It's getting cold
I had to play a little waiting game with Knit Picks and the designer to get the test knit the way we wanted it, so in the meantime I jumped right onto this little hat.
It's getting a little colder here in Kentucky and the last two days of rain made even the last person realise that summer is definitely over. Since my older one is complaining about it being chilly in the morning (44 degrees on the way to school this morning) I had to knit up this hot hat for him to keep his ears warm. He even wanted to wear it all day at school today. We'll see what the teachers think of this, since I don't think that is part of the dress code. Either way it's nice to have my knitting appreciated.
Next up is a pair of
argyle mitts. You might have seen them on Ravelry. I love them and had to cast them on last night. The ribbing is just going kinda slow, so it'll be a couple more hours until it's going to get interesting.
Since it's knitted over 72 stitches I cast on with 2.25mm (1) KP Harmony DPNs (thank you
Keri) and I'm using some unknown stash sock yarn and the rest of the
Dyed in the Wool Handmade Fingering Sockyarn in Winter Violet. This was left over from my
Mohana Shawl I knitted for Monika. I think it's a rather nice color combo.
Labels: KP, On The Needles
Greetings from Kentucky
Hey ya'll. I'm waving hello to you from my new home in
Fort Knox, Kentucky. Well, more or less new home, since I'm greeting you from our hotel, where we are currently staying in. If you read my blog more often you'll know that my husband is in the military and that it was time for us once again to pack up our TA-50 and our bags and move to our new duty station. We left Georgia last friday and made our way up to Kentucky, with a quick stop over night in Nashville. We signed in here on post on saturday and are in the hotel since then.
We used the weekend of explore our surrounding towns and made our first trip to check out Louisville.
Here is where we ate for lunch:
And this is what's located right next door. Too funny.
After running around like crazy for a couple of days and getting my kids set up for school, it's quiet time for me right now. I'm knitting along on the
Traveling Roses Scarf that is my travel project, but I got a little bored with it. So since knitting stores are not on every corner here, Walmart had to come to the rescue and I got some size 8 needles and some pastel colored acrylic yarn (don't booh me for that) and I started on a new baby blanket from these dish cloth patterns
here.
My plan is to knit the whole alphabet and then piece it together to make a blanket. So far I'm on "C" and it's coming along pretty good, except that I'm not very happy with those 14" way too long Boye needles, but they'll have to do for now. Hopefully by the end of the month I'll have all my stuff back. So keep your fingers crossed, that we find a right house for us soon.
Oh, and I almost forgot. Do you remember that pile of grey yarn with those blue? Well, I found that on the Knit Picks site. This is what it turned out to be.
Surprised?
Labels: family trip, KP, On The Needles, Scarf
Mohana Progress
Wow, has it really been two weeks since I last posted? Two weeks, since my husband has been back and we are a "normal" family again? I guess not everything is back to normal yet, if I don't find the time to post on my blog regularly. I still have to get used to the new "schedule" that includes him.
But I have been knitting too. I even put my KP project on hold to knit on
Monika's Mohana Shawl . Here is a picture of the process that I made so far.
I'm only 13 rows away from the end and the rows are getting longer and longer (Duh!). I'm glad I have a long deadline to finish my KP testknit and it doesn't interfere with this one. I just wanted to get this done and any bugs worked out, so Monika could make the necessary corrections on the pattern, before we let the rest of the knitting world at it. After all, did you check out how many people already queued that shawl? Wow, amazing. And I'm the first to actually knit it after her. What an honor. Monika is so talented, when it comes to things like this.
Sadly I have to say that I ended up frogging the toe up baby cables sock. Why? It just wasn't fun for me right now and I didn't want another UFO hovering around, so rather than wondering what happened to my needles, that I was using, I pulled them out and turned the yarn back into a nice little yarn cake. I'm still going to knit socks, just not right now. I guess I have to be in the mood for it.
Ok, back to those 13 rows now. I don't think I'll be able to knit in a dark movie theatre tonight. We got free tickets to see "Ironman" and even though it's a school night, we are going. I hope it's worth it.
Labels: Lace, On The Needles
Something fishy going on
Can you recognize the pattern already? Does it look fishy to you? It should, because this is the beginning of a pair or Mermaid Gloves I'm knitting for
Keri. I'm following
Cookie A.'s pattern so far, just with smaller needles. I'm actually about double that far by now, but didn't want to bother with a more recent picture. It grew since this morning. I'm actually getting closer to the thumb gusset and I'm wondering how I'm going to proceed. I've dug through a couple of patterns for the gloves I found, since the ones from the
craftoholic don't really state exact instructions, but they either have different stitch numbers or both go in the same direction. These are supposed to go in the opposite direction, to make them look nicer, in my
opinion.
