Where did a month go?

It’s been awhile since I have blogged and I can’t believe it’s almost a month!  I have been working  part time so I didn’t have much time to knit.  At least things are easing up and I have my knitting mojo back.  Problem is I have projects to finish and want to cast on for more.  I am NOT knitting any Christmas presents thank God.

I’m working on the Glynis sock by Cookie A.  This is a really nice pattern.  I am using Shibui sock yarn in the color 1675 also called Pagoda.  This has been in my stash for quite awhile, so I am glad I went deep stash diving.  I am using a size 1.5 needle.

Here is the first sock completed:

I am half way finished with the second sock.  I am just going to start turning the heel.

As much as I wasn’t going to buy anymore Lollipop yarn, I couldn’t resist the color Christmas Carol.  So, I bought it.

Then, I cast on a for a basic sock pattern using a size 1 needle.

The striping is uneven, which I am liking very much!

I am still working on the Hitchhiker using Miss Babs Yowza yarn in Night Lights.  I love how this is knitting up.  I am using a size 6 needle.

I love the Yowza yarn by Miss Babs and wanted to try more yarn by her, so I made another purchase.  I got Heartland worsted yarn in Tulipa, Cosmic sock in Vineyard, Heartland worsted in Raisinette (I really wanted 2 skeins of this color, but she only had one, so I bought 2 skeins of the Tulipa and still bought this skein) and Yowza in the color Perfectly Wreckless (I love this color and just had to have it).

My local yarn shop was selling washcloth kits using Applachian Organic Cotton.  I wanted to try it out, so I bought a kit.  The kit had 2 washcloth patterns, the yarn, and soap.  Here is the yarn.

I want to make a Rikke hat out of some Madelinetosh dk that I have and maybe I will knit a cowl using the Miss Babs Heartland in Raisinette.  I also want to cast on for a pair of socks for my niece.  She has a size 7 1/2 foot, so those socks should knit up faster than the one’s I knit for me.  The socks for her WILL NOT be for Christmas. Plus, I have to get back to a cross stitch pattern I was working on.

Well, hopefully, I will start blogging each week now.  Off to knit!

Where did two weeks go?

It has been crazy here.  I am working part time now, preparing for tax season.  Then, I started to have knee problems that got worse.  The pain went down into my leg and was so bad that I went to emergency.  Thankfully, it wasn’t a blood clot and it’s just muscular.  I got a muscle relaxant from the doctor there and then went to see my doctor, who prescribed an anti inflammatory pill for me.  That was successful!  I’m just about back to normal.

Because of the knee problem, I really haven’t been knitting, but I did get some new yarn.

From Leading men Fiber arts, I got the color foliage in their Showcase base.

I also got a skein from Gales art in her sock base.  The color is Moldy pumpkin.  I loved the name and couldn’t resist the yarn.

Last, but not least, I got another ball of yarn from Lollipop Yarn.  The color is Moonstruck and I love it.

I did finally finish my sock in Kirby Wirby sock in the color Dangitt…where’s my broom…..  I used a size one needle with a basic  sock pattern. I love the striping on this sock.

 

Well, off to knit and to catch up on my podcast listening.  I have 26 to listen to.  I am so far behind.

It Finally Feels Like Autumn

Wow! It was 38 degrees out this morning when I woke up.  It’s about time Autumn gets here.  While I’m not looking forward to winter, it’s nice that it is cooler out.

I have been busy.  I finally blocked the High Speed Knitting shawl I was knitting.  I used a size 5 needle with Desert vista Dyeworks gradient yarn in the color witches brew.  I enjoyed knitting this shawl.

I also completed the Counted Cross Stitch kit I was working on.  It’s called BOO!  I think he’s cute.  Just in time for Halloween.

Now, I have to start another cross stitch project that I want to get finished before the end of the year.  Actually there are two, but if I get one completed, I will be happy.

I completed one sock using Kirby Wirby yarn in the color Dangitt..where’s my broom.  I just used a basic sock pattern with a size 1 needle.  I love this yarn and the stripes.

Then, I started a cookiea sock called Glynis.  I am using Shibui sock with a size 1.5 needle in the color 1675 (orange). This is the first time I am using this yarn and it’s been in my stash for awhile. I am really liking it.  I am just getting into the pattern now and it looks good.

More yarn came in this week and I believe this is the last of it.  I am going to try not to buy anything for the remainder of the year.  Let’s see how I do.

