February Already???

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".

February Lady Sweater

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.

Blue mood

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???

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.

Glad to be home

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?

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.