Saturday, December 27, 2014

A Belated Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah

It’s over.  All the time and preparation and before you know it Christmas is over.  Why do we do this to ourselves?  At any rate, I hope for those who celebrate, you had a Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukah.

Finally, things have calmed down and I can knit again.  I probably didn’t do any knitting for about 2 weeks.

I finished my Thanksgiving socks using Dancing Dog Dyeworks Grade School Turkey color using a size 1 needle with a basic sock pattern.

Grade School Turkey Sock Complete

I immediately cast on for a Christmas sock, which won’t be finished until next Christmas.  I am also using a basic sock pattern with a size 1 needle.  The yarn is from The Lemonade Shop in the color Peppermint Ice Cream.

Peppermint Ice Cream Sock 1

I did get some more yarn.  I had ordered more yarn from Knit Circus awhile ago and it finally arrived.  The yarn is The Greatest of Ease in the Color Brew Crew.  I love the blue color.

Knit Circus - Greatest of Ease -Brew Crew

Katia Jumbo yarn in the color 100 to make a cowl.  This yarn is very soft and should knit up fast.

Katia - Jumbo - Color 100

Last, but not least, I bought Madelinetosh Twist Light in the color Doctor’s without Borders.

Madelinetosh Twist Light - Doctor's Without Borders

Back to knitting!

Saturday, December 06, 2014

Better Knitting Week

This has been a better knitting week.  I am turning the heel on my Grade School Turkey sock using a size 1 needle and a basic sock pattern.  The yarn is from Desert Vista Dyeworks.  I really love her yarn and colorways.

Grade School Turkey Sock 2

I also started on another shawl.  It’s the Yowza weigh it shawl by Susan B. Anderson.  I am using Miss Babs Yowza in the color Prince.  The pattern calls for a size 9 needle, but I am using a size 7.

Yowza shawl

I also got two skeins of yarn this week.  From the Lemonade Shop, I got her fingering weight yarn in Peppermint Ice Cream.

Lemonade Shop - Peppermint Ice Cream

From Lollipop Yarn, I got a skein of What a Maroon.  I love the colors in this ball.

Lollipop Yarn - What a Maroon

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Happy Thanksgiving

It was a nice week.  I only had to work in the office one day.  I was able to get a lot of cleaning finished this week and was even able to get most of the Christmas decorations up.  I only have to put up my small tree and I will do that later today.

I got the Bella Shawl blocked and here is the finished product.

Bella Shawl - complete

I really like this shawl.

I also finished one of the Grade School Turkey socks.  The yarn is by Desert Vista Dyeworks and I am using a basic sock pattern with a size 1 needle.

Grade School Turkey Scok 1 - complete

I started on the second sock.  Looks like I won’t have this finished for Thanksgiving.  Oh well.  I am enjoying knitting this sock.

I also received a skein of yarn from the Lemonade Shop.  It’s fingering weight yarn and the color is Holiday 2014.

Lemonade Shop - Holiday 2014

I still have one more day of peace and quiet before I am back at work again.  December is going to be a hectic month.  I have to get my Christmas shopping finished.  Enjoy the holidays!

Saturday, November 15, 2014

I finally finished something

It’s been awhile, but I finally finished the Bella Shawl.  This was made with Miss Babs Yowza in the color Zombie Prom using a size 6 and size 4 needle.  I am happy how it turned out.  Here is the shawl blocking.

Bella Shawl - Blocking

The Miss Babs skeins are Babettes, which mean that no two skeins are the same.  Two friends of mine also made this shawl using the same color.  See how they differ. I think mine is on the top.  We each like the color we got.

Three Bella Shawl's

I have also been working on my Thanksgiving sock using the color Grade School Turkey.  I have turned the heel on the first sock.  This is Dancing Dog Dyeworks yarn using a basic sock pattern with a size 1 needle.

Grade School Turkey Sock 1 - Foot

I have bought more yarn.  I had to get more Miss Babs Yowza for another shawl (plus a spare).  The colors are Bat S**t Crazy and Prince.

Miss Babs - Yowza - Nov 2014

Also, I got Noro Kureyon to make some mittens from a pattern that Susan B. Anderson did.  The pattern is called Waiting for Winter.  The color is 344.  Plus, I also got some Lang Jawoll sock yarn that has the reinforcing thread.  The color is a green.

Noro Kureyon and Jawoll

From the Lemonade Shop on Etsy, I got Lavender Speckles in a fingering weight.

Lemonade Shop - Lavender speckled yarn

From Knit Circus, I got one of her gradient sock yarns (Greatest of Ease) in the color Tropical Sunset.

Knit Circus - Greatest of Ease - tropical sunset

It’s getting cold outside. Time to get knitting!

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Started a New Sock

Finally, I have started a new sock.  Maybe this will get me knitting more.  I am using a basic sock pattern with Desert Vista Dyeworks Viso yarn in the color Grade School Turkey.  I figure that this will be great for Thanksgiving.  I am using a size 1 needle.

