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.

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!

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).

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.

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

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

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

Now, it’s time to knit

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.

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

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

And 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.

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.

I also bought two skeins of Malabrigo worsted yarn in 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.

I used the Malabrigo yarn on the loom to make a 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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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:

Here is the second sock:

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.

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.

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.

I am in love with Madelinetosh Yarn

I just love Madelinetosh yarn!  I finished the Rikke hat in Madelinetosh DK using the color Plaid Blanket with a size 4 and size 7 needle.  I loved the color and the yarn and finished the hat in a week. 

I really liked the pattern, but it called for one skein of Madelinetosh DK and you were suppose to knit 9 inches from the cast on edge before doing the decreases.  I only knit 7 inches before decreasing because I would have run out of yarn.  I could have probably gone to 7 1/2 inches, but I didn’t want to take the chance.  The hat looks okay with only the 7 inches from the cast on edge, but this was the second project that I didn’t have enough yarn according to the instructions.  I am going to make another one, so I bought 2 skeins of Madelinetosh DK in the color Wicked.  It looks brown in the picture, but it has purple in it.

I loved the plaid blanket color, so I bought more of it in tosh sock.  I plan to use this color for another Willow cowl.  I bought 2 skeins of it so I would have enough.  I also bought tosh sock in Wicked, Aura, and Cardinal.  I plan to use the Aura and Cardinal for the Foolproof cowl.

Little Skein in the Big Wool came out with a theme of Where the Wild Things are.  I loved the monster pattern, so I bought the kit that includes the pattern, yarn, and accessories.  The yarn is Highland Handmades in her Green Ash Worsted Yarn in the color Minos (I got 2 50 gram skeins to make 2 monsters – I have big ideas).  It’s a blue color.  I also couldn’t resist Highland Handmades Striped Maple Sock in the Color The Wild Rumpus.

I have been coming along with my Fab Funky Fibers Rainbow sock using a size 1 needle.  I debated about doing a heel flap, but changed my mind because of the number of colors in this self striping yarn.  So, I am doing an afterthought heel.  I am still working on the first sock.

I just had to cast on another sock.  This time I chose a patterned sock called Hedera by CookieA.  I am using a size 1.5 needle with Hazel Knits Artisan sock in the color Blueberry.  I only started this sock this week so you are only seeing the cuff.

I really like Hazel Knits yarn and need to knit more socks up with it.

Well, I better get knitting.

When will it stop raining?

It has been a lousy week.  We have had dreary days and rain.  Today was suppose to be sunny, but the sun hardly came out.  I hope tomorrow and next week is nicer.

I finally finished the Willow cowl.  I had to rip it back because I didn’t have enough yarn to finish.  I should have had 2 skeins of yarn, but the yarn I used I bought years ago and only had one skein.  As a result, I only had 3 repeats of the lace section where the pattern had 5.  I still like how it turned out and will make another one.  I used a Size 5 needle with Socks that Rock lightweight yarn in the color Muddy Autumn Rainbow.

I worked on my Rainbow sock.  It’s a 15 color rainbow striped yarn.  I planned on doing the normal heel flap and then decided that I would waste too much yarn to get it to work out once I finished the heel.  So, I am doing an afterthought heel.  I am using a size 1 needle and the yarn is from Fab Funky Fibers.

I finally cast on for the Rikke hat.  I am using Madelinetosh DK in the color plaid blanket with a size 4 and 7 needle.  I really like the color.

I better work on these projects as I am already checking out new patterns to start knitting on.  I already have a skein of yarn wound to start another sock.

Where did May Go?

I can’t believe that tomorrow is June 1st.  May really flew by.  My days have been filled with cleaning out the house, reading and some knitting.

I finally finished the Kirby Wirby Rockin my Banana Clip to the NKOTB concert socks.  I used a size 1 needle with a basic sock pattern.  These are for my niece.  I love this color.  I may just have to knit another pair for myself.

I have also been working on the Willow cowl.  I really am enjoying this pattern, but I need to rip out rows as I will not have enough yarn to finish.  I would really need 2 skeins of yarn for this cowl, but since I bought this yarn quite awhile ago, I only have this one skein.  I am using Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock in the color Muddy Autumn Rainbow with a size 5 needle.

I bought two skeins of Plymouth Mushishi yarn in color 23.  It’s a blue green color.  I plan on knitting the "L’enveloppe pattern with this yarn.

House Cleaning

Well, I haven’t been knitting too much.  I have been busy cleaning out the house.  What a job it is.  You just don’t realize how much junk you have.  I have 3 floors (Basement, First Floor, Second Floor) pretty much under control.  I do have some odds and ends to do on each floor, but I feel real good about it and everything is pretty organized.  I am getting burned out though, so I am going to take a little break and will then tackle the attic.

What I really get a charge out of are the garbage pickers that stalk the alley’s.  Don’t get me wrong.  I am grateful that they are taking what I have out to take.  But, I can put something out and before you know it, it’s gone.

I have been working on several projects, but finally completed one sock of a pair for my niece.  The yarn is Kirby Wirby.  The color is Rockin my banana clip to the NKOTB concert.  I am using a basic sock pattern with a size 1 needle.  I love this color!

I have purchased more self striping sock yarn.  I just can’t resist it.  I got Vesper Sock yarn in the colors Love Story and April Showers bring May flowers.

KirbyWirby in the color Rainbow.

Fab Funky Fibers in the color Northern Lights.

So, I guess I better get knitting!

100 Pairs of Socks

Can you believe it?  Yes, I finished my 100th pair of socks.  I’m calling this one my Easter sock, although it got finished after Easter.  But, it looks so springy and Easterish.  The yarn is from Gales Art and the color is Hydrangea.  I used the no purl monkey sock pattern with a size 1.5 needle.

Next sock is a striped yarn for my niece.

I also got two skeins of sock yarn from Knittery Things.  It’s Vesper sock yarn in the colors Monet’s Garden and Springtime Happy Dance.

I’ve been doing quite a bit of cleaning out the house, so I haven’t been knitting too much.  Plus, I have also been reading.  I need to make my goal of 100 books this year.