Knitting News...

Yes, amongst Squirrel trapping, horse shows and the like, I have been knitting. I have been keeping in line with my restrictions of only 2 pair of socks per month! As of today, I have completed 17 socks. And have found time in between to knit other things too! (or crochet)!

My latest has been having fun knitting the Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman. One of the ladies in our bunco group is due in the beginning of November. It's so nice to know of a "little" one to knit for! I knit this BSJ and hat set.

Also, back in May, Jackie, a friend I met thru Paige and the horse forum had a baby girl, Annaleigh, and I made these for her!

These are Fleegle's Seamless Saartje Booties:

And I have to post a few socks, now don't I? These are a test knit pattern I did for Linda Welch, called Socks for Christy. I used Sundara Sock yarn in the Jump for Joy color. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this color. These are a toe up sock and it is a great pattern!

These have to be one of my all time favorite color/pattern combinations! The name of this sock is Shur'tugal Socks by by Alice Yu and I used Plymouth Happy Feet in Jade Green (color 14) - they were an incredible easy knit and the pattern just flew by!

And lastly, our knit group held a "Christmas in July" swap to kick off our knitting of Christmas gifts! I am proud to say, I have 2 gifts completed and 1 on needles! But, for the swap, my person is ALWAYS cold, so, I made her the warmest gloves I could think of. These are the My Bagatelle Thrum Mittens. I used Cascade 220 for the glove in a dark plum and the thrums are a roving with glitter (romney) from Esther's Place in big rock - they were a big hit! Fun to make as well! The beauty of warmth in these mittens is that the wool thrums (a piece of roving about 6" long folded in half - think like a Q-tip) - is held together with the yarn when knitting every so many stitches. The ends of the Q-tip piece of roving are on the inside of the mitten and feels like a fleece seat cover, keeping your hands extremely warm.

That's just a mini-recap since my last post back in April! I signed up for this cool internet site tabulator for knitting called "knit meter" - and you enter in your projects and it tracks for a month or year the amount of yardage of yarn you have consumed. Well, year to date, I have consumed 21,715 yards of yarn. How cool is that?

Spumoni anyone?

I'm working on my 1st pair of socks for February - I have decided to 'limit' my sock knitting to 2 pair a month - I know - blasphemy... but it does allow me more time for knitting other projects too!

So, my Feb 1 start sock is a design by Charlene Schurch called Welt Fantastic - it's along a chevron line of pattern - the yarn is Socks That Rock - Lightweight - Color - Rare Gems and everyone who sees it says it reminds them of Spumoni Ice Cream - it has rich milk chocolate color, along with the pink strawberry flavoring and a neat mint green thrown in for good measure. Yesterday, I swear some of the gals were stopping at Baskin Robbins on the way home. Decide for yourself: (pics do not do the color justice, however)

So, the first sock is completed and I'm almost to the heel flap on no 2. I figure I can 'stretch' these out to the 15th so I can start pair no 2 for the month - it's nice that Feb is a short month too.. yippee..

On another good note, Bree's Michigan State basketball team won again on Saturday - 14-8 they played Northwestern. Bree had 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 knockaways and 2 shots off the rim. Not bad.

Wow.. No knitting pictures in 2009...

I just realized looking back that I have not posted any knitting pictures since Christmas. How could that be? I have knit!

So, this post is dedicated to getting caught up showing the finished objects (all but one that is, since the recipient has not yet received even after mailing 1 week ago today)

So, let's start with socks! We all know I love knitting socks - so MUCH so, that I decided to limit myself to 2 pair a month. I don't think that will kill me - but we'll see. I had my 2 pair done in January before the 15th - so I am very anxiously awaiting Feb 1 to start my first pair for February.

The first pair I made was from Zen Garden Yarn "Squooshy" in the Evergreen color which was the yarn club shipment for the month of December. It was such nice yarn that Mom liked, that I got an extra one for her - which she received in a care package this month.

The pattern is Traveling Vine by Charlene Schurch out of the book "More Sensational Knitted Socks". I love this yarn and the pattern was fun to do as well.

Then I moved on to a Sundara yarn color called "Spiced" - it's a cross between pumpkin pie filling and a golden mustard. The pattern is Ribbed Lace, another by Charlene Schurch but out of her Sensational Knitted Socks book. I was amazed with the yarn listed at only 350 yards (compared to others that are 400+) how this yarn just seemed to grow as I knit. I like these too! >













I had made my Mom a scarf I think 2 years ago and when my folks were here for Christmas, I noticed the scarf was starting to look a little ratty, worn, pilly, etc.. So I decided to knit her a new one! This is called The Prismatic Scarf by Huan-Hua Chye and I used a Mountain Colors Twizzle yarn which is a combination of Silk and Wool! Very soft and nice to work with! Mom received it in her goodie package back on Monday. With the ice storm and cold they are experiencing this week, it was just in time.

