Wednesday, July 31, 2013

2013 has been a good reading year

I am doing great reading books this year.   I will probably exceed my goal.  Since my last update, I have read the following books.  I have really been listening to audible books this year and I love them.  It’s nice to listen to a book while I am knitting.  The narrator is the key.  All of the J D Robb books are audible books.

Purity in Death – J D Robb

Bowling Avenue – Ann Shayne

Last Night at Chateau Marmont – Laruen Weisberger

Deadlocked – Charlanie Harris

Portrait in Death – J D Robb

Dreams of the Dead – Peri O’Shaughnessy – love this series

Imitation in Death – J D Robb

The Wedding Gift – Lucy Kevin

Divided in Death – J D Robb

The Supremes  at  Earls All you can eat  – Edward Kelsy Moore – Great book

Hot Rocks – Nora Roberts

Big Jack – J D Robb

Top of the Morning – Brian Selter – still think what NBC did to Ann Curry was terrible and that Matt Lauer must go.  Will not watch the Today show until he is gone!  Glad NBC is losing ratings in the news shows.

The Weeding Dance – Lucy Kevin

My Way – Paul Anka and David Dalton – not what I expected from Paul Anka

Still Missing – Chevy Stevens

Visions in Death – J D Robb

Someday, Someday Maybe – Lauren Graham

Fly Away – Kristen Hannah

Starting Now – Debbie Macomber

Cane River – LaLita Tademy – good book

Survivor in Death – J D Robb

The Last Precinct – Patricia Cornwell

Angora Alibi – Sally Goldenbaum

Close Knit Killer – Maggie Sefton

Blow Fly – Patricia Cornwell

The Last Original Wife – Dorothea Benton Frank – Loved this

The Wedding Song – Lucy Kevin

Trace – Patricia Cornwell

Origin in Death – J D Robb

Memory in Death – J D Robb

The Engagements – J. Courtney Sullivan – good book

Haunted in Death – J D Robb

Born in Death – J D Robb

Innocent in Death – J D Robb

Predator – Patricia Cornwell – terrible, a great disappointmen

The Wedding Dress – Lucy Kevin

The Wedding Kiss – Lucy Kevin

Eternity in Death – J D Robb

Sweet Salt Air – Barbara Delinsky – Wonderful read!

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Yowza!

I finally bought something from Miss Babs.  It’s Yowza Whatta Skein in the color called Berlin.  It’s 560 yards of a light worsted weight and I plan on using this to make the Brickless shawl by Martina Behm. I think I need a larger skein winder though.

Miss Babs - Yowza - Berline

I also bought two different colors in Madelinetosh sock.  I loved the Saffron color.  The picture that I took makes it look like more red, but it’s more orangy.

Madtosh Sock - Saffron

And, I got the Spectrum color.  One of my friends is using this color to make the hitchhiker, but she is using Madelinetosh light.  I plan on using it to make another Martina Behm pattern, but not sure which one I will make yet.

Madtosh Sock - Spectrum

Last, but not least, I was able to score more Fibernymph Dyeworks self striping yarn in her Bounce base.  I got the colors Polly Wanna Cracker and Shot Through the Heart.

Fibernymph Dye Works - July 2013

I’m getting excited because I ordered her Nyan Cat sock yarn over a year ago from Fibernymph Dyeworks and she is close to making it for me.  She had over a 100 orders.

I didn’t do much knitting this week.  It was cooler, but I think I wanted to enjoy the cooler weather and didn’t knit.  I finished the first sock in Desert Vista Dyeworks Viso yarn in the color Dia de los Muertos with a size 1 needle.  I am using a basic sock pattern for this yarn.  So many colors!

Desert Vista Dyeworks - Dias Sock 1 complete

Saturday, July 20, 2013

90 Pairs of Socks

Yes, I have finished 90 pairs of socks.  When I decided to knit socks, I did struggle a little at the beginning.  I was told that to feel comfortable, you had to knit at least three pairs of socks.  That was the best advice.  After I finished my third pair, I felt as if I got a handle on the construction of a sock.  I had problems with holes on the sides and was determined to overcome that and I did.  Socks are great fun to knit because they are so portable and there is such a variety of sock yarns out there that make it fun.  If it isn’t the yarn, it’s the pattern of the sock.  Fortunately, I have not had second sock syndrome.  Once I finish the first sock, I want to get the other sock complete.  My favorite way to knit them is one sock on two circular needles.  When I don’t use a patterned sock, I use a basic sock pattern that I have adapted to my desire.  I think I will post that pattern in a near future blog update.

