Happy Thanksgiving

I had a great Thanksgiving.  We had a lovely dinner at my brother’s home with his family and then came home to relax.

Today, I went knitting at my local yarn shop and got to spend time with my friends.  So far it’s been a lovely long weekend.

I am working on several projects, but will post pictures in my next blog post.  This post will be dedicated to yarn.

I got several skeins of striped sock yarn.  I am addicted to it.  From Desert Vista Dyeworks, I got three skeins in the colors Dia De Los Muertos, Grade School Turkey, and Jacarandas Down Under.  These are in her Visio base yarn.

The Loopy Ewe got in striped yarn from Fibernymph Dyeworks in her Bounce base.  I got The Elves were in the Eggnog and Tartan.

From Gynx Yarns, I got Epyon in 100% merino yarn.

Now on to other yarns that are not self striping.  I got Taria Tweed by Plymouth Yarn in grey and green to make scarves.  I have wanted to make something out of this yarn for awhile and my LYS had it on sale today.  It is so soft.

I also got Footlights by Blue Ridge Yarns in the pansie colorway.  I plan to make some fingerless mitts with this yarn.  Instead of one skein, you get four mini skeins.

Last, but not least, I couldn’t resist getting the Chickadee bag by Knittings My Bag.  It came with Spinning Fates yarn in the color Let Heaven and Nature Sing.  This is a DK weight yarn.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.  Now, it’s the countdown to Christmas.

Trying to finish the Color Affection Shawl

Doesn’t seem as if I have done much knitting this week, but I did work on the Color Affection Shawl.  I have 8 more rows and then I can bind off.  Hopefully, I will get this finished this week and can post pictures next week.

I did finish the November 2012 Dishcloth KAL.  The pattern is Native American Cloth by Lisa Millan.  I used  Peaches and Crème in baby blue with a size 7 needle.  This is a repeat cloth that we did in a previous year.

I did start a Christmas sock.  I am using a basic sock pattern with Lollipop yarns in the color Wee Elves.  The striping on this sock is narrower than previous yarn I used by Lollipop yarns and I love it.  It’s very Christmasy.  I am using a size 1 needle.

I couldn’t resist buying another skein of yarn from Lollipop yarns.  This color is Yabba Dabba.  There are many color changes in this ball.  So colorful!

Off to knit on my color affections shawl!

Things are beginning to get back to normal

Now that the tree has been removed, things are getting back to normal.  Many people are getting their power back; although there are still too many who don’t have it.  I think that’s the worse thing, waiting for power.  In a way, I guess we are lucky.  The temperatures are in the high 40’s here, if it was below freezing it wouldn’t feel too good.

The worse thing in this area is the long lines for gas.  Because places don’t have power, there are not many gas stations open.  Plus, people are not only getting gas for their cars, but for their generators.  Lines are long.

My heart goes out to the people in New Jersey and New York, where they seem to have it really bad.

Knitting has been helping me get over the stress of this storm.  I did finish my Sock the Vote socks.  I used Yarn vs. Zombies in the damsel base and the spiffy iffy color with a size 0 needle.  The pattern was Dancing Bamboo socks.

I also finished Terence the tap dancing Trex by Recbeca Danger.  I used Dancing Dog Dyeworks in Tropical Blue and Owlies with a size 5 needle.  This is ready for my great nephews Birthday party on Saturday.

 

I did get some yarn this week.  From Gnome Acres, I got 2 skeins of fingering weight yarn.  One skein is the fancy gnome base (80%merino, 10% cashmere, 10% nylon) in the To be jolly color. The second skein is in the Maleficent color and it is 75% SW merino and 25% nylon.  I also got a WPI gauge key chain.

From Dancing Dog Dyeworks, I got my Monster Mania club yarn in Waltz Worsted.  The color is Big is Boo-tiful blues.  I love this color. I’m waiting for the pattern that goes with this yarn.

Since, I got my socks and dinosaur finished, I am working on the Color Affection shawl.  I hope to have this finished by the end of next week.  I need to start on two pairs of socks (one is a Christmas gift and the other is a Christmas sock for me) and another shawl.

Tree is Removed

The Tree Service was awesome.  They had 2 cranes, a bucket truck, and various other equipment with around 9 men.  It took them around 5 hours.

Tropical Storm Sandy

The good news is that we have power and all is okay.

The bad news is that we lost a tree in our front yard.  It did no damage to our house, but did land on the roof of our neighbor’s house.  Not sure how much damage they will have from it until the tree comes down.

This happened last night.  All of a sudden the house shook.  I thought it was the wind.  Guess I was wrong.

 

FrankenStorm is Coming?

Perfect way to end October, the storm of the century.  Let’s see what happens or if it fizzles out.  I just hope we don’t lose power.