I knit this second scarf for myself - it is made with Zen Garden Sock Yarn with cashmere - it is to die for - the brown is called Coffee Bean and the pink is It's a Girl - The pink is really a real, real, real hot pink and I think the brown tones it a bit otherwise you'd need sunglasses! It is the Chevron pattern from Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson. It's near 85 inches long so it'll wrap around pretty nice!



Then I made a silly, fun project - for those who have seen or actually have a pair of my felted clogs - this is a summer style - these are felted flip flops! They're 'ok' - a little floppy - no pun intended! They are of course, for me - as you can tell by your blue jean yarn.

As one of my knitting new year resolutions, I decided to knit at least one 'charity' project per quarter. So, a group of us are working with Project Linus to knit blankets. Here's a picture of the 'boy' blanket I made. I'm hoping to make another with girl colors! Project Linus is having a "make a blanket" day on Feb 21st - so that's the deadline. Here is a link to their information, if you're interested! http://www.projectlinus.org/

And, I continue to work on my jacket - picture in a previous post - I have finished the bottom charted designs and now am up to around the waistline. It's pretty and I'm really liking it and I am taking my time, enjoying it and making it sure it is done correctly!

Well, that's my January 'stuff' - I have put aside my thrum mittens for the moment, trying to get the guage right so they are not either to big or too small is causing me headaches, so it is 'resting' at the moment.. LOL!

AH... The world is right again...

I posted back a day or two how I missed knitting socks and that I had to wait until other Christmas gifts were completed.

I cast on last Friday a pair of socks. They are done. They are pretty. I love the yarn (Zen Garden Squooshy) and love the pattern Traveling Vines by Charlene Church.

Here's a pic of the work in progress, I will get a completed picture tomorrow on my model's feet (Bree's feet are in most of my sock pics) - it works great as at 11 years old, her foot size is ONLY 1/2 size smaller than mine.



The Color is called Evergreen and was December's yarn club shipment. It is SWEEEEEEEETTTTT..

The world is right again.. (Did I say that out loud - again?)

We went to the barn today. It was freeeeeezin. (Literally lower than 32 degrees). My sinus / head cold that is on again off again - it cannot make up its mind if it is going to take hold of me is "on-again" today. What the heck is that all about. I sure wish it would make up its mind. If I'm going to get a cold, let's get on with it. If not, take a freaking hike.

I'm so bad about taking photos...

Half the time I don't update my blog, because it is such a hassle to take photos, download them to my computer, edit them, load them into flickr or such then add them.

So, this blog post is catching up on completed knitting pieces...

First and longest back is Bree's Messenger Bag. It is a Noni pattern and made with 2 strands of Lamb's Pride Nature's Spun Wool and then felted - one strand was purple and the other mallard green. I wanted to "snaz" it up a bit but Bree wanted it just plain - oh well, a mother can dream.. haahha

It turned out really nice - the handle was a 'biatch' - because I wanted it to be sturdy and the pattern just wanted you to connect it up by the flap and I thought it would eventually rip out - so, in the vain of Tim the Tool Man Taylor.. oh, oh, oh... I knit the strap longer. Then hot glued it to the INSIDE of the bag - ALL the way around (provides extra support for the bottom and sides of the bag to stay square/rectangle-ish) and then hand stitched all the edges around the entire strap - so it should be like freaking cement! (My Dad would be proud - hahaha)

She's already used it by taking it to her friend's house to do homework together... Glad she likes it!

It needs a 'shaving' as the felting gave it a little case of the fuzzies!















And anyone who knows me knows that I ALWAYS have socks on my needles. Infact, I cannot remember a time when I didn't. They go everywhere with me, just in case, you never know, when you'll have that 5 minutes!

I picked up this new way of dyeing sock yarn - called "sock blank" - they knit a flat piece of yarn (like a tshirt if you will) and then dye it while its flat (versus a skein of yarn that's in a circle for dyeing) - then to knit it you unravel it (just like a tshirt will unravel if it is snagged) - it was fun to do! And of course, Bree snatched these socks up right off the bat! She loved the colors and wanted knee socks for winter riding - so viola' she has them.

This is what the yarn looked like in the flat and you can see when I finished one sock how the sock turned out compared to how the yarn looked when it was flat.

I wanted to start and the "other" end of the 2nd length but it does not let you as I thought the colors would match up a bit better starting at that end - but they are close - the oranges just started a bit sooner! The pattern is Ruth Greenwald's "Escalator" and it is an easy, nice knit - I love the spiral look!

They should last her a while (ok maybe 6 months they way she is growing). I am still in shock that at 10 (ok in 30 days she'll be 11) that she is wearing a women's size 7 shoe. Holey Schnikes!















