Recent accomplishments and more yarn
OK, here are some nicer shots of the tumbling blocks baby blanket I finished the other day. I was all excited about this project at first, lost interest in it for a while, found any excuse to knit/ crochet anything else instead, but finally have it done. I hope the kid has not enrolled in school yet. :) I had a teddy bear model for me on this one.
It's made with three different shades of Bernat Softee Baby, you know, the big balls of acrylic yarn you can find at Walmart. I used a size G (4mm) hook for it. The three rows of border made a nice finish to it and seem to pull it all together.
Next is a quicky test knit for Knit Picks in between. I started on it so quickly and had it done in only a couple of days, so I didn't even get to take a yarn shot. Here is a little peek. It will be in the November catalog.
This is what my favorite UPS guy brought me yesterday. Isn't it yummy? 9 different colors of Knit Picks Palette.
This is going to be another "smallish" project for them and will be in the September Catalog. I've been asking for little things to knit, because I didn't want to commit to anything major, since we will be moving soon (how many times have I mentioned that now?) and I didn't want to have to stop unpacking boxes to meet the deadline for a knitting project.
It's shocking, but I actually swatched for this one. Well, I have to do this for my test knits all the time and since I know myself as a loose knitter, I have to go down one needle size on this one two. The designer recommends a size 4 to get 8 stitches per inch. I, as you might be able to see, only get between 6 and 7. Now I switched to a 3mm needle instead (don't have a 3.25 in my stash) and we'll see how this works out.
On other news the Veste Everest was soaking this morning and is rolled up in a towel as we speak/type. Once I'm done with this post I'll torture the poor thing and stretch it to size to block it. Then I only have to add the edging for the neck and sleeves and it'll be done. I absolutely love the yarn I've used. It's RY Cashsoft DK and it's a dream to knit. If it ever goes on sale again (I got this one at Webs), I'll have to stock up on it. I'll post pics of Everst when I'm done with it.
Now back to swatching and blocking.
Labels: Crochet, FO, KP
Disney World Pics
We had a fun time at Walt Disney World in Florida, but I think I did more walking in those two days than in a whole week at work. I'm so tired of walking. We got to sit down once in a while too.
We went through all four parks Disney World has to offer in two days. We stayed in the military hotel in the Disney resort and had free bus transportation to all the different parks and Downtown Disney, where all the shops were. This is a view from the hotel.
And the hotel itself.
On the way there we stopped by in Daytona (my husband tried to stop by every bikeshop on the way) and in the parking lot I caught this picture and thought it was pretty cool.
Or course I had my knitting with me and right now I'm about 5 more cable twists away from finishing my test knit. I also did a little crochet in the meantime, just to use up some of my stash leftovers.
Labels: Crochet, family trip
Two down, one to go
Two? Yes, I finished my test knit for KP (9) and it's on the way back to them. I already got their next offer in my inbox. That was quick.
The other thing I finished, right after I came back from the UPS store, was inspired by Keri and her blog entry about being mindful (sorry, still can't link for some reason, grrr). So I went and snooped around on Ravelry (gotta love them) and came up with a pattern for a cotton shower puff. But that wasn't enough. Once I got dragged over to the dark side and I got hooked, so to speak, I had to finish the whole set. Here you see the back scrubber (it's the loopy thing on the top right), a wash cloth, the bath puff, a face scrubber and a soap saver. I love that little pouch. So what do you think? More environmentally friendly? I hope so. Now I need to see what other kind of cotton yarn I have laying around in my stash. :D
Then I figured it was time to think about socks again. I had the Baby Cables queued in Ravelry for a while. I really don't need a pattern for it, so I started. Grabbed the first ball of yarn I saw and figured, I wanted shorties, ankle socks. Hmmm. 44 grams of this, should be enough. How can I be sure? Well, how about a toe up version? Ok, no problem, but I might need some advise, once I get to the bind off. I did it once before and my sister was complaining about them being too tight. I don't want that to happen again, but I don't want them to fall off either, since they are going to be short. Oh, and yes, I'm using magic loop. Why? Because I didn't like having a braid right in the middle of changing needles. There you go. I'll just have to figure out how to do do the second sock and no, I'm not doing them at the same time. I'm not that adventurous.
So that's it for now. Any suggestions?