So I guess I'll either trust one of the worked up patterns or I'll figure it out myself and play it by ear. After all, a glove is pretty much a glove, right?
This is pretty much it for
today's news from the knitting front. Oh, and did you notice the cute bag in the background? This is one of Keri's very own sock and project bags. I got mine as a birthday present from her, but she is making more and has already successfully sold some in
her etsy shop. There were none up for sale right now, but I hear from a reliable source (cough), that there will be some up for grabs soon. So keep checking out her shop to score one.
Sock monkeys anyone?
Labels: Gloves, On The Needles
Keep moving People, not much to see here
No, really, I feel like I haven't done much lately, but at the same time I'm wondering why my fingers are hurting so much. I am doing some knitting, but I can't seem to find anything to show for. I had to reknit part of the test knit, because I was reading "around 5 corners" again, like I like to call it, instead of how the pattern said and ended up frogging an equivalent to one whole front half of the project. Nice. I know. Here is a quick pick of the edge, which is about the only interesting thing about it right now, unless you want to see more stockinette.
Then I wanted to show you that the lace project for my friend hasn't been totally neglected either. I finally got to the part where I start seeing some kind of a more interesting pattern, but or course that would also be the part where the whole thing gets to be big to make a nice picture or the whole project. So here is the picture of the evolving pattern and at the same time of the rest of it which looks like lace barf. Sorry, but I can't think of a better way to describe it at the moment.
I still haven't decided yet which mittens I'm knitting for my swap partner (sorry Katie, but I'll get right to it, promise), so there is nothing to see there either.
So I'll leave you with lots of things to look forward to, depending on what happens first, me being able to show more progress or the batteries being charged ;o)
PS. Sorry about the fuzzy pictures.
Labels: KP, Lace, On The Needles
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
Lace update
Here is my latest update. I had to take a little thinking break on the testknit pattern and turned my attention to the new lace pattern I appointed my next project. It's the Shaped Triangle from Meg Swanson's "
Gathering of Lace".
This is what it looks like in the book and this is my progress so far. Now remember, that I have other thing on the needles, that also need a little attention every now and then, so I haven't been going as fast as I was hoping.
This pattern repeats itself up to row 108, so I have a little further to go, before it's more interesting and I actually have to pull out the pattern again.
And that should be if for this weekends knitting predictions. Stay tuned as I'll try to keep you updated. Have a happy knitting weekend. See you again soon. :)
Labels: Lace, On The Needles
Another Teaser
Sorry guys, but I can't help myself. I love teasing you with the Knit Picks projects I get to work on. I guess I should make this a contest and ravel off the unused yarn for the one that can find the project first in the new catalog? I don't know about that, but it was a thought :) Anyway, I guess I can show you a sneak peak of my latest knit without giving away too much about the pattern. I'm on my second skein and this is what it looks like so far.
Pretty revealing, right? Plain stockinette. The great thing is that I can pretty much knit on that project with my eyes closed, glued to the TV or on a book. I'm using Elegance 70 Alpaca/30 Silk and this is turning into some very soft fabric. As you can also see I'm using my new Harmony Options needles that came in my last order. I love them and they make the whole project a little colorful. The only thing I don't like is, if they untwist after a while and the yarn gets stuck sometimes. I guess I'm turning my needle as I'm knitting? Maybe that would be a good time to use that nifty little tool that comes with the cables? Now where did I put that one?
I also picked out a new lace shawl for a friend of mine for a Christmas present. Well, it's more like, I knit you a shawl and you refinish a piece of furniture for me. Works out great for me, since I have no idea about wood, unless it's a needle, and she only knows a little crochet and would love to own a shawl. Perfect match, don't you think?
The pattern is one from Meg Swanson's book "A Gathering of Lace" which Monika had sent me in her kindness together with "Knitting" by Sarah Dallas. Thanks a million, Moni. I hope my swap makes it to you soon. :) If you guys want to check out her new and totally free pattern of fingerless mitts named "
Kyla", you won't regret it. They are amazing.
Oh, and to announce another FO, I just wanted to let you know that the hot pink Endpapers are done, but I didn't want to bore you with another picture of it, plus my hand model wasn't available for a shoot this time.
Labels: Fingerless Mitts, FO, KP, On The Needles
Can't stop
Can you see that? Yes, it's another pair of
Endpaper Mitts. I got a couple of nice comments about mine that and after a couple of emails back and forth to Canada, me and
Monika found a color match between what she liked and I had to offer and another pair of mittens was in the making. For some reason I really like that pattern and what you see is only a days worth of knitting. That is between
Sunday duties like church,
CCD and laundry. This is my knitting-on-the-porch-talking-to-my-friends-knitting result. Even though I'm the only one that does the knitting, but luckily I'm
multi talented when it comes to talking and knitting ;). So I have a feeling those ones are going to be done in no time at all so hopefully Monika can enjoy them before it gets really cold up there.
