it! It has lots of pockets and places to store sizzors etc.... The messenger is great but it's a little too big to carry everywhere with me. I wanted something that looked more like a purse.

The first bag I ordered is the Jetsetter in black. I love it! I think that they must be discontinuing this bag because it was hard for me to find one available on line.

After looking on the namaste website I decided to order the Cali Malibu in lime. It is the perfect summer color and it big enough to carry larger projects or lots of little projects.

The bag came in a dust bag to project it when you're not using it. It's a larger bag but it's not too big.

Here are some pictures of the inside of the bag. Lots of place to store your cell phone etc...

On the knitting front I am still working on my indigo ripple skirt. The whole time I'm knitting this I keep thinking I hope this is going to fit. I'm almost done with the ties on the shetland shorty. I'm finally getting gauge. Yeah!!! My ribbed lace bolero and my Eyelet cardigan are waiting for their FO shots.

Maybe I can get the DH to take some pictures this weekend. That is if the rain stays away.

Have a great 4th of July!!!

Apple Pie

2008-07-02T16:29:00.009-04:00

Last Sunday I made homemade apple pie. Well it was not all homemade because I got a little lazy and bought the pre-made crust.

Recipe:
(Pie Filling)

3 to 4 cups pealed and sliced apples (I like lots of apples in my pie)
3 tsp. flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. butter or margarine
3 tsp. milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl combine apples, flour, sugar, cinnamon and milk. Stir until the apples are coated. Pour into unbaked pie crust. Cut up butter and place over apples. Place remaining pie crust on top of apples and pinch down edges of crust. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes.

Tip: I cover the edges of my pie with tin foil and cook for the first 30 minutes. Then I remove the tin foil and cook for the remaining 15 minutes. This prevents the crust from getting burnt.

It wasn't the best looking pie I ever made, but boy did it taste good. Pie a la Mode with vanilla soy ice cream. Mmmmmm......mmmmm!!!

On the knitting front I started the Shetland Shorty. I got gauge on the suggested needle size but as I knit the garter stitch rows my tension loosened up. I had to rip and restart. I cast on with size 3 needles and am hoping that I get gauge this time. I found so many really cute shortys on ravelry. Check out this one and this one. I already want to make another.

Today is my Grandfather's birthday. Happy Birthday Grandpa!!! He is 81 years young today.

Aren't they cute. I'm very close to my grandparents. I was born when my grandmother was 40 yrs old. She quit her job to stay home and take care of me and eventually my brother. My brother, my mom and I lived with them from the time I was 6 years old until after I graduated from college, which they paid for. I love them and cherish every moment that I spend with them.

Summer Knits

2008-06-28T09:55:00.007-04:00

I still don't have any FO pictures of my Ribbed Lace Bolero and my finally complete Eyelet Cardigan. I'm happy with the way they both turned out. My finished summer knit list is growing. I've started yet another project. I could' nt resist making another Indigo Ripple Skirt. I made one last year but unfortunately the skirt doesn't fit anymore. It grew and it's too big. I didn't use the Rowan Denim last year because I was afraid to it was going to shrink, but after seeing Eileen's finished skirt (Ravelry link) I decided I had to have one in the denim. As usual I didn't get gauge with the size 6 suggested needle size. I had to go down two needle sizes so it may be awhile before I get this done.

I also bought some Shibui sock yarn from Webs to make the Shetland Shorty. I can't wait to get started.

I couldn't decide if I wanted to use the green (Wasabi) or the dark teal (Peacock) so I got both. One can never have enough sock yarn.

Free at last

2008-06-22T09:17:00.009-04:00

My wireless stopped working about 6 months ago. I just haven't had the time to try to figure out why. Yesterday I got sick and tired of having to use the computer in our basement office. It's rather dark and there aren't any windows. I'm also kind of a computer hog and the DH gets a little frustrated that he can never get on the computer.