Labels: Crochet, FO, Socks
Drive by entry
I don't really have time. Gotta run, because the mailman (gotta love him) brought me new yarn from Knit Picks for a new project. Can't tell you, as usual, what it is, but it's this
yarn in watermelon and coral. So now I gotta go an swatch, so I can get started. You know how it is, if you have a pattern and have to wait for the yarn. It's just itching for you to get your hands on it.
The other thing I started it the
Qiviuk Webs Tam from IK Holiday Issue 2007, page 33. I cast it on yesterday already, thinking I could go with a 2.5 mm needles and then use a 3mm instead of the recommended 2.25 and 2.75 (sorry, I have metric needles and I don't own those inbetween sizes). But that didn't work out. Way to loose and way to big. So I went to a 2mm and a 2.5 mm needles and even cast on the 112 stitches for the kids size instead of the 144 for the adult hat. Imagine that. After putting it on a cable needle I could pull it over my head without drowning in it and without it restricting any bloodflow to the brain either. :) I did end up going back to dpn (in ebony, hmmm), because the cables aren't long enough for a desent loop, but too long to just keep on knitting in a round. Sorry, but the piece is not picture worthy yet, but like I read on one comment about it on Ravelry, you really gotta love to purl on this one. Many say it looks better on the inside? We'll see when it starts taking shape.
Oh, and the baby blanket grows a couple of diamonds each day too, here and there.
Until then. Happy Knitting. :D
Labels: Crochet, IK KAL, KP
Santa is done
I finished the snowman's friend, the
Amigurumi Santa, today and gave it already to my friend as a christmas present. Due to his small size he'll probably find a spot on the christmas tree as an ornament. I made him with sock yarn, that's why he turned out so small. I'm not so sure I'm in enough of a christmas mood anymore to make the matching Reindeer this year, but there is always another christmas and this time I'll try to start earlier (cough, cough, yeah right).
Anyway, I had a request for another boys baby blanket and since I like variety and have the freedom of choice I decided to not go with a row or ripple design this time. I found a
Tumbling Blocks pattern from Coats and Clark that I liked very much. The bad thing is, there are lots of loose ends to weave in, but I'm keeping up with them right as I finish the block. The good thing is, that I can make this blanket as big as I want it. The baby is already 3 months old and will probably be another one older, by the time he gets it.
Labels: Crochet, FO
Christmas FO
I have a little last minute quick fix Christmas FO to report. Wow, what a name for a little guy like this.
This is my
Amigurumi Snowman I made up yesterday and handed over to my nice neighbor for Christmas together with some other smelly good gifts. He was very much welcomed into the circle of other snowmen that inhabit her house.
Merry Christmas everyone and Happy Knitting.
Labels: Crochet, FO
FO to report
Here is a quick picture of the finished blue baby blanket, before the batteries ran out again on the camera. Darn rechargeable batteries. Anyway, I'll be sending this out today or tomorrow and hopefully it should make it to my friends house in California before the baby does. Fly mailman, fly. :)
Labels: Crochet, FO
I'm not THAT fast
Just wanted to clear up a misconception and let everybody know that I'm not competing with
Wanietta and I'm NOT that fast of a knitter, especially with lace. The red one is the one in the book, just so you don't have to run and look for the shawl I'm talking about. It's not that popular, that everybody instantly knows what I'm talking about. The blue little triangle is mine so far, well, a little further by now, but still far from being done.
I've been working on the baby blanket all weekend long. I'm finally at the edge and then it'll go into a box and I don't ever want to see it again. No, not really, it's still made with lots of love, but it was the kind that you don't mind, when it's over and gone.
So since one didn't make much progress, the other isn't done and the third is "sleeping", there won't be no progress shots this time. I'll report back with a picture of the blanket hopefully tomorrow. Good night. The time change is still kicking my a... big time.
Labels: Crochet, On The Needles
FOs
First up is the picture to
proof that my
Endpaper Mitts are a finished pair now. These are modelled by my friend, since I find it hard to push the button on the camera with my nose while I'm trying to show off both of my hands (just kidding). I love the way they turned out and I see myself getting quite some use out of them this winter.