And then I wanted to do something nice for my friend who has been helping me rehab Jessie's suspensory ligament injury (which we go back tomorrow for her follow-up - keep your fingers crossed). Stace has just about everything 'horsey' you could imagine and she's not a fan of doing chores in the Chicago WINTER weather...

So, I made her these Alpaca/Wool socks - using a pattern called Thermal Socks by Audrey Paquin - which is an awesome winter looking pattern - It reminds me of the thermal/waffle weave you see in long underwear or those waffle henley type shirts - nice thick and warm!

She normally wears the fat baby boots and these are high enough to work just right! Bree and Stace wear the same size- so measuring works out perfectly! The yarn is a mix of Alpaca and Wool for warmth and yet washable - while having some nylon in it for strength. They are actually pretty soft. It is called "Paca-Peds" by The Alpaca Yarn Company.

And I got to knit socks for someone instead of nding up with a drawer full for myself which always makes me happy! I enjoy making socks for people, just is a tad difficult since they are made to 'specification' and what's worse than getting a great pair of homemade socks that don't fit???

Stace is going with me tomorrow to Purdue with Jessie and since the weather has turned cool here (40's at night and only high of 60 during the day) she is getting these tomorrow in prep for what's to come.

I am now working on a great pair of socks called Mona, by Cookie A with some absolutely wonderful yarn (it's "fierce") from Zen Garden! It's in this rich brown tone on tone. My knitting friends are drooling! Don't you wish you could see a picture? Well, I forgot. And as the first sentence says - you may not see it for a while! LOL!

I have found that I .....

I have found that I can knit in the car. This is HUGE, BIG, GI-NORMOUS... Because I am probably one of the most car sick type of people out there.. I cannot even read a MAP while driving... So, imagine my amazement when I found I can knit while in a car (and to clarify - I DON'T mean when I'm driving... LOL)

But, here's the PROBLEM... I seem to be the one doing the driving.. So, even though I CAN knit in a car, I don't get the chance.. bummer..

I have knit this summer - socks, socks and more socks.. who doesn't need socks? One might get a hole in it and then the other is either relegated to the back of the drawer to someday possibly get matched up with another loner or it gets tossed because it is one of a kind.. So, by knitting socks.. I'm making sure come fall/winter/spring I have every color, kind, yarn, pattern, etc.. of socks available to me..

One of my knitting group friends, Joy, asked me just how many socks I have knit for myself... Umm.. I counted. 8 or 9 - that's not too many - one per day with an extra (or two) - what's wrong with that? I do knit lots of "footie" socks for Bree - as she doesn't like the taller ones - but, being that her foot is nearly as big as mine now (in length - not girth), she has been known to steal my socks on the needles and claim them as her own..

It's hard to knit socks for others who do not live "closeby" to try on.. I did a pair for my brother for last Christmas - but, had him around when I started them to get a feel for sizing.

I know - I think I should create a "plaster mold" to sell to have someone who you want to knit socks for use for a model of their foot. I'll be RICH I tell you RICH! hahahaa

So, I did finish these: I LOVE them.. one of my favorites - both in yarn and pattern - (unfinished picture is in a previous blog post) and then when we were in Wisc Dells - I wanted to have some knitting with me that wasn't real complicated that I could just toodle away on - so I made myself a pair of the sorbet coolers (like those I make for Bree) - just a tad taller up on the ankle..

Waving Lace by Evelyn Clark and Jen's Knitting Like Crazy - Crazy Soft yarn...

And my Sorbet Coolers - using Knit 1, Crochet 2 Soxx Appeal which I really, really, really, like this yarn - with the wool and a touch of elastic - it is actually nicer to work with than the fixation (in my opinion) and softer I do believe - at least that's what my feet tell me...

Thanks to my model, Miss Bree, for use of her legs while photographing all the neat socks!

An anniversary of sorts...

Yes, an anniversary - the 2 year anniversary of me getting busted up coming off a horse at a team penning - oh around, 9pm at night... Funny how the minute I woke up this morning I thought that - I'm not even that conscious about the days/dates now that Bree is out of school (just 2 days out) - but, it immediately came to my mind. Maybe because with the weather, my shoulder has been aching a bit? who knows..

But, life marches on...

And just to prove I have been doing something - here are a few pictures of what has been accomplished!


These socks are called "Monkeys" - you can see the beginning photo on my previous blog post - Bree claimed them (which is a good thing since as I knit them the colorway didn't do anything for me) - but, I do love the yarn - Socks That Rock - Lightweight in the Foofaraw color - Foofaraw, Foofaraw, Foofaraw - I just love SAYING that color name!