Turkey Sock 1 - Cuff

I guess I better start a new sock since I got more sock yarn this week.  From Simply socks, I got Opal Hunterwasser Sock in the color 3206.  I also got Poste self striping yarn in the color Camp Crystal Lake. I better get knitting!

Opal and Poste Yarn

I am still working on the Bella shawl.  I have one more repeat and then I am nearing the end.  I love knitting the shawl, but I am ready to move on to another project (or should I say finish another project).

Saturday, October 18, 2014

More yarn–little knitting

Got more yarn in this week.  Maybe this will get me to knit more?  I really need to get back in the groove.  I need to knit more socks since it’s sock weather now.

From Simply Socks, I got Poste self striping yarn in the color Elm Street.

Poste Yarn - Elm Street

I also bought Sknitches Syncopation self striping in the color Militia.

Sknitches - Militia

From Desert Vista Dyeworks, I got Viso self striping in the color Zombody’s Bobbin for Apples.

Desert Vista Dye Works - Zombody's bobbin for apples

From Must Stash yarn, I got her perfect sock self striping in the color Dark Side of the Moon.

Must Stash - Dark side of the Moon

Finally, I also bought Juniper Moon Tenzing in the color sand to make a cardigan.  But, first I have to finish the Gale Sweater.

Juniper Moon - Tenzing - Sand

Now, it’s time to knit

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Fall is Definitely Here

You can tell that Fall is here.  It’s getting darker earlier, the leaves are falling off of the trees, and it’s getting colder.

Today was a dreary day.  It  rained in the morning and stayed dreary until late this afternoon.  I hate that it gets darker earlier and soon daylight savings time will go away.  Contrary to many people, I love daylight savings time.  I love when it stays lighter longer in the evening.

I really haven’t done much knitting. I am still working on the Bella shawl and that seems to be taking forever.  In the meantime I want to cast on more projects.

I have bought yarn.  From the Lemonade Shop on Etsy, I got her Rainbow Striped Yarn.

Rainbow Striped Yarn - Lemonade Shop

From Little Skein, I bought the Leading Men Fiber Arts Show Stealer yarn in the color Anne’s Story.

Leading Men Fiber Arts - Anne's Story

From Fab Funky Fibres, I bought her self striping sock yarn in the color New Grave Disorder:

Fab Funky Fibers - New Grave Disorder

And New Double Bubble Toil and Trouble:

Fab Funky Fibers - New Double Bubble toil and trouble

Now, I better get knitting socks.  I have a pair on the needles, but haven’t touched them in ages.  I need to make more time to knit.

Saturday, September 20, 2014

I have got to get knitting

Where did the time go?  I can’t believe that it’s been over a month since I posted anything on this blog.  First, I started back at work part time and as a result I haven’t been knitting much.  That certainly hasn’t stopped me from starting something new though.

I did buy some yarn.  I got a skein of self striping yarn from Quaere Fibre Arts.  The color is called Zombified and it comes with a solid color green for heels and toes.

Quare Fibres - Zombified

I also bought two skeins of Malabrigo worsted yarn in Apple Green.

Malabrigo Worsted - apple green

I bought the Malabrigo because I bought a zoom loom by Schadt.  I have been wanting to try this for awhile and finally took the step.

Zoom Loom

I used the Malabrigo yarn on the loom to make a square.

Zoom Loom Square

This works up fast.  It took maybe 20 – 30 minutes for my first try.  Now I know what I am doing it should go faster. You can sew the squares together to make all kinds of things.  There is even a book you can buy called Pin Loom weaving my Margaret Stump for project ideas.  I got all of this from the Woolery.

I have a couple of other looms like this but never used them because the instructions weren’t clear.  It was ideal that I didn’t have this size and the instructions were great.  I will have to try using those looms too.

Because I haven’t been knitting much, I haven’t been knitting on any socks although I do have a sock on the needles and I really need to finish those.  It’s starting to get to be sock weather and I have started to wear socks again and I keep buying self striping sock yarn.

I have been knitting shawls.  I finally got to the second color on the Cameo shawl.  I am using a size 5 needle with Madelinetosh sock in tart and farmhouse white (although the white looks like a really light grey in person).  This shawl keeps getting bigger and takes longer to finish a row.  Yikes!

Cameo Shawl - 1

Cameo Shawl - 2

I also started the Bella Shawl using Miss Babs Yowza in the color Zombie Prom using a size 4 and size 6 needle.  There are three of us knitting this shawl using the same yarn in the same color and they are all different.  One is more green, one is more pink and mine is more purplish.  This is knit sideways.  I do love the Yowza yarn.

Bella Shawl

One other thing that I did finish was the Almost Lost Washcloth pattern.  I used Sugar and Cream yarn in the color Over the Rainbow with a size 7 needle.  The pattern called for 14 points, but I did 15.

Almost Lost Washcloth

There are so many other projects that I want to start, so I guess I have got to get knitting!

Saturday, August 09, 2014

What a beautiful day!

I can’t believe that it is August.  The temperature is currently 84 degrees.  The sun is shinning and the humidity is only at 32%.  It’s a great day outside.

