Saturday, September 22, 2012

Watch Cap


Knit this Watch Cap
for Hubby
earlier this year.

Realized that I hadn't blogged it
when I finished my Green Thumb Mitts with the yarn
remaining from the watch cap.

The other day when I was getting out our
cool weather coats and jackets 
I found the watch cap.
So here it is.

It's knit in Dream In Color Everlasting DK
that was a bonus skein from
The Loopy Ewe.

Adding this to my year's total yardage,
I've now knit 12,937 yards
or
7.38 miles so far.

hugs

Thursday, September 13, 2012

A striped Finished Pair


Wore these yesterday and let me tell ya
they feel good ! ! ! 
And are they every LOUD.

The remaining yarn
I'm knitting fingerless mitts knowing 
they'll be as loud
and these sox.  
What fun ! ! ! 

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

Threw this knit hat into the mix just for the fun it.
Finished it in record time and was able
get over the the post office on Tuesday in time for DD#1's birthday.
It's being delivered today! ! !
Is that USPS fast, or what.

Happy Birthday, girl!  
How old are you?????
heh heh heh



It's knit with Fibernymph Dyeworks' Snuggles base 
Aran weight / 10 ply
80% Wool, 10% Nylon, 10% Cashmere

I joined Fibernymph's Yarn Club earlier this year and received some lovely skeins, this included.

Lovely to knit with, soft and squishy !!!
It knit up into a great snugglely winter hat.


Between this hat and the stripe sox 
my 
2012 current total of yarn knit:
12,750 yards
or
7.24 miles



+++++++++++++++

I re-photographed these two
knits just because I think it makes my new styrofoam head look beautiful ! ! ! 
; - )



hugs

Friday, September 7, 2012

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
♥♥♥♥

Sunday, September 2, 2012

DVD - it's not what you think

It stands for

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

[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

♥ ♥ ♥









Sunday, August 26, 2012

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

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 



Wednesday, August 22, 2012

A Pair of Finishes



Green Thumb Mitts
pattern was gifted to me by
the multi-craftural
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
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 
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
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you will receive my reply to your comment

: ^ )



Monday, August 20, 2012

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?

Sunday, August 19, 2012

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


Friday, August 10, 2012

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:  
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!



Tuesday, August 7, 2012

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