One stripe-y sock finished.

Am working on the second afterthought heel

and there'll be a pair

This is for Knitabulls Podcast Self-stripping Sock KAL

or it will be when they're a pair.

Bead assortment to pick from for my next shawl.

I'll be knitting with MadelineTosh Pashmina in Whitewash.

If you recall, it's the yarn used in the border of Sheldon and Leonard Shawl.

Since I'm not into making hard decisions,

I'm going to randomly pick from each of these  

bead dishes when adding them to the shawl.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X 

In the works:

*******************************************************************

! ? ! ? ! ?

We use our local library to download audiobooks to my laptop so that we can enjoy listening to them in the evenings.  

I usually knit or do handwork while listening.

Sometimes our choice from the library is limited so we will pick 'unknown-to-us' authors.

We were in for a hoot-and-a-half when we 

happened across the Book #5 in a series.

Didn't know what to expect.

We nervously chuckled and couldn't decide whether 

to be horrified or not.

It's totally entertaining - I think.

- - - - - - - - - -

happy dance!  happy dance!

Rain, we got rain!

Since late Friday night

we've had at least 3.5" ! ! ! 

plus we'll be getting cooler temps next week !!!!

hugs

♥♥♥♥

DVD - it's not what you think

It stands for

Desert Vista Dyeworks

an independent dyer

Susan lives in Arizona

[we all know how much I love that State for all it's beauty] 

The Internet provides easy access

to everyone [Me]

to Susan's online shop.

She provides GREAT SERVICE with special attention to my order that encourages me to go back for more yarn.

I got my shipment Pronto! ! ! 

I picked her Logo colorway with vibrant colors

in a lovely sock weight yarn of

75% Superwash Merino Wool

and 25% Nylon to add durability so these hand-knit babies will last a long, long time.

The great feature of superwash wool is that I can toss my sox into a zip bag and into the washer it goes.

I lay each sock flat to dry.

This is my first skein from Susan and could not be more pleased with my purchase.

With a helping hand from Hubby

we had wound that skein into two yarn cakes in no time at all

so that I could cast on for

Knitabulls Podcast September Self-Striping

Sock Knit A Long.

Diane's such a sweetheart.

I use

Cat Bordhi's methods to start toe-up using one circ

[this is a great YouTube if you're interested]

and I'm on my way.

This method gives a rounded toe

with the increase stitches evenly divided

giving a star effect.

Well, this darker stripe does not show this,

but believe me it's a great lookin' star effect.

And so dang easy

I cast on yesterday afternoon

and was going great guns

until - - - -

I looked at my progress

then frogged back this much late last night!

Was enjoying the rhythm of the increases so much

that I made it waaaay to big.

No big deal.

It's only yarn.

Made up for some of the lost time already

it's not easy taking pics of one's self

This far along so far.

Now that I'm nearly finished with this post

I'll pick up my needle and knit on!

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Oh, oh, I have to tell ya!!!!!

Rain, we got rain ! ! ! ! 

Two and a half inches since late Friday night.

Our grass is greening up and our big trees' leaves have turned their faces up once more.

hugs

♥ ♥ ♥

A couple of new titles

added to my library.

Couldn't pass up Barnes & Nobles'

coupon this week.

Saved ~30%

: ^)

Plus, had a great cup of Starbucks with 

wonderful Hubby. 

What more could a gal want ! ! ! 

***********

Both of these books have been on my wishlist for some time.

I did a quick through last night

and have decided that

Circular Knitting Workshop

offers insight into techniques

I use or would like to use

to improve my knitting time.

You know how much I love knitting in the round whenever I get the chance.

Give me a circular needle and I'm in heaven.

Plus, there are the little practice projects that go with each 'lesson' of the book that will make great

gifting items.

Christmas is less than three months from yesterday.

And, there are birthdays coming up before then.

-  -  -  -  -

Everyone have a great week.

A special wish to those in the path of Isaac.

hugs

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

A Pair of Finishes

Green Thumb Mitts

pattern was gifted to me by

the multi-craftural

Kim at CraftStash Podcast

on Ravelry

and on blip

Knit using Dream in Color Everlasting DK

100% Merino wool

in the colorway Dive.

These fingerless mitts were knit with the leftovers

after I knit a watch cap for Hubby

click here for results for google search for

'watch cap' 

I just used a knit two-purl two ribbing for the entire mitt except for the 'thumb patterning' portion.

♥♥♥ love how these hug me ♥♥♥ 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Another pair of fingerless mitts

using leftover yarn 

from this pair of sox ca. 2008

It's a 75% wool 25% nylon yarn

again in a 2x ribbing

with a 1x ribbed thumb.

ZMZMZMZMZMZMZMZMZMZMZMZ

That's two more finished projects taking my total Works In Progress 

to:

Adrift sweater

Intagliata Henley Pullover

Chivalry Colorwork Fingerless Mitts

Wandering Thyme Shawl

Stealth Argyles Socks

ex-Gimli Socks

Trapeze Mystery Shawl

= 7 WIPs

Cool, Gerry, cool!!!

hugs

remember, if you click the button that says:

subscribe by email

you will receive my reply to your comment

: ^ )

♥

Big Bang ! ! !

Sheldon and Leonard is FINISHED!!!

Our Camp Loopy Project 3 Challenge:

must use two or more colors

must use at least 500 yards in one item

must use a pattern new to us

must complete between July 27 - Aug 27

must be posted to the Project 3 Photo Gallery

at The Loopy Ewe website.