I have been working on my shawl.  I am still knitting with the tart color.  This is the Cameo shawl and I am using Madelinetosh sock in the colors tart and farmhouse white with a size 5 needle.  I am enjoying knitting this shawl.

Cameo Shawl - Tart

I also forgot that I had knitted a prayer cloth.  I have been wanting to knit one of these for awhile but forgot about it.  It is a cross pattern.  I used Plymouth Fantasy Naturelle in color 2754 with a size 7 needle.  This knitted up fast and it’s been awhile since I knit any type of cloth.

Prayer Cloth - Cross

I did get two skeins of self striping yarn.  The first is by Caterpillargreen yarns in the color Skyline. This yarn is 70%  superwash merino, 20% cashmire and 10% nylon.

Caterpillargreen Yarns - Skyline

The second is by Quaere Fibre. The color is Patchwork.  It is 80% superwash merino and 20% nylon.  There are 600 yards on this skein.  I can’t wait to knit this yarn into a sock.

Quaere Fibre - Patchwork

Monday, August 04, 2014

Rainbow sock finally finished

Yes, I finally finished my rainbow sock.  This was a basic sock pattern and usually it doesn’t take me this long to finish one of these socks, but I think when I knit an afterthought heel it takes me longer to finish the sock.

I used the Rainbow color from Fab Funky Fibers using a basic sock pattern with a size 1 needle.  I love this color.

Rainbow Sock Complete

I bought some Madelinetosh sock yarn in the colors Tart and Farmshouse White. 

Madelinetosh Sock - Tart and Farmhouse White

I am using this yarn to knit the Cameo shawl using a size 5 needle.  This shawl is knit sideways and has a picot edge.

Cameo Shawl - Start

I was also able to get a skein of Wollmeise lace yarn in the color ballerina.  Now I have to find a pattern.

Woolmeise Lace - Ballerina

Saturday, August 02, 2014

Reading Update

I am really doing well with reading this year.  To date, I have read 65 books.  My original goal for the year was to read 65 books.  I have already reached that goal.  So, I am changing the goal to read 100 books for the year.

Here are the books that I read since the last time I posted on what I read:

Fudge Cupcake Murder – Joanna Fluke

Ties that Bind – Marie Bostick

Murder in Merino – Sally Goldenbaum

The Way Home – Katherine Spencer

Harbour of the Heart – Katherine Spencer

Delusion of Death – J.D. Robb

Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn

Dead Ever After – Charlene Harris

Calculated in Death – J.D. Robb

Tumbleweeds – Leila Meacham

An O’Brien Family Christmas – Sheryl Woods

A Thread so Thin – Marie Bostwick

Celebrity in Death – J.D. Robb

A Fistful of Collars – Spencer Quinn

Blossom Street Brides – Debbie Macomber

Unsaid – Neil Abramson

Sugar Cookie Murder – Joanna Fluke

The Summer Garden – Sheryl Woods

Threading the Needle – Marie Bostwick

The Invention of Wings – Sue Monk Kidd

Apart at the Seams – Marie Bostwick

Peach Cobbler Murder – Joanna Fluke

Confessions of a Wild Child – Jackie Collins

The Ocean Between Us – Susan Wiggs

Cherry Cheesecake Murder – Joanna Fluke

A Week in Winter – Maeve Binchy

Case of Lies – Perri O’Shaughnessy

Yarn Over Murder – Maggie Sefton

The Husbands Secret – Liane Moriarty

Blood Feud – Edward Klein

The Apple Orchard – Susan Wiggs

Barefoot – Elin Hilderbrand

Scarpetta – Patricia Cornwell

4 Disciplines of Execution – McChesney, Covey, Huling

Thankless in Death – J.D. Robb

Taken in Death – J.D. Robb

The Hurricane Sisters – Dorothea Benton Frank

I guess I better get reading if I intend to make my goal of 100 books until the end of the year.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

A lousy July

It really has been a lousy July weather wise.  We have had rainy and dreary days.  However, it is suppose to get sunny and humid towards the end of this coming week.  I guess I shouldn’t complain, since this weather is a lot better than the winter we had.

I really haven’t been knitting too much.  I keep plugging away on the basic sock I am knitting using Fab Funky Fibers yarn in the Rainbow color with a size one needle.  I have finished with one sock and started the second.  I put the waste yarn in for the heel and I’m now working on the foot.  When I finish this sock, I will do the heels.  I just love the colors.

Here is the first sock:

Rainbow sock 1

Here is the second sock:

Rainbow sock 2 leg

I have also been knitting on the Hedera sock by Cookie A.  I am using Hazel Knits in the blueberry color with a size 1.5 needle.  I am working on the heel.

Hedera sock 1 - leg

I also bought a skein of Mrs. Crosby Hat Box in the color Swiss Mountain Stream.  I have been reading a lot about this yarn and wanted to try it.  It has Superwash Wool, Silk and Cashmere in it.  It feels real soft.

Mrs. Crosby - Hat Box - Swiss Mountain Stream

I have been reading a lot and will post what I have read in a future post.

Here is a picture of my nephew and niece.  He is three years old and she is 4 months old.  They are so cute together.

Carter and Chloe