I finished the Dizzy sock pattern by CookieA.  I used Alisha Goes Around fingering yarn with a size 1 needle in the Genevieve color.  It’s a wonderful yarn and I would love to have more.

Dizzy - Complete

I also finished the Socks on a Plane pattern by LaLa.  I used Lollipop yarn in the color It’s Five O’Clock somewhere with a size 1 needle.  This was a toe up pattern, but I knit it top down.  I love how the cables look on the striped yarn.

Socks on a Plane - Complete

So, I started on pair 91.  This is a basic sock pattern using a size 1 needle with Desert Vista Dyeworks Viso yarn in the color Dia de los Muertos.

Dia de los Muertos - Desert Vista Dyeworks

I love striped sock yarn, so I landed out getting another skein of Lollipop yarn in the color Googly Moggly.

Lollipop Yarn - Googly Moogly

I also got my Kirby Wirby order.  This is in her sparkle base in the colors Wild Child Fairy and Skating rink 1987 with strobe lights.  I can’t wait to use this yarn.  It is new to me but very popular.

Kirby Wirby - July 2013

I also got my order from Dancing Dog Dyeworks.  This is in her Waltz Worsted weight yarn in the colors Emma with a solid purple and Love my Gnomes with a solid orange.  This is for monsters!

DDD - Waltz Worsted - July 2013

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Happiness is Knitting on Dreary Days

Geez, why can’t we be satisfied with the weather.  It’s either raining, sunny hot and humid, or dreary and humid.  I guess we can never be satisfied.

I finished day 8 of the 2011 Advent Calendar Scarf.  I am 1/3 finished with this scarf.  No way could I do this in 24 days straight.  I am using a size 2 needle with Madelinetosh Merino Light in the Rainwater color way.

2011 Calender Scarf - Day 8

Started the Second Sock of the Dizzy Pattern by CookieA.  I have turned the heel and started on the foot.  Almost finished.  I am using a size 1 needle with Alisha Goes Around Richess fingering yarn in the Genevieve color.

Dizzy - Sock 2

I also started the Second Sock of the Socks on a plane pattern by LaLa.  Again, I doing this top down using Lollipop yarn It’s Five O’Clock somewhere with a size 1 needle.  I just turned the heel on this sock.

Socks on a Plane - Sock 2

I started the Pogona shawl by Stephen West.  I am using Dream in Color Everlasting Yarn in the Morning Glory color with a size 6 needle.  I am enjoying knitting with this yarn and I like the pattern.  It is very easy.

pogona - everlasting - morning glory

Since I have become a striped yarn addict, I had to buy another skein of Lollipop yarn in the Up to No Good color.  I love finding patterns to use with striped yarn.  If it has a little bit of a pattern it makes it so cool to knit.

Lollipop Yarn - Up to No Good

Saturday, July 06, 2013

The rain is over for now, but the humidity is high

Well, I guess that is summer for you.  At least it’s not raining, but now I am back to watering my flowers outside.

I finally finished the Quaker Ridge Shawlette.  I love this shawl.  The beaded bindoff really makes it shine.  I am so happy with the beads that I got from Earthfaire.  It took time to do the bindoff, but it was worth it.

Quaker Ridge Shawl complete

Day 7 is complete on the 2011 Advent Calendar Scarf.  17 more days to go.

2011 Calender Scarf - Day 7

I finished two socks.  One sock in each pair.  The first sock in the Dizzy pattern from CookieA is complete.  I used a size 1 needle with Alisha Goes Around Richness fingering in the Genevieve color.

Dizzy - Sock 1 Complete

I also finished the first sock using the Socks on a Plane pattern by LaLa.  I am knitting this sock top down vs toe up.  I ended the pattern with a cable row and then started the toe decreases.  I love how this looks on striped yarn.

Socks on a Plane - Sock 1 complete

The only yarn I got in was 2 skeins of Bugga from the Verdant Gryphon. The color is Pandorus Sphinx Moth.  I saw this color awhile ago and regretted not getting any.  I bought 2 skeins because I have so many 1 skein yarns that if I need more yardage for a pattern,  I always have to go outside of my stash and buy it.

Bugga - Pandorus Sphinx Moth

Off to knit for the day!