Next up is the little bookmark I couldn't resist to crochet. It's all
Michelle's fault. She made a couple of them and blogged about it and I couldn't help myself. This might be nice
Christmas present for a reader. It's supposed to be made in a 10 cotton, but I had to go overboard again and use a 80 thread I had left over from some handkerchiefs I used to crochet lace around many years back. I put it on the book just to show you how tiny it really is. Unfortunately I can't get my camera to focus on the detailed stitches, but I think you get the point.
Labels: Crochet, Fingerless Mitts, FO
My new friends
To make up for the mutilated picture of the headless Piglet in my last post I'm trying to sooth those little hearts that felt so badly about this image with a finished, smiling Piglet. There he is, all happy to be stitched up and finished.
Then I wanted to show you his new friend, or what is going to be his new friend. Shield those eyes again, if you are the faint type, because my new buddy Sheldon is still missing some of his pieces.
He's trying his best to cover up, but his shell is just not big enough yet, but I'm doing my best to change that.
Sheldon's family can be found on the
Knitty website, where I ran across his instructions. He is a fairly fast and easy knit, only the stuffing part might be a little tricky, if you don't keep up with it and wait until you only have 20 stitches left on the needles.
Here is also what I started reading, finally.
I know this is a couple years old and I've seen the movie plenty of times, but most the time the book is so much better and more detailed. Now I just need to find the time to sit and read instead of knit. That's going to be the challenge.
And on another note I want to thank an eabler for the box of notelty yarn I received yesterday. It was quite a surprise. I expected a couple of skeins, but not a whole box full. I guess that means a whole bunch more scarves in my future? Did I forget to mention that there is another layer under all of this?
Labels: books, Crochet, FO, Knitty
New Mystery Stole KAL
Like I didn't join enough already, I found another Mystery Stole KAL, this time a german one, that will cast off at the end of September. It's called the
Secret of Chrysopolis and is a german yahoo group. I guess they like to copy the idea of the mystery stole concept, so they are coming up with their own version, except this one already gives you a theme. At least you know what to expect. The have the english version of it too or are at least working on it. So if you feel adventurous and want to check it out, just follow the link.
Also, I have the girly baby blanket all finished and wrapped up for the post office. Now the only thing I have on the needles is the mystery stole. Hmmm, guess that means I should work on it for a while?
Another thing is that my desktop computer, which I fired up a couple of days ago and was working so great, won't power up this morning. And it's not even monday!! So I'm on my little laptop, which I handed over to my boys, but now I have to occupy it for a while again. Any suggestions on what might be wrong with the big boy (computer that is)? Now I don't have a printer hooked up to the laptop again and can't even transfer the files to print them on the big one. Darn technology.
Labels: Crochet, FO
And frogging we will go...
Yup, I did it again. I frogged those poor socks. Why? I didn't like the way the gusset was coming along. I had 72 stitches instead of the usual 60 or 64 stitches on my needles. That was the first thing that was bothering me. Then I decided to step away from the usual short row heel that I like and go with the pattern. Fine, I did that and then decided to decrease all the way down do 64 anyway. Well, my feet are neither fat nor flat, just long and the way the sock was coming along, I don't think I would have had fun wearing it, if it was too loose around the ankle. I absolutely hate it when the socks don't fit and I get blisters from wrinkled up socks inside my shoes. So, to make this story short, I pulled the thread.
I'm very fast with that lately, I've noticed. Does that mean I'm not happy with what I'm doing? I just can't make up my mind on what I want to do next and I thought a quick project would help, but it didn't. Of course cleaning up my two boys' rooms for the last two days didn't help much either. Maybe that was the reason for the quick rip. I sure made more than a few trips to the trash can with full bags. I am actually getting ready for a yard sale at the end of the month so that was my reason for weeding out clothes that were too small, moving the ones from the older boy into the "holding area" until the little one would fit into them. Then I was going through toy! What was I thinking? Did you ever sit down and sort Legos from Duplos, Matchbox cars from Happy Meal Toys, Playmobil from anything else and so on? You won't believe how many zip lock bags I used to sort all this stuff.
Have you ever seen that many legos in a box? You know you are getting good when you pick up a tiny piece and you know what "family of toys" it belongs to. And half of them I found in the room of the kid that always complains about not having any. Hmmm, where were they all hiding then?
Tomorrow I have the last of it with the books and that should be the end of that.