Finally I got out the setup CD and setup the wireless again. It only took about 20 minutes. I don't know why it took me so long to fix it. I'll blame it on Ravelry, it seems to be sucking up quite a bit of my time lately. I get sucked into reading the group posts and forums. So I actually have been knitting. I started the Ribbed Lace Bolero. Ravelry link here.

I'm actually done with all the knitting I just need to seam it up. I'm using Lion Brand Cotton Ease. Here is a close up of the stitch pattern. It's a two row repeat that is really easy to memorize.

Hopefully I will have an FO or two to post tomorrow. I will leave you with a picture of one of the trees that I have in my back yard. In early spring the tree blooms white flowers and in late spring there are red berries. For the last couple of days all I have heard in the back yard is this tree rustling. On average there are usually at least 5 to 10 birds fighting over the berries. I have had a couple birds fly right into my kitchen window. The thud noise scared the crap out of me.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!!

And the list gets longer

2008-06-16T22:10:00.004-04:00

I don't know where I have been? I'm always a day late and a dollar short. I didn't realize that the new Summer 2008 Knitty was already out. The cover design, shetland shorty is a must knit. It's so cute and perfect for some instant gratification knitting. I also love this design called seascape. I love, love, love kidsilk haze. I actually have three balls in this exact color. I also love sock knitting and any pattern that combines socks and Noro Kureyon sock yarn is a must have. I love these socks and of course I have some Kureyon sock yarn in my stash. Three more projects added to my list.

Picovoli

2008-06-14T09:47:00.012-04:00

I finally finished Picovoli. This was one of the projects I found in my closet that I had started last summer. The DH was working late so I had to take my own bathroom mirror shots.

Editted to add: I had the DH take some new FO shots because the bathroom mirror shots were blurry.

Pattern: Picovoli

Source: Grumperina
Available here and on Ravelry
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cathay
Color: Teal 07 (4.5 skeins)
Size: 32
Needles: US Size 6
Modifications: None

I am very happy with the way this turned out. I tried it on before I did the picot edging around the arms and I thought it made me look like a linebacker. Once I finished the picot it looked much better. I like the pattern shaping, it is done in all the right places and is very flattering. I have knit too many sweaters that are boxy and not very figure flattering. They usually end up never being worn or being frogged. I think this one is a keeper. I'm also almost finished with the Eyelet Cardigan. I just need to finish the button bad for the left side and set in the sleeves.

And the Winner Is?

2008-05-26T21:28:00.008-04:00

Thanks for your help deciding which color to use for my Eyelet Cardigan. The winner was the Blue Sky Cotton in Orchid. I love the color. I started the cardigan yesterday and I have the back complete and have started on the right front.

This is a very easy and addicting pattern. I can already tell I'm going to love this sweater. Check out Michelle's eyelet cardigan. It turned out great. She made a few mods, the details are on her blog.

Here is a close-up picture of the eyelet pattern. It's a four row repeat that is really easy to memorize.

I got a new camera (Fuji Finepix S1000fd) about a month ago and have been busy taking pictures of everything. I love this camera it's really easy to use and has tons of great features. The best part is you don't need to be a photographer to take great images. Below are just a few of the pictures I have been taking.

I took this picture of Max in Super Macro mode and in black and white. The camera was only a few inches from his eye. I was surprised he let me get that close. He usually runs from the camera.

This is one of my orchids that is in bloom. This was taken in Super Macro mode also.

This is a bit of a tease because this is my next project. That is once I finish the Eyelet Cardigan. More details to follow. I hope everyone had a great weekend.

Decisions, decisions

2008-05-17T13:50:00.015-04:00

I actually have been doing quite a bit of knitting lately. Unfortunately most of it is secret knitting. Since I've finished a few projects in the last couple of weeks I'm going to let myself start something new. I would like to make the Blue Sky Alpaca Eyelet Cardigan. Here is the Ravelry link.

The only problem is, I can't decide the color that I want to use. I was hoping you all could help. I have four colors to choose from.

Thistle White Azul Orchid

Place your vote and help me decide. I'll leave the poll up for the next 7 days. I can't wait to see what color you choose. I'm anxious to get started.