I also finished my Knit Picks project, which of course you'll all have to wait for a while to see in it's full glory (I know, I'm such a tease). Blocking took a little bit longer than scheduled, due to the
humidity and the darn thing not drying as quickly as I was hoping for. But that's
OK, since I still have plenty of time before the deadline. It's going out today though.
Labels: Fingerless Mitts, FO, KP, On The Needles
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
I'm still here
This entry won't have any pics for you so if picture books is what you read, you don't even need to bother this time. I'm just giving everybody a quick update on what's going on and that I didn't drop off the face of the earth, if I don't blog for a couple of days. Update one: My husband made it into country on Tuesday for his R&R from Iraq, which is the main reason why my knitting and blogging time is cut short for a little while. Update two: I finally got the so long expected yarn from Knit Picks for my second project and wouldn't you know it, I ran into the mailman on the way to picking up my husband at the airport? Another reason why I don't have much time to blog, but my husband is understanding that everywhere I go now the bag with my knitting has to be with me and when I sit in the car, the map and the knitting is in my lap.Update three: Chevron Scarf and Mystery Stole have to sleep for a while. You will get an update on those two once I have a chance to come up for air in between my upcoming very busy two weeks. I won't have a problem to catch up with the stole, since that usually only takes me a day to complete and the scarf looks the same as on the last picture, just a little longer again. I'm knitting it until I run out of yarn. Don't know how long it's going to be at the end. Update four: Totally off the knitting content, we are taking a family trip this weekend and I'm going to take pictures, so expect them next time.Now I gotta go and I'll check in with you all later. Labels: General, On The Needles
Recovery Sunday
Today is a lazy day to recover from this week. Yesterday we went to the beach and came back with a nice sun burn. My older son, which tans easily and usually never has a problem with the sun, has his first sun burn and is not very happy about it. Welcome to my world. So the only thing we are doing today is hanging out the house, maybe cleaning all the sand out of my Jeep, and knitting on stuff. That is my part anyway. I don't think my boys are going to start knitting for me, like Tiennie's husband. Hale to him, I bow in respect.
I've been doing some stuff these last couple of days. Here is what is going out in the mail today. Still shrouded in mystery, but this is all you get until the catalog comes out. When? I don't know yet.
Then I did a dozen of those again. Since we are an army post with mostly deployed soldiers right now, these flags are selling very well. Bad for us wives, who's husbands are gone, but good for me.
I'm getting ready for the start of the MysteryStole 3 on Friday, the 29th. I'm itching to get the first clue and casting on with the very soft merino/silk blend yarn I ordered just for this stole. I also have beads to knit in with it, but I'm undecided on the color. The race is on between the ice and the crystal. I'd show you pics of the beads, but my camera didn't want to focus the way I wanted it to and then the batteries ran out.
Then there is another thing that is holding my knitting spirits above water. Since I'm not in the mood for socks at the moment (Monkeys are sleeping), I don't want to touch 100 % iceland wool in almost 100 degrees (Fair Isle is hibernating), there was a certain lace doily that was calling my name and I answered. I found this nice pattern in The Lacy Knitting of Mary Schiffmann. It's called the plastic doily and it's just what's keeping me busy until Friday. As you can see I've already made some progress. I don't know what it is with the circular lace knitting, but it's fun. I don't know who this is for, but I had to knit something interesting, airy, lacy for now and that was it. I'm knitting this with 100 % Cotton crochet yarn on 2.5 mm circular needles. It's some german brand that gives me 267m/50g and is usually worked with a 1.5 to 2 mm hook. I know I'm nuts, but that's just me.