First up is Madelinetosh dk in the colors Black Current and Plaid Blanket for hats.

Then, I just had to have Fireweed Dyeworks yarn in the color Russian Fairytale.  I can’t wait to knit this up into a sock.

Off to knit on my Glynis sock!

Casting On

I have been casting on projects this week.  I started a new sock.  I am using a basic sock pattern with a size 1 needle.  I just had to cast on the Kirbywirby Dangitt where’s my broom……  I love how it is striping.  It’s great for Halloween.

I also cast on for the Hitchhiker pattern using Miss Babs Yowza in Night Lights.  I love how it’s knitting up.  I am using a size 6 needle.

Another scarf I am knitting is called the Strandwanderer.  It’s a little tricky with the short rows, but it really is an easy pattern.  I am using Madelinetosh sock in the Firewood color with a size 4 needle.

I did finally finish my Socktoberfest sock using Regia Ringel in the clown color with a size 1 needle.  I love how it turned out.

 

I did get some yarn in this week.  First off is String Theory Dyeworks in the Caper sock.  I got the colors Lichen and Pewter.

And as much as I don’t need any striping sock yarn, I couldn’t pass up some Lolllipop yarn in the color We need a little Christmas.

Yarn Porn

And, I got lots of it.  It was like Christmas here this week.

First, I am excited that I got two skeins of yarn from Fab Funky Fibres.  The main color I am excited to have is her 15 colour rainbow striped yarn.  That’s 15 colors of stripes!  I also got the shades of green color too.  This came from England.

Next, I got Miss Babs Yowza.  I loved working with this yarn for the Brickless pattern and now want to do a Hitchhiker with it.  So, I got the Shaken not Stirred and Night Lights colors.

I really loved the Zombie Prom color, but when I went to order she didn’t have it.  But, I got an email from Craftsy and they had it. 

From Desert Vista Dyeworks, I got the other two skeins of yarn I ordered.  The colors are Sushi and Toucan.

Kirby Wirby had another update that I was finally able to get some more of her yarn.  I got Herman Monster and Dangitt, Where’s my broom.

Last, but not least, I was able to get some yarn from Must Stash.  The colors I got are Unicorn Apocalypse and Night at the Roxbury.

I am loving the self striping yarn!  But, I think I have enough now.  I have one more skein on order and I will try to stop myself from ordering more.  If not, I will have to join the SSSYAA (self striping sock yarn addicts annoymous).

Slow Week

Not much knitting or cross stitch this week.  I did finish the Witchy Woman socks.  The yarn is Vesper in the Witchy Woman color using a basic sock pattern and a size 1 needle.  Just in time for Halloween.

I did get some yarn this week.  First off is Desert Vista Dyeworks in Viso in the color Poodle Skirt.

Second is Madelinetosh DK in the color Cathedral.  I want to use this to make a hat or cowl.

Obsessed with Cross Stitching

Haven’t done too much knitting this week as I have been working on the cross stitch picture.  It has been fun digging out all of my counted cross stitch supplies.  I can see that there is some stuff I can eliminate.  Here is a picture of the Boo Sheep pattern for Halloween.  I only have two more colors of floss to stitch and can move on to something else.

I did complete one of the Socktoberfest socks.  I am using Regia Ringel in the clown color with a size 1 needle.  I love how this sock turned out.

I finished the Brickless scarf by Martina Behm.  I used Miss Babs Youza in the Berlin color with a size 6 needle.  I love the pattern and the yarn.  I need to do another hitchhiker in Youza.

I’m starting to get a cold or else it is allergies.  I think it is the latter.  So, I’m going to relax the rest of today and hope I feel better.

Cross Stitch is back…..for me

I have so much counted cross stitch materials.  I use to love doing this craft, but for some reason I stopped.  It could be because I was working full time in a job that consumed me.  I have been wanting to get back to it, but never got around to it until now.

I started a kit by Bent Creek called Betty Boo!  So appropriate for Halloween.  Before I started, I saw the Q snap frames and bought two different sizes.  So here is a picture of what I have completed so far.

And here is a close up of the pattern:

It all came back pretty quickly.  I landed out going up to the attic to find some books and fabric.  I found a bunch of it, plus I have more in a closet.  Now, I am searching for some metal hoops I know I had.  I found one, but I know I have more sizes.  I will have to search some more.  I now have a  basket with cross stitch supplies so that they are handy.  I just need to buy more fray check (thank God I had some) and needle threaders (My eyes are older and it’s hard to thread the needle, although I have been able to do it.)  It just feels so good to be back at this craft.