Editted to Add: Poll is over and the winner is Orchid.

Spring Cleaning cont'd

2008-05-06T19:35:00.011-04:00

My spring cleaning turned up a few unfinished projects from last year. I have so many projects that I would like to start but, I decided that I can't until I finish or frog the items I found. I'm not sure what has happened to me lately but I have become a monogamous knitter. Which is very much unlike me. I've been known for having at least five projects going at a time. Yes I would sometimes forget where I left off on a pattern. Sometimes my gauge would be different when I decided to go back and finish a project. Maybe I just realized that I was making this knitting thing to stressful.

The first so close to complete project is Picovoli. I love this yarn and the color. It's Debbie Bliss Cathay. The only thing left to complete is the cute picot edging. Hopefully I can have this done and blocked by the weekend.

Next up is the Allhemp6 Leaf Lace skirt. I substituted the cashmere canapa in color 034. It's a really pretty chocolate brown and softer than the allhemp6. I lost track on the lace pattern so many times I decided it would be best to put a marker between each pattern repeat.

On to the Summertime Tunic. I decided I had to make this when I found the KAL. There were just too many cute FO's for me to resist. I'm using Debbie Bliss Cathay for this too. Very soft and luxurious and who can go wrong with black. I don't care what Clinton and Stacy would think. I promise I'll wear a pop of color with it just for Stacy.

Finally I'm about three quarters of the way done with my Sizzle. I'm using Berroco Glace in Pomegranate (color #2529). I love the color, I just hope it fits.

There are many more unfinished projects but those are winter sweaters so I don't need to worry about those until I do my winter cleaning. I'm glad I only clean twice a year. Just kidding!

My Other Hobby

2008-04-25T20:31:00.010-04:00

So knitting/crocheting are not my only hobbies. I also collect orchids. They are such beautiful flowers and some types of orchids will bloom for months at a time. I have been looking for a local grower in the Cleveland area for quite a while. Martha suggested Borlin's. I had never heard of them but through some investigation I found out that they had moved to a small floral shop. They are still located in Mentor but are now on Mentor Ave. I'm so glad that Martha told me about them. Even though the shop was small they had some really beautiful and well cared for orchids. Below are a couple of pictures of the orchids that I purchased. They were really affordable. The first orchid is a Phalaenopsis and the second is an Oncidium.

I may have gone a little overboard because I also ordered some Dendrobium orchids from Aloha orchids. I had chartruese green dendrobium orchids in my wedding bouquet and I feel in love with them. Below is a picture of all the orchids from Aloha. I was surprised that they made it in one piece all the way from Hawaii. They were packed in a big box with shredded newspaper keeping everything safe and sound.

Now I have to go out and find some new pots and orchid mix. The DH thinks our house is a yarn store/greenhouse. Could be worse!!!

My Favorite Spot

2008-04-21T20:55:00.052-04:00

There is one room in my house that I am drawn to. I go there to knit, read or just relax. It's my favorite spot in the house. There's a nice big window that lets in a lot of light and a nice view of the neighborhood. No TV, no distractions and no radio it's just perfect. I did some spring cleaning this weekend and reorganized my yarn/craft room. I even organized the yarn by color. Yes I am a bit anal but it looks so much nicer that way.

Yes, even the closet is full of yarn. In my spring cleaning I found a few summer projects from last year that I never finished. I'd like to finish some of these projects before casting on anything new. We'll see how long that lasts. With all this yarn staring at me I may not be able to resist.

Bad Blogger

2008-04-08T19:56:00.010-04:00

This is the reason for my blogging absence. Hopefully knitting content will return soon. The DF is now my DH. We got married in Vegas just the two of us. It was a perfect day. Sorry for the crappy pictures, I had to scan them. We were given the option to purchase the original jpeg images with the printing rights but, they cost more than the entire wedding. I'm still thinking about buying them.