Labels: General, Lace, MS3, On The Needles
Fair Isle Update
Well, it finally made it! The yarn made it to my door step (ahem, like two days ago). I was glad to see it and had to open the box right away, of course. I was a little surprised about the yarn. I guess I expected a little softer yarn, but coming from Iceland, I guess I should have expected a little rougher yarn. All in all, I'm OK with it. It's just not merino or cashmere, but it's knittable and I'm getting used to the feel of it. There is just no way that I could wear this straight on my skin, but that's not what that sweater is intended for anyway. So here is the yarn:Here is the pattern:
And here is my progress so far:
Looking at the pictures now, I have to say I'm kinda impressed about my self. Not so bad, I think. It's fun seeing the pattern emerge, but I tell you what, that beard (I think you know what I'm talking about) is growing with every color change. I also still have my issues when it comes to changing rows and starting a new repeat. I guess I need to do some more research on that one. And whenever I don't feel like putting up with it or I run into a problem, this is what I'm working on:
Excuse the blurry picture, but I really thought this was in focus, when I took the picture. Either way, can you identify the pattern? ......(Elevator music playing)..... Yes, it's Cookie's Monkey Socks. I was going to work on the Baudelaire Socks, but decided I liked this pattern better. It's really easy to remember and doesn't have too many lacy holes. Give it a try some time, it's fun. Also I want to thank Marina and Laurie for their support in making a fair isle knitter out of me. Labels: Fair Isle, On The Needles, Socks
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
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
I'm getting there
Sorry, no progress pictures this time. It's not worth it, but I'm happy to day that I stayed up until midnight last night just to finish the body of the Bonita shirt. After two times knitting back and redoing the shoulders I finally had it done and even too, to mention the least. This morning I sewed together the shoulder seems and tried it on. Success! It fits, nothing pinches on the arms and the neckline is nice. Not too tight and not to revealing (unlike a top I knitted last summer). I do have to say though that I'm going to have to find something to wear underneath, because it's kinda very lacy. Since I did throw the swatch into the washer and even into the dryer and still ended up with a good gauge I might think (don't scream about cotton, shrinking and so on - I said "think") about washing and drying it to make the stitches pull together a bit and make them less "see through". We'll see how it looks like when it's all done. I'm trying really hard to stay up after finishing this post and get at least one sleeve done and I might actually have a chance there, but my heavy. sleepy eyes might win this fight. Thank god I can knit without looking at the stitches all the time. I think it might help though, if I was awake when I'm doing this, right? Happy knitting and Happy Easter to all of you, if I don't have a chance to post again before the Holidays are over. Labels: On The Needles
Minor Distractions
So you want to know, why the Bonita Shirt is taking a break? Well, I guess I could say I got blinded by all the white, but to be quite honest, I was getting a little bit bored, so I got side tracked. I finished the cotton socks and now have to hold myself back not to start on the second pair from the toes up. They also have to wait, since a couple of minor (two of them not so minor) "orders/requests" from neighbors and coworkers managed to skip ahead to the top of the waiting list. I have a coworker that wanted to make her daughters some fuzzy scarves, but we know now that fuzzy yarn like fun fur is no FUN to crochet. Since she hasn't knitted in years and didn't know how to do it anymore, I had to come to the rescue and knit the scarves for her. Here is FO pastel scarf and not yet FO fuzzy rainbow scarf. They are knitting up fairly fast, so there is no problem there.
I also was asked to make a somewhat patriotic bear. Well, I guess here comes Pooh Bear once again, this time in different colors. Just stay tuned and find out what I'm coming up with for this special little bear.
Also a "baby" blanket is on order. To replace a somewhat tattered original blanket, which after 9 years of love and wash is not longer so desirable, I'm asked to crochet a new blanket in similar pattern and similar color. This is going to be in pale yellow Chenille and crochet with big needles. Here is a look at the pattern it's going to be. It's the letter "C" for Classic Cover-up from the Leisure Arts Leaflet 3014 "Our best Afghans A to Z.
Labels: FO, On The Needles, Scarf
New Project on the needles
Well, after another finished object there has to be a new one on the needles, right? I need all the distraction I can get, so here we go. I started on the Bonita Shirt from the summer issue 2006 of Interweave Knits. It caught my eye back then and now, that the temperatures are starting to climb (we had 84 degrees today!) it's definately time to put away the 100 % wool and dig out the cotton. Or cotton/linen in this case. I just happen to stumble across the perfect yarn for this project in my stash and after swatching (I usually don't do that) and washing it and washing it again and even throwing it into the dryer, it ended up with the same exact gauge as in the pattern. Great! I guess we have a winner. I actually started on this one while I was doing my last dance with the kimono shawl, kind of to have something to look forward to, and I guess it worked. 
Now I'm about 8 inches into the project and it's growing pretty fast. One reason is probably, that all I have to knit it knit stitches with the occasional YO and k2tog or ssk, but no purls. That of course makes it faster and the other thinkg is, that I'm working on the front and the back at the same time and once I'm done with this the sleeves should be only a little thing to add. So, here I am now, knitting away on it, feeling pretty good about it. Oh, btw, I don't know if you can see it really good, but I'm using Anja's stitch markers she sent me a while back. Thanks and they are being well used right now. Just in case you are wondering how yesterdays fair well went, here a few impressions:
Labels: family trip, On The Needles