With that in mind, I am working on Terrence the Tap Dancing T-Rex.  This is a birthday present for my great nephew.  I need to complete it by his birthday party on November 3rd.  I gave myself daily goals and I am way ahead of them.  I only have to knit the tail and then sew on arms, legs, front panel and his mouth. I am using Dancing Dog Dyeworks in Tropical Blue (I was so afraid that I would run out of yarn, but I’m okay) and Owlies for the front panel and his tail.  I am using a size 5 needle.  I love the yarn.  It is great to work with.

I finished week 4 of my Sock the vote sock.  I am using Yarn vs. Zombies Damsel yarn in Spiffy Iffy with a size 0 needle.

I finished the Cupcake socks.  I used Desert Vista Dyeworks in Happy Birthday cupcake with a size 1 needle.  Love this yarn and love the striping!

I also finished the October 2012 Mid Month Dishcloth KAL.  The pattern is Little Pumpkin by Janet Nogle.  I used a size 7 needle with Peaches and Crème in the shrimp color.

My goals in November are to finish my Color Affection shawl and the fair isle hat, plus start knitting a sock for a Christmas gift.

Well, guess I need to go do some things to get ready for this storm. Wish us luck!

October is going way too fast

Less than two weeks and it’s over.  Then it’s November and Christmas is on the horizon and after that it’s tax season again.  Time is flying way too fast.

I am trying to finish up projects before the end of the year.  But, there are a few projects I haven’t started yet that I have to get completed.  Like a dinosaur for my great nephew and a sock for a friend for Christmas.

I finally finished Ruby the Lovable Huggable Monster.  I used Lornas Laces worsted yarn in Zombie BBQ with a size 5 needle.  I think she got pretty nice.  This is the second monster (toy) that I have finished and I am learning new things with each one.  I did the mattress stitch to close up the body.  Initially, I used a whip stitch to sew on the arms and legs and didn’t like how it looked, so I learned another way to sew them on and I like it better.  The internet is a wonderful thing.

I started on the second Cupcake sock.  I really love this yarn and the colors.  I am using a size 1 needle with Desert Vista Dyeworks Happy Birthday cupcake. I hope to finish this off this coming week.

Then, I got to the second sock for the Sock the Vote KAL.  We only do so much each week.  I finished the end of week 3.  The yarn is Yarn vs. Zombies Spiffy Iffy and I am using a size 0 needle.

Here is the First Sock:

Here is Sock Two:

I got more yarn and I am so excited.  I got Wee Elves from Lollipop Yarns.  This will be great for Christmas.  There are 500 yards here.  That is why there are two yarn balls.  I could knit knee socks with this yarn, but will probably only knit a regular sock.  I’m sure that I can find something to do with the rest of the yarn.

I also got some yarn from Canon Hand Dyes.  You can find this yarn on Etsy under the Amy Lee Show.  The colors are Alas Pour Yorick (black and grey) in the William Base, Ann Elliot in the Charles base and Double Double Toil and Trouble in the Lewis base.

Self Striping Sock yarn is great!

There was frost on the pumpkin last night

It’s getting colder and I am ready for it.  I can skip the snow, but I like it when the nights are cold and the days are warm.

It’s been an interesting and busy week.  We got our last 3 windows in the house replaced and as a result I have been cleaning.  First you have to clear out the room and then put everything back.  I have one room completed and still have to do the attic, but that won’t take me long. I got my blood test done today and I have been knitting.

I worked on my Sock the Vote socks and completed the requirements for Week 2 KAL.  I am using Yarn vs Zombies Damsel socks in the Spiffy Iffy color with size 0 needles.  Still can’t believe that I am knitting with size 0 needles.  The pattern is Dancing Bamboo Socks.

Then, I got pretty far with my cupcake socks.  I am using Desert Vista Dyeworks Visio yarn with a size 1 needle in the Happy Birthday cupcake color.  I love these socks.  The yarn feels like Wollmeise and I love the color and how it’s striping.  I am using my new size 1 signature needles and they are heaven.  I highly recommend them.

I finished a hat for my great nephew. His second birthday is coming up, so I thought I would knit this as a gift.  The yarn is Knitpicks Brava Bulky.  I got white and sienna.  This yarn is great.  It is nice and soft and very lofty but firm.  Best of all it is an acrylic yarn, so it is easy to care for.

I am using size 10.5 needles and the pattern is Faster Football Hat by Nona Davenport.  It’s a very easy pattern that I got from Knitpicks.  I knit the toddler size.  The pattern called for 60 stitches, but it was turning out too big, so I went down to 52 stitches and it is much better. The pattern comes in all sizes, so I am thinking of making one for his father so they can be twins.  I’m glad I took the class on two handed fair isle knitting as it came in handy with the color changes on this hat.