My Sheldon and Leonard Shawl

is knit using 540 yards of pashmina yarn

[75% Merino, 15% Silk, 10% Cashmere]

in the colors Lapis and Whitewash

I love the way it's designed to hug my shoulders while staying close to my neck

Oh, how it wraps 'round to snuggle me. 

There's enough shawl to tie in front for accent.

A BIG WIN! ! ! 

Gotta love the Loopy Ewe for providing these three challenges this summer

while treating us like special, special friends.

Whoot!  Whoot!

now I must go post to the Photo Gallery

hugs

♥

Did you check out all those pointy-points at the border's edge?

Late last night > > >

It's not a pretty sight at the moment.

Took more than two hours to shape and block.

Finished blocking late last night.

This morning Sheldon and Leonard feel dry to the touch.

A bit later, 

perhaps after a couple of cups of

Prima Barista Columbia Coffee

the blocking wires and T-pins will come out.

And, we shall see what we shall see.

Have a TERRIFIC SUNDAY EVERYONE 

enjoy this wonderful turn in the weather.

hugs

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

oh, I do hope you all read my response to each of your coments

to my previous blog post.

I apologize for being late in doing so.

extra hugs

Gorgeous Yarn

Lorna's Laces  Solemate  in Black Purl

55% Superwash Merino, 15% Nylon, 30% Outlast

fingering weight

Isn't this gorgeous !

It's Lorna's Laces yarn Solemate with outlast,

a space-age technology designed by NASA to keep astronauts comfy in their spacesuits.

This technology is now used in yarn 

so the garments we knit will keep us comfy, too.

Below is a quick description

Taken from The Loopy Ewe

This sock weight yarn is made from superwash Merino, nylon, and Outlast (R), a fiber technology that interacts with the body's microclimate to moderate temperature, to help from being too hot or too cold. It's "yarn with a built-in climate control!" 

You may recall,

this pair of sox began as Gimli,

a eye-catching design that truly screams for a yarn with great stitch  definition.  

This yarn base has fantastic stitch definition

 but not in this Black Purl colorway.

So they're being knit as a generic sox

 with hopes that the gorgeous color gets the attention it deserves.

They've a standing rib cuff 

with a few eyelets running down the leg portion.

Love it!!!

I think the heels will be Cat Bordhi's design:  

Sweet Tomato Heel

I've provided a link to  Cat's YouTube instructions 

It's a great way to custom fit your sox to your heel

Love it ! ! ! ! 

Gimli's on the back burner 'til later this year.

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

Thank you all for the lovely comments on my previous post.

Thank you.

hugs

Have a wonderful weekend!

♥

Punky

Here's Punky's first photo! ! ! ! 

Knit with my very own hand-dyed yarn.

Punky's body is acid dyed,

beak and claws Kool-ade dyed,

legs Wilton's Cake Icing dyed.

Top knot is a combo of knitted I-cord and gift ribbon and eyes are buttons.

note to self:  Next knitted toy - NO CLAWS ! ! ! !

Punky's little buddie is a Bunny Nugget.

This week I've been knitting Punky

 and

Sheldon and Leonard

This is a fun, fun knit.

Designed by Wendy D Johnson

She's made provisions in the pattern for this to be knit by weight rather than yardage.

I know I must use 500 yards for this Challenge.

I'm using two separate colors 

at approx 116 and 119 grams each 

and 360 yds each.

Doing the math so that my project doesn't use all seven hundred twenty yards

 but rather a bit more than the 500 yd requirement.

Worked sideways 

this shawl takes 25% of the 500+ yds for the increase side, 

50% of the 500+ for the body and the remaining 25% for the decrease side.

I've knit almost 75% right now.

I told you it's fun!  I ♥ it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mom and I

She's very much in my thoughts today

 August 7, 1915  -  October 19, 1999

hugs

♥

Potholders & . . . .

. . . and this insulated casserole-sized hot pad

 Our local quilt guide is having another potholder swap 

I really enjoyed last year's swap, I decided I'd do it again.

Picked out two leftover chisel strip blocks 

and some fabric 

I posted a photo of the entire piece here

Ended up with this hotpad

and two pot holders, too.

V

V

v

Had to take time to stitch up a couple of labels before finishing the three pieces

I had such fun creating these as I was at my Bernina.

I ♥ 'em.

You may have noticed that these pieces are finished with a 'pinked' edge with triple stitching.

Not the traditional edge finish

so they won't be part of the guild's swap.

Not to worry, they won't go to waste, that's for certain.

Into the basket with the rest of my creative giftables.

: ^ )

While I was making these I found a couple more pieces that would make a great .  .  .  .  .

hugs

♥

My hand-dyed and what it's becoming

 Oranges

 Blues 'n Greens

 Pinks 'n Purples

Makes me think: Happy Birthday ! ! ! 

This colorful bit of yarny goodness

is teaming with Bare White

to become

Punky Rooster

I'm joining Knitabulls Podcast/Diane's

Ravellenics KnitAlong

during the Olympics July 27-August 12.

We're knitting monsters during the 17 days of

the Olympics in London.

Oh, yeah, everyone completing and posting a monster 

to the Knitabulls Ravellenics Thread

becomes eligible for the random number draw for three different super-terrific prizes.


*******************


Here it is this afternoon:


Filet-0-Chick

it's in the bag!

hugs


♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