I also kept all the jeans. Why? I'm planning, some day, but don't ask me when, to make a scrap throw out of them. Just cut up the jeans in different size squares and different shades and sew them into a unquilted rag throw. Sounds good? Well, don't hold your breath that it's going to happen sometime soon, but that's at least my excuse for holding on to those jeans.
Now, what to do next. Of course there is still that baby blanket that seems to be growing into almost a bed spread. Don't know what I was thinking when I was casting on, but I'm at the end of the second pastel ball of yarn and it's still not even square, but it's growing at least. Underneath you can (barely) see a regular size baby blanket, you know the kind that comes with a sheet and bumper set.
My mystery stole is in a time out until I see the next clue knitted up on someone's blog and I decide what to do with it. Besides that I'm waiting on Knit Picks yarn (again) and that is it. Nothing else. Oh, I'm so sad, now it's my turn to look for my mojo. It's like an epidemic that hits everybody sooner or later and now it's my turn. I better find something, fast!
Labels: Crochet, General
Back to "normal"
With my husband "safely" (trust me, that word is way overrated) back in Iraq we are settling into out old summer break routine again, which I'm trying to change over into the back to school routine. The boys have two weeks before they go back to school, one into 5th and the other one into 1st grade. I guess that means I would be free to go back to my job at the commissary again, but I gotta see if I can upgrade that. It's nice going shopping there and people that know me ask when I'm finally coming back and that's not just the coworkers, but also the management. I guess that means I did a good job. Unfortunately I couldn't get a job directly working for the commissary, since I don't have the right citizenship for that. That sucks.
On the knitting front I'm catching up with all my oh so neglected projects, which are really not that many. I got that nifty percentage bar on my sidebar now that helps me keep track and get a little more organized.
My Mystery Stole is slowly catching up. I'm still working on chart D and have until Friday to finish chart F to be with the main crowd, but I guess that is not the important thing. I also don't make any guesses on the theme. I'm just along for the ride and enjoy a free pattern. I love knitting the lace, but I'm not sure when I have an opportunity to actually wear one of my shawls.
I haven't started on the lacy socks yet. They are on the list, as you can see, but I'm trying to get my invitation from interweave for the lace style KAL. For some reason I didn't get a response yet. I'm starting to think it's personal (I hope I'm just kidding). I just don't know what I'm doing wrong about it. I never had that problem before.
My Chevron Scarf is creeping along and growing. Don't ask me how long it is by now. I rolled it up into a jelly roll, since I had to fight with it after turning it over for every row. I'm just going to knit until I run out of either one of the yarns. It's really fuzzy and the color change had a couple of surprises in it.
I also started a girly baby blanket. At least that's what I call it. I have this friend in California that I sent some blankets that me and my sister made before, for her to sell them in her vendors booth in front of a store. She ended up using them for baby shower gift, which ended up being her "trademark" now. She commissioned me for a baby blanket for a girl and another one for a boy in November. So I got right to it. I had that acrylic yarn (naturalists, cover your eyes) that was waiting for it's turn. I tried it last year on my knitting machine, but it turned out to be too thick for it and was as hard as a board, even with the loosest setting. I guess that's how I can make some nice wash cloths or maybe placemats? I just don't want to stress out the machine too much. So handwork it is. I knitted it up at first and came up with this.
Then I ended up ripping it out, because I was way too big and if I would have gone on it would have been and adult afghan, not to mention I have to check for more yarn first and the kid would have probably walked by the time I would have been done. So frogging was in order. Since this was a feather and fan pattern and with the chevron scarf being similar to that, I really wasn't in the mood to do it again. I had this image in my head I saw on Sherie's blog, but knitting it for little baby fingers, which could get caught in those long stitches, was out of the question, so I turned it into a crochet pattern. 
I like it, but it seems to be a little on the hard side. I already went up one hook size, but I think it's the yarn, even though it says "Baby" on the label. Maybe a good conditioner soak afterwards will help with that. I don't know if that has any effect on acrylic. Any input on that, anyone? Oh and no, I didn't move over to the "other" side, I'm just exercising my many talents. Some of you might not know that I'll tackle almost anything that involves a string and a needle in any kind, but I try to keep my hobbies under control or my husband will go nuts with me, not to mention the movers, every time they have to pack up my stuff. That reminds me, maybe it's time to work on that quilt that is looking at me, making me feel guilty. It's not even in closet, so it's really ready to be worked on, but with more than 90 degrees F outside there is no way I'm cuddling up under a blanket to quilt it. They do have a winter here in Georgia, just not a really cold one.
