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.

It’s cooler outside and I love it

I think when fall comes, I knit more.  Maybe it’s just a feeling though.  I do love fall and spring better than summer and winter. But, September went too fast and I am afraid that the rest of 2012 will go too fast as well and then we will be in the middle of winter.

I did finish the No Purl Monkey socks using Fibernymph Dyeworks Bounce yarn in the color snips and snails with a size 1.5 needle.  I love her yarn, but it so hard to get.

After finishing this sock, I had to start another with the Rainy Days and Wooly Dogs strychinine yarn in the color Fire Bad, Tree Pretty with a size 1 needle.  I love how this is striping.  The color’s are great for Halloween.

I’m becoming addicted to self striping yarn.  In many ways it is better than varigated yarn.  There are so many dyers doing this right now:  Lollipop yarn, Fibernymph dyeworks, Canon Hand Dyed, Desert Vista Dyeworks, Twisted Limone, Knitterly Things, Dancing Dog Dyeworks, Knitpicks, Marigoldjen, String Theory Colorworks, Twisted Fiber Arts, and I’m sure there are many, many others.

Also completed is the 2012 Midmonth Dishcloth KAL.  The pattern is called Diamond Drop Lace Cloth by Ali Barrett  I used Peaches and Crème yarn in gold with a size 7 needle.

And, I finally, finally completed the Copykat shawl by Rose Beck.  I used Swans Island merino yarn in the Marine colorway with a size 5 needle.  I used the diagonal rib pattern.  It’s finally blocked! The ruffles were a killer, but I kept at it.

I’m still knitting on the Color Affection Shawl, but it took a back seat to the Copykat shawl since I wanted to finish it.  Now, I am working on it again.  I need to finish up some projects.  The end of the year is coming quickly.

I just love yarn

Got some more yarn to show.

I love striped socks, so I got some yarn from Desert Vista Dyeworks.  In the Zien base, I got Trick or Treat (it’s sparkly) and in her Viso base, I got Happy Birthday Cupcake.

I’m addicted to Dancing Dog Dyeworks, so I got Frankenweenie in Waltz Worsted and in Chubby Puppy.  I also got chartreuse in Chuppy Puppy.

I also got Stockinette Zombie color in the Waltz Worsted weight in addition to a mini skein of orange.

Looks like I will be knitting socks and monsters.

Lazy Week

Not much knitting happened this week. But, I did do some.  I worked on the copykat shawl.  I am working on the ruffle and it is slow going.  I am close to hitting an inch and then will have one more to go.

I did finish the September 2012 Dishcloth KAL.  The pattern is called Vines ‘n Stripes by Janet Nogle.  I used a size 7 needle with Knitpicks Dishie in the Aster color.  This was a nice knit.

I started another sock.  I am using Fybernymph Dyeworks striped yarn in the snipes and snails color with a size 1.5 needle  This is her bounce base.  I am revising this pattern slightly for the heel and toe.  I’ve been wanting to use a patterned sock using a striped yarn for awhile and I love how this is coming out.  I am using the no purl monkey pattern.

I got another skein of sock yarn.  It’s Marigoldjen’s Superwash sock in the Seafoam Island color.  She is a dyer from PA and I have heard many great things about her yarn from different podcasters, so I thought I would give her a try.

I found a new videocast to watch.  It’s the Traveling Sock Knitter.  She is a sockknitter and has been knitting quite a bit of shawls (sound familiar?) plus she lives in PA around the Penn State area.  I am enjoying it very much.

September–Fall is near

I hate that it’s September because it means that winter is coming.  But, I’m glad that it’s September because it means that cool weather is upon up.  I think I like Spring and Fall the best and wish we could have that kind of weather year round.  I guess we are never satisfied.

I started on the third color for the Color Affection shawl.  I love the Shalimar Breathless yarn.  I highly recommend buying this yarn.  It is so soft.  I am knitting this with a size 6 needle in the colors Limerick, Loden and Bystantium.

 

I have gotten to the ruffle on the Copykat shawl in the diagonal pattern.  I really had a hard time picking up stitches and finally gave up because I was getting holes.  I figure that I will just sew the holes closed.  It’s kinda hard knitting on this when you get to the corners.  There are over 1000 stitches on the needles.  It is getting easier as I complete each row.  I have about  1/4 to 1/3 of an inch completed.  I need at least two inches completed.  I work on it a little every day.  I can’t believe that this has been on the needles for almost a whole year.  I am using Swans Island merino in the marine blue color with a size 5 needle.

I found a new podcast that I really am enjoying.  It’s actually a videocast called Single Handed Knits.  Mel lives in Hawaii.  The scenery is beautiful.  She calls her videocast Single Handed knits because she was minding her own business one day and got hit on her shoulder area with a coconut.  As a result, she lost feeling in her one arm.  She still knits!  She probably knits faster than me cause she finishes projects real quickly.

She started this challenge called Sock the Vote.  In the month of October up to Election Day, we have to knit a sock.  In the mean time she comes up with challenges.  One of the first challenges was to knit one small sock.  She is collecting these socks to give to women in a battered women’s shelter.  She is very inspiring.  I knitted my small sock out of Sweet Georgia tough love sock in the cherry color with a size 1 needle.  The pattern is called Little Feet baby sock.

There is no political talk while we are doing this.  We have parties called toe up, cuffies, undecided and the green party.  It’s a lot of fun.  This is definitely a videocast to watch.

More Yarn

This is just about it except for some yarn I have on order from Dancing Dog Dyeworks and my Cookiea sock club.  Then I really need to pick yarn from stash and stop buying.

I had to have another striping yarn from Lollipop Yarns.  It’s her Angry Birds color.  This is 75% superwash, 25% nylon.  This will look so cool knitted up in a sock.

