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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty. I love that song by the Lovin Spoonful. It brings back memories of working at the pool in the summer of 1966. Fibernymph dyeworks has a color way in that name and I had to buy it…..right? And, it stripes. Another great reason to buy it. I also got Octopus Garden (a great song by the Beatles) and Hot Town Summer in the City. Both skeins are in her bounce base. I’m singing right now. Can you hear me?
I also got some yarn by Desert Vista Dyeworks. I love her yarn and it was on sale. Had to buy it because of that and it stripes. I’m obsessed by yarn that stripes.
I got Neon Spring and the Logo Colorway in the Viso base.
I have been having a great knitting week. I finished the green scarf that I was knitting using Suss bomull in apple green with a size 7 needle.
I’m getting closer to finishing the Pagona shawl by Stephen West. I’m using Dream in Color Everlasting in Morning Glory with a size 6 needle.
I started the High Speed Knitting shawl at the end of July. I am using Desert Vista Dyeworks Shadow Gradient fingering in Witches Brew. Right now you will see mostly black, but it will be green as the shawl gets bigger. It’s been a little slow going with this project, but I am working on several projects at the same time. I’m trying to give each of them some love each week.
I couldn’t wait to cast on for the Brickless scarf/shawl by Martina Behm. I am using Miss Bab’s Yowza in the color Berlin with a size 6 needle. I am loving the yarn. It is a worsted weight. I’m also enjoying the pattern.
No progress has been made on the calendar scarf.
Last but not least, I am more than half way finished with the second Dia de los Muertos sock. The yarn is by Desert Vista Dyeworks in her Viso base. I am using a size 1 needle.
I’ll have to think about what sock I am going to knit next.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
I love striped sock yarn, so I landed out getting another skein of Lollipop yarn in the color Googly Moggly.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Day 7 is complete on the 2011 Advent Calendar Scarf. 17 more days to go.
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.
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.
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.
Off to knit for the day!
I can’t believe it, but I love using beads in knitting. But, I do have to say that it depends on where you get your beads. I am using beads in my Advent Calendar Scarf. They are okay, but the holes are not consistent and the beads look small. I got those beads from Artbeads.
Then I got more beads to use for my Quaker Ridge Shawl. The beads go across the bottom of the shawl and I am using a beaded bindoff. I got these beads from Earthfaire. Boy are they great! The beads are larger, but the same size as the Artbeads, and the holes are consistently the same. It’s taking me awhile to bind off. I am about 60% finished, but it looks great! The beads pop out on the yarn. I am definitely buying more beads from Earthfaire!
I started another sock using Lollipop yarn in the color It’s Five O’clock somewhere. I am using a size 1 needle. The pattern is called Socks on a Plane. This is a toe up sock, but I am doing it top down. I am using a size 1 needle with 64 stitches instead of the suggested needle and stitch number. I am using the chart for the pattern as is for the toe up sock. The pattern starts at the cuff and goes down to the toe. I am loving how this is coming out.
A long time ago, I bought a kit from Suss Designs to knit a fringed scarf. I liked it, so I bought more yarn to make other colors. Well, it landed out in my stash and sat there. I thought about it the other day and decided to wind up a skein and kit the pattern. It’s mindless knitting since it’s all garter stitch and the width of the scarf is narrow. What makes me happy is that I am using my stash. I am knitting this with a size 7 needle and using Suss Yarns Bomull cotton yarn. The fringe is suppose to be leather and I know I bought some, but can’t find it. I may have thrown it away, but will keep looking.
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