We were married at the Luxor chapel. It's really beautiful inside, even prettier than the pictures on their website. After the wedding we changed into something more comfortable and went to Fusia for dinner. We also arranged to have a small wedding cake after dinner. I got Macadamia Nut Glazed Chicken and Vegetables. If you ever go to Vegas you have to go to Fusia for dinner. It was delicious but way to much food. Of course I made sure to leave room for a little cake. We got a white cake with whip cream frosting. My favorite!!!

Nella

2008-03-22T21:15:00.005-04:00

I finally got the DF to take a picture of me in my Nella Cropped Cardigan. He was in the middle of watching a basketball game so I was lucky to get him to take more than one picture. I really enjoyed this pattern and am pleased with the way it fits. I love the length of the sleeves.

Pattern: Nella Cropped Cardigan
Source: Fiber Smarts
Available here on Ravelry
Yarn: Noro Silk Garden (5 balls)
Color: 243 purchased at Studio Knit
Size: Small
Needles: US Size 6
Modifications: Because this pattern was only available
for the medium I modified it to make a small. First I used
size 6 needles instead of size 8. My gauge was 16 stitches
and 24 rows for 4 inches measured over the st st portion of
the sweater. I picked up two stitches under each arm because
I was worried that they would be too tight. Because my sweater
fits a little higher up on my shoulders it ended up being a
little shorter than I wanted, so I picked up stitches at
the bottom of the sweater and knit 4 rows before biding off.
I would have knit a couple more rows but I was affraid I
was going to run out of yarn.

(I swear my hair did not look that bad from the back)

This was my first time doing applied i-cord so I used this tutorial. It was really easy and definitely worth it, it gives the neckline a very finished look. Now I just have to figure out what to knit next.

Short Post

2008-03-16T22:47:00.007-04:00

I finished my Nella Cropped Cardigan today. I don't think mine will be as far off the shoulders as the original pattern. Probably because I modified the pattern to make a smaller size.

My DF has been sick hacking and coughing for the last two days so it might be a little while before I can get him to take a picture of me wearing the sweater. Pattern details and modifications to follow. Off to bed, I have to get up early tomorrow. Good night and sweet dreams. Hopefully I spelled sweet right. When I was in grade school we use to get our pictures taken every year and I would exchange pictures with my friends. It was customary to sign and date the back of the picture before giving it to the intended recipient. On more than one occasion I wrote you’re a really sweaty instead of sweetie. My friend’s sister still calls me sweaty to this day.

Time Change

2008-03-12T18:32:00.004-04:00

This time change is really kicking my butt. Every year when we change the clocks back and we gain an hour I am totally thrown out of wack. Then when we spring forward the same thing happens. I had to go into work early today which means I had to be up at 4 AM after working late last night. I was so out of sorts this morning when I woke up that I put A&D ointment on my tooth brush. Yes I did, I put diaper rash ointment on my tooth brush.

At least I was awake enough to realize that something was strange, my tooth paste is green. Then I realized what I had done. Thank God because I would have had some really greasy teeth but they would not have been chafed. I think for today I am going to stay away from the knitting and and call it an early night.

Tree Jacket Revisited

2008-03-09T17:06:00.005-04:00

I finished knitting Tree Jacket in November but I hadn't gotten around to blocking it and sewing up the sleeves until yesterday. Being snowed in helps me to be much more productive. The picture is courtesy of the DF. He's not into the artsy shots. He barely gives me enough time to smile or stand still. Now that I have a tripod for my camera I will have to figure out how to take my own pictures.

Pattern: Tree Jacket
Source: Zephyr Style
Yarn: Karabella Aurora 8 (10 balls)
Color: Warm Brown 06
Size: XS 28-31"
Needles: US Size 7
Modifications: None, sleeves knit flat.

When I finished knitting this sweater I was afraid it was going to be much too short. After blocking, it is now the perfect length and the sleeves are nice and long too. This is a really fun pattern and the Karabella Aurora 8 yarn knits up beautifully. I will get a lot of wear out of this sweater.