My CookieA sock club yarn came for October.  The yarn is from Green Mountain Spinnery and is called Super Duper Sock Club Yarn.  The color is Sarsaparilla.  I’m not sure how I feel about this yarn, but it is growing on me.

I hate pooling

I really do hate yarns that pool.  I will try everything I can to avoid it.  It’s probably been awhile since I bought any variegated yarn.  I mostly am buying solids, tonal, or striped sock yarn.  I have learned through my knitting years that if you buy variegated yarn to my hand painted yarn instead of hand dyed yarn. However, I am participating in Sock the Vote in the Single Handed Knits Ravelry Group and was able to get a “kit” for the undecided party.  The yarn is really nice.  It’s by Yarn vs. Zombies and the color is Spiffy Iffy.  It’s a variegated yarn.  I started by casting on with a size 1 needle.  You guessed it, I got pooling.  So, I then went up to a size 1.5 needle.  Yes, pooling again.  Finally, I went down to a size 0.  No pooling!  Yippee!  I am happy now.  This is the second time that going to a size 0 needle did the trick.  So, maybe I found the secret.  I still cast on 64 stitches because that is what the pattern called for.  I am using the Dancing Bamboo Sock pattern.  It’s a very easy pattern and looks great with the striping.

My only regret was that I  should have taken pictures of the other socks that pooled.  I didn’t knit too far on those.  I went just past the ribbing.

I did finish another pair of socks.  This is my 75th pair of socks!  No wonder that I need two drawers to store my socks.  And, yes I do wear them.  I started this week since the weather has gotten cooler.  These are a basic sock pattern using Rainy Day and Wooly Dogs Strychnine sock yarn in the Fire Bad, Tree Pretty color with a size 2 needle.

I also completed the October 2012 Dishcloth KAL.  The yarn is Peaches and Crème cotton in the olive color way with a size 6 needle.  The pattern is Autumn’s Country Quilt by Sue Schaefer.  I enjoyed knitting this pattern.

I need to get back to reading

I have been reading, but not as much as I was before.  If I plan to meet my reading goals for this year, I need to get back to the books.  I have 13 more books to read to have read the same number of books as last year.  I think I can manage to do that.

Since my last update, I have read the following books:

Chromosome 6 – Robin Cook (I love his books)

11th Hour – Robert Patterson

Home Front – Kristen Hannah – she never disappoints me

Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins – great book

The Wedding Shawl – Sally Goldenbaum

A Fatal Fleece – Sally Goldenbaum

The Senator’s Wife – Sue Miller – Interesting book

Vengeance in Death – J.D. Robb

Night Road – Kristen Hannah

Holiday in Death – J.D. Robb

Catching fire – Suzanne Collins

Midnight in Death – J.D. Robb

Miss Julia Rocks the Cradle – Ann B. Ross

Conspiracy in Death – J.D. Robb

Tom Cruise – Andrew Morton – interesting, especially since Katie left him.

When First They Met – Debbie Macomber

The Inn at Rose Harbour – Debbie Macomber

The Amateur – Edward Klein

To Fetch a Thief – Spencer Quinn

Mockingjay – Suzanne Collins – Loved this trilogy!

It’s October and I have a lot to knit

I finished the one sock of my Goth Socks in the color Fire Bad and Tree Pretty and started on the second one.  I had a hard time with the first sock.  I was at the toe when I realized I was short a stitch.  I had to rip back close to the heel and had to reknit it.  Fortunately, it went fast and I finished it yesterday. I started on the second sock.  I love how this knits up.

I have been watching the Single Handed Knits video cast and she is having a Sock the Vote KAL.  I was able to order a kit with yarn and got in the undecided party.  I cast on today for the first sock.  The yarn is Yarn vs Zombies in the Damsel base.  The color is Spiffy Iffy.  I am using a size one needle with the Dancing Bamboo Sock pattern.

I was able to cast on today and knit the first three rows.

I also got some yarn this past week.  I love Hazel Knits Artisan Sock yarn and couldn’t resist buying the Iris color way.

I have been good since the Sanguine Gryphon split up and haven’t bought any of their yarn.  I have so much of it.  But, I had to buy Grey Hairstreak in the Bugga base from the Verdant Gryphon.

Signature needles came out with the size 1 circular needles.  So I bought a pair.  After I finish the Goth Socks, I will cast on another sock using these needles.  I can’t wait.

Then, I decided to pick up another knitting bag.  This one is from Piddleloop.  It is the large wedge bag in the cupcake pattern.

Well, I better get knitting.  I need to finish off Ruby, my Fair Isle hat, Color Affection shawl and start on a knitted dinosaur for my nephew’s birthday in early November, plus another sock to try out my Signature needles.