I have been knitting (just not for the last two days).  I completed the Song of the Sea cowl using Sanguine Gryphon’s Bugga in Milkweed Beetle with a size 6 needle.  I did make some adjustments.  I cast on an additional 16 stitches and omitted a repeat in the medium waves and breakers.  I love how it turned out.

I also completed one Witchy Woman sock.  The yarn is Vesper Sock yarn in the Witchy Woman color with a size 1 needle.

I did get some yarn.  I was able to get a ball of Lollipop Yarn in the color Life is Beautiful.

Plus, I got Madelinetosh Pashmina in the color Flashdance.

Well, back to the cross stitching!

It’s Labor Day Weekend and Summer is Over

I am sad because it was a pretty good summer.  We only had about 2 weeks of intense heat and the rest of the summer wasn’t too bad except for all the rain we had in August.

I did more deep stash diving and picked out some Vesper Sock yarn that I had in the Witchy Woman color.  I figured that I would make this for Halloween.  I am using a size 1 needle and a basic sock pattern.  I’m ready to start the heel flap.

I did add to my stash.  I got some striped yarn from Fireweed Dyeworks (AlaskanNancy) on etsy.  This color is called Russian Rainbow.  I love it and want to get more.

I was also able to get Color Addiction from Lollipop Yarn on her last update.  I still want to get Life is Beautiful.  Maybe next time.

I also got my shipment from Desert Vista Dyeworks.  The colors are Tiki Bar and Neon Halloween.  I love this yarn.

I finally realized why I love self striping yarn.  Variegated yarn is great, but I hate pooling.  With self striping yarn, you don’t get pooling.  I also love the color changes.  It makes knitting the sock go faster.  You don’t have to just do a basic sock pattern with self striping yarn.  There are patterns out there where patterns do look great with the yarn.

I still need to destash some yarn and I think that the next time I destash, I will be looking at getting rid of variegated yarn that is hand dyed.  I will still keep some of it, but I plan to destash quite a bit.

I am close to finishing the Song of the Sea Cowl, so I guess I will get to my knitting.

Deep Stash Diving

It feels so good to shop from my stash.  I told my friends that I should set up a room in my house as a yarn store and maybe I would shop more from my stash that way.

I finished the Dia de la Muertos sock.  The yarn is by Desert Vista Dyeworks.  I used a size 1 needle with a basic sock pattern.  I love how these socks turned out.

I also completed the Pagona shawl by Stephen West.  I was disappointed with this shawl.  I had more than the required yarn needed, but it wasn’t enough.  I thought that it would be bigger than it got.  I love the yarn.  It’s Dream in Color Everlasting in the Morning Glory color.  I used a size 6 needle.

I started another sock.  The pattern is called Socktoberfest Swirl sock.  There is a story to this sock.  Years (and I mean years ago) I took a class to knit a sock designed by Lucy Neatby.  The pattern is similar to the Socktoberfest Swirl sock.  We were using a Regia striping yarn, but when the class started, the yarn shop didn’t have the yarn they were getting for the sock.  So, I had to pick out another Regia color.  I wasn’t thrilled by the yarn.  I never finished it and it laid around for years until I frogged it.  I did buy the yarn that we were suppose to use for the sock and had put it aside.  When I saw this current pattern, I remembered the yarn and went DEEP stash diving.  It felt good.  The yarn is Regia Ringel yarn in the clown color.  I am using a size 1 needle.  The pattern is only on the leg unless I change my mind and continue it on the foot.  The pattern is easy.  Between the pattern and the yarn it works up as shown on the picture.  I love it.

I have to knit a cowl for a friends birthday gift.  I went DEEP stash diving again and found Sanguine Gryphon’s Bugga in Milkweed Beetle.  The pattern is called Song of the Sea cowl.  I am making the shorter version with a size 6 needles.  I also cast on an additional 16 stitches and omitted one repeat of the middle wave.  I love how it’s knitting up and it’s going quickly.

I have also been knitting the Brickless pattern.  I love this pattern.  It is knitting up fast.  I probably would be finished if I hadn’t started other projects.  I am using Miss Bab’s Yowsa yarn in the color called Berlin with a size 6 needle.  I love the yarn and will probably knit another hitchhiker in another color.

Guess, I better get knitting!