Labels: Crochet, MS3, On The Needles
Crochet FO
Here it is, the crochet Bolero, my latest FO. It was actually done last night, but it was late and I had to find a victim that would take a picture of me. I tracked down my trusty neighbor and also tried one of those famous bathroom mirror shots (I think I'm getting the hang of it). What do you think? I guess it didn't turn out too bad. Of course I can't pull it off quite like the model, but I think it's nice. Maybe the grey is not the most flattering color, but that's what I had available at the moment. I also think that an extra row at the bottom of the bolero wouldn't have looked so bad either.
Now here is the next thing I'm working on:
Since we have a couple of pregnant soldiers in my husband's unit (needless to say they are here and not in Iraq), the wives are planning a baby shower. For that reason I started on this cute little baby hat. I found the pattern on the Knitting Daily website. This website is run by Interweave and has lots of interesting articles, a blog and daily new patterns. I signed up right away. I found it through the IK KAL, when somebody posted a FO from that site. Go check it out.
Oh, and I'm still waiting on the yarn from Webs for the Fair Isle sweater. .....ETA: monday. (?)
Labels: Crochet, FO, On The Needles
Almost there
OK, blogger just had me loose my whole entry by me pushing some dumb button, so we'll try this one more time. Let's see. I wanted to let you know that my Bolero is getting there. In fact, it's almost done. I've attached the two sides to each other and I finished one sleeve and right now I'm working on the second one, which was actually the first, but I ended up pulling it out again and making it wider. I just don't like it, when the sleeve is too tight under the arm, plus I'm going to have to wear something under that little lacy piece here anyway, so we don't want it too snug. Anyway, all I have left is one half sleeve and the bands to tie it together. So hopefully the next picture you will see will have a model in it instead of a in-progress shot.
I ended up changing a lot of things on this pattern, size wise that is, but the pattern is still the same. The pattern is more like a guideline anyway and can be altered anytime. That's the whole beauty about handmade things.
On another project note I can tell you that I got the pattern for my next sweater in the mail yesterday. Thanks to Rhonda's speedy delivery I ended up with the pattern first and I'm still awaiting the arrival of the yarn, which doesn't even have to cross any borders. Hopefully it will be there by the time I get done with the Bolero, or I will be forced to slip another project in between. I love the pattern book and all the other sweater projects in it as well as the hats, scarfs and mittens. It will definitely be used for more than the one pattern, but it will surely be a challenge knitting them with 100 % wool in this kind of weather.
We already hit the 90 degree mark today and it was toasty, to say the least. To make matters worse we were getting all the smoke from a nearby wildfire, that has been going on for a couple of days now, so that was a plain headache day for me. Let's just hope that we actually DO get a little bit of rain soon to get rid of that fire the natural way, since firefighters here can't get it out. That sure reminds me of another fire we had in SoCal a few years back, that was right outside our door too. No fun at all, especially when you are getting packed up to go overseas and you are wondering if you are going to HAVE anything to be packed up. But as you can tell we made it and so did all our stuff and this one is further away, but still visible on satelite pictures.
Labels: Crochet
One down, one to go
Well, here is a progress report on the crochet bolero I'm currently working on. I don't want to make my other two fellow crocheters feel bad, but I have one half done! I told you it was addictive. Plus I have the advantage of not having any other projects going on at the moment, so don't feel so bad. Like this I can let you know about any problems I might run into on the way, which wasn't many so far. I just had to make my yarn fit the pattern, so basically I just changed it to 201 stitches to cast on, because of my thinner yarn. Not everything is going smooth. I also had to unravel a good two rows, because I missed some stitches. I guess I could have just cheated and made up for them in the next row, but I wanted to make it right. 
So, on the left you see the right half of the bolero. It's kinda hard to imagine, but that's why I folded it for you to get a better feel for it. The cast on row will be the side seam and the shorter side will be the front. The other peace will be worked the same way and then seamed together in the back. I hope that makes it a little more logical. Well, stay posted and check with the other two girls Kim and Sabine (she has actually published some of her own sock patterns on Mag Knits). I can't wait to see how theirs will come along. Now I have to email my husband, so he won't feel so neglected.