Then I was lucky to get another skein from Rainy Days and Wooly Dogs.  This is her Henbane Sock in the color Sailor Pluto.  It’s 100% superwash merino.  Another striping color.

I have been wanting some yarn from Twisted Fiber Art for awhile and was waiting for the right color in her Evolutions gradient to do a Citron shawl.  I finally got Tasty in the Circle color.  This will knit up really nice.

And since I was ordering from her anyway, I decided to get another striping yarn in her Arial base.  The color is Lagoon (bottom).  She also sent a sample of the haunting color in her playful base (top).

Catching up on WIP’s

I have been trying to get some of my works in progress finished.

I completed the Cherry Lane Socks.  I used Sweet Georgia Tough Sock in the cherry color with a size 1 needle.  I enjoyed this pattern and loved the yarn.

I also completed the August Mid Month Dishcloth KAL.  This pattern was really nice to do.  It’s called Lazy Zigs by Janet Nogle. I used a size 7 needle with Sugar and Cream in the robins egg color.

I need some coasters for my bedroom, so I used the Skinny Rib coaster pattern with Fantasy Natural in the color 8013.  I finished one and would like to do more.

I’m getting closer to finishing the Copykat shawl.  I completed the body and just have to pick up stitches for the ruffle and knit that. I am using Swan’s Island merino wool in the marine blue color with size 5 needles.

I just had to start on another Color Affection shawl using Shalimar Breathless.  This yarn is wonderful.  I am using the colors Limerick, Loden, and Byzantium.  I am on the second color. I am doing yo’s with this shawl so I don’t get the puckering.

I’ve seen so many shawls using gradient yarn, so I had to buy some.  I got Desert Vista Dyeworks in her shadow colorway in purple haze and witches brew.

More Yarn

Yes, more yarn, but I’m excited about what I got.

From the Loopy Ewe, I got more Shalimar Breathless in the Stag and Scarab color way. I will probably be making another Color Affection Shawl with this yarn. I also got Madelinetosh sport in the Cove color way.  I love this color.

I thought I had missed the Rainy Days and Wooly Dogs (Goth Socks) update, but I was able to get some Strychnine yarn (80/20 fingering) in the Fire Bad and Tree Pretty color way.  This looked so like Halloween and fall.  It’s a self striping yarn.

More yarn is on it’s way and I should be getting it on Monday. Pictures and details will be posted next week.

I have been working on my Second Cherry Lane Sock and the Copykat shawl, plus I started another Color Affection Shawl.  I will post pictures of these next week.

It’s a busy week for me next week and I can’t believe that we are nearing the end of August.  Where did the Summer go, but I’m looking forward to Fall and cooler weather.

August–I can’t believe it’s August!

Ugh! As much as I wish that it wasn’t so hot (although this next week should be cooler), I’m not looking forward to winter.

I finished one of the Cherry Lane Socks.  I just love the pattern and the yarn.  I am using a size 1 needle with Sweet Georgia’s Tough Love sock in the Cherry color.

I also completed the August 2012 Dishcloth KAL.  The pattern is School House by Andi Worthy.  I used a size 7 needle with Peaches and Crème yarn in Baby Pink.

Yes, I got yarn.  I got two skeins of Lollipop Yarn self striping 75/25 Superwash in Beach Baby and Waterfall.  Yes, I am on a green kick.

Then I was lucky to grab a kit of Dancing Dog Dyeworks in her Waltz Worsted Base in Boo.

It came with a half skein of dark purple too.

The CookieA Sock club shipment for August came.  The yarn is Enchanted Knoll farms Superwash Sock Yarn in the color called Genmaicha (green).  I’m not liking the patterns, so I will use this yarn for another project.  But, I do like the yarn.  Another Green color.

I’m still working on the copykat shawl and have to cast on for the second sock in the Cherry Lane pattern.  Off to knit!

Finishing a project is satisfying

Yes, it is!  Especially when a project has been on the needles for awhile. 

I finally completed the Sheldon Blanket.  I used a size 7 needle and Knitpicks shine yarn in french blue, pea pod and cream.  Now all I have to do is knit Sheldon the turtle.  This will be for my nephew Carter.

Also completed are the USA socks.  I used Lollipop yarns in the USA color with a size 1 needle.  The pattern is a basic sock pattern.  I love striped yarn (especially Lollipop yarns) and it knits up fast cause you can’t wait for the next stripe to show up.

I had to start another sock, so I am using the Cherry Lane pattern by Felicia Lo with her Sweet Georgia tough love sock yarn in the cherry color and a size 1 needle.  The cuff is complete on the first sock.  This will be my 72nd pair socks.  I got new bedroom furniture and moved things around in my drawers, so now I have two, yes 2, drawers of socks with room to grow.  Looking forward to colder weather so that I can wear them (well, not really looking for colder weather, but this next heat wave we are going to have could be shorter).

I worked on the Ruby monster and got the arms finished.  I am using Lorna’s Laces worsted yarn in Zombie BBQ with a size 5 needle.  Now I just have to do the legs and stuff it.

I was working on a Copykat shawl by Rose Beck.  When I started this project, I decided to just knit a plain shawl.  Then it sat.  I started it up again and didn’t know where I was.  Since I didn’t have much completed on it, I ripped it out and am now using her Diagonal Rib Body.  I am enjoying how this is turning out.  I am using a size 5 needle with Swans Island merino wool fingering yarn in marine blue.  The pattern is easy, but now the stitches are growing, so it is taking longer to knit a row.  The ruffle that goes around the whole shawl will really take a lot of time.

Guess, it’s back to knitting!