Labels: Crochet
Socks and more
Here is a post worthy picture of my sister's new socks, modeled by my now 10-year-old son. My god, his feet are almost as big as my sisters?
It's a simple two knit two purl cuff and a short row heel with another one as a toe and then closed up with the kitchener stitch. As you can see, any patterning would have been a waste of time, so we'll just let the colors do the talking.
Here is a picture of my latest project I'm working on, while I'm waiting for the UPS man to come to my door. It's s crochet bolero form an online yarn magazine.
It's Kimberly's fault. She is my, in this case, my crochet partner in crime and enabler for this project. Last thing we knitted was the Bonita Shirt and is was fun doing it together and giving each other moral support, when the pattern was giving us grieve. Also the little friendly competition keeps us going, instead of putting it down and doing other things in the meantime. This is what it's going to look like:
I just had to play with the pattern a little bit to make it work with the thinner yarn I am using, also it would have been a little too short for my taste. Other than that it's a pretty simple pattern and putting it together shouldn't half the trouble that the last project was. I'll post more pictures as it progresses and if I have any more sleepless nights, like I had last night, this bolero will be done in no time at all. Also go check with Kimberly and see how she is doing on hers. Labels: Crochet, FO, On The Needles, Socks
Bear with me
May I present my patriotic panda pooh bear:
And smile for a close up please:
Well, how do you like the little guy? Sorry about the name, but you really can't call him Pooh anymore. He was supposed to be patriotic, so I guess that hits the spot. He is already gone to his new home and my friend was more than happy. He'll give it to his girl friend and I hope she'll like him too. So now that I have no more distractions for now I'm working again on the Bonita Shirt and it's decision making time. Is it long enough for the arm hole? Do I have to knit more? If I pull on it just a bit I'm right on track with the de- and increases. I put it on one of my favorite shirts that fits kinda snug and it's longer than that, so I guess we are good to go. So I guess I'm on to the next step. It doesn't look any different than the last picture, so I'll keep you in suspense until I have a little more to show for. Also go check out Lolly/Kimberly's blog and see how she is doing on hers. It seems she didn't have as many distractions as I did and she flew right by me. Labels: Crochet, FO
Use your imagination
This is what I can show you off the bear so far, partially thanks to another visit in the doctors office, but that's another story. I got all the "accessories", as in arms, legs, ears, nose and shirt, done and I'm stitching along on the body, attaching everything one by one. You have to use your imagination to see the finished bear and to help you along here is a picture of what the original is supposed to look like. 
Trust me, he'll look like that too, because I used to make lots of them.
If nothing else gets in the way I'll be working on my Bonita shirt again as soon as this special bear officially hits the light of day. Hopefully nothing else will jump the list and trust me, there is a list. Labels: Crochet
Chenille or not?
The two scarves are completed and dropped off yesterday. The two girls will be happy and mom didn't have to twist her fingers in a knot making them. On to the next project? Well, I tried to. I started on the yellow blanket and got as far as the first strip. Take a look. Pretty, isn't it?
Well, here is a close-up picture. Still pretty, right?
Well, but it's not soft and that is the whole thing wrong with it. Ever worked with Chenille? I thought that stuff is supposed to be all soft and all. But this one is turning out to be a board. So me and neighbor decided to drop the idea. Now we are looking for different yarn to make the blanket by the deadline, which is the end of May. I know, that's a long ways to go and I'm glad for that.In the meantime I'm working on the bear, but there is not much to show for, so I'll spare you the pictures. I have two blue ears and a nose done and I'm working on the second arm. When it gets more interesting as in maybe a half a bear or so, I'll let you take a peek. Until then, happy knitting, crochet or whatever you might have picked up at the moment. Labels: Crochet
This is what my favorite UPS guy brought me yesterday. Isn't it yummy? 9 different colors of Knit Picks Palette. 
It's shocking, but I actually swatched for this one. Well, I have to do this for my test knits all the time and since I know myself as a loose knitter, I have to go down one needle size on this one two. The designer recommends a size 4 to get 8 stitches per inch. I, as you might be able to see, only get between 6 and 7. Now I switched to a 3mm needle instead (don't have a 3.25 in my stash) and we'll see how this works out.