The next is a pair of socks just for me! They are by Evelyn Clark - called Waving Lace and the yarn is from Jen and Knitting Like Crazy in the Crazy soft color called Mint Julip - and I must say, this combination of yarn and pattern has to be one of my all time favorites!!!! It is so soft and delicate looking and just lets you see the pattern with adding some dimension with the soft varigation! I can't wait to do another of her patterns...

The next is a project that I like the finished object, but the pattern as written - well is less than to be desired - and I shouldn't be surprised - I did 2 others (see other modular scarf patterns in my blog) by the same designer, in the same book - I am really amazed at how poorly written and edited this book is and the cost of the book on top of it - it should be PERFECT. This scarf calls for 60 yards of 4 colors. Ok, I bought yarn that comes in a 105yard ball. I used ALL 4 skeins COMPLETELY up and had to buy 4 MORE skeins for about 5 yards more of each color - talk about ticking you off! This is the Mirrored Angles Scarf from the Modular Knits book and I used Classic Elite Waterlily yarn in 4 colors - it is a really nice yarn to work with and it has a soft tone on tone color to it - fades and then gets darker.


And of course, Bree decided that the yarn I bought for me was to be "hers" - This is getting to be a common theme... This is Knit1, Crochet2 Soxx Appeal yarn and it is the "wool" version of Cascade Fixation - but, I must admit, I like it better, it is softer, not as "bumpy" and is just nicer in general to work with! I do have a 2nd color for ME and she's not getting that one! LOL! I will definitely be purchasing MORE of this yarn!


And I am in the beginning stages of making this for Bree - she decided going into 5th grade next year should warrant a "real" book bag instead of just a backpack.. I think it iwll be pretty when done!

We leave tomorrow morning for 3 days to the Wisconsin Dells (be back on Thursday) - one of Bree's friend's Dad got 4 free rooms/waterpark passes/etc.. up at the Chula Vista Waterpark Resort and there are 4 Moms and Daughters going - should be fun! I'm trying to figure out what knitting to bring of course - can't take any Cookie A as I want something kind of mindless as I'm sure we'll be visiting, etc..

And, I'm freaking as I ONLY have Bree's Messenger bag on needles - how did I let that happen? I better get cracking!

One of Each...

Something simple, for now..

I had a bad weekend... (or at least bad Saturday)...

I had A vet out on Friday to review a continuous issue with my filly's front leg(s) - take your pick - on any given day she is either as sound as a dollar or lame as a three legged table... On Wed, lame, and of course, on Friday am when vet was there, sound as anything else in the barn and was lunged for over 40 minutes...

So, Saturday, 15 min into my ride with our trainer, at a NICE, SOFT, EASY trot her leg collapses and we go DOWN.. I swear to GOD and all that is Holy, that I thought when she got up and was holding the right leg straight out and it quivering and shaking like a leaf that she had broke her leg.. and that my Barn Owner/Buddy who is a cop was going to have to shoot her right then and there on the spot...

It's not broke. I'm bumped and bruised (thought I had cut my archille's tendon, however) but it is not.

So, back to the freaking drawing board... Xrays to come SOON to see if there is ANYTHING at all going on or she is just messing with my head.

In the meantime, I started a pair of socks, tried them on 2" down and they fit - get 3/4ths the way done and can't get them over my heel, ripped em out and am now on my 6th rendition of same sock trying to get the sizing to work.. Am NOT happy about that. I feel I have knit this pattern 3 whole socks already..


So, a group of us were thinking of knitting this one complex sock pattern by a designer named "Cookie A" - call Pomatomus - I affectionately refer to them as the "Potty socks" - So, to remove the bad spirits hanging over me, I have started working on this! And I like it. I like it alot. The Yarn is Socks That Rock in the Bleeding Hearts Colorway... Here's a pic of it started... And a closeup


And, to show that Spring is STILL here in Northern Illinois and that the bad storms this past week didn't A) kill the buds nor B) Blow them ALL off the tree is a picture of our beautiful white crab tree in our backyard... I have been after my dear, dear, dear hubby to make the area under the tree a NICE, LANDSCAPED, flower bed type location instead of some Day Lilly's stuck in the grass back there looking like well, use your imagination... And this has yet to happen... So, be sure to check back.. I'm in just one of those moods that I need to take out some aggression.... and get er done!

A New Year A New Post..

And I promise to do better, Paige - (does that sound like deja vu)? I think I've said that before...

I had been knitting my fingers off before Christmas in between being sick to get "stuff" done and I'll be damned if I didn't take pics of 5 of the things... So, those will have to wait as I am at the mercy of the recipients to take photos...

But, here are the 2 "pencil vases" I made (slightly adjusted) from the Fiber Trends Vase pattern.. They're cute and Bree wanted them for her 2 favorite teachers. I made a 3rd one which I took down to Mom and Dad's to show Mom how to "felt". And again, I didn't take a picture - so, waiting for that one too! I also at the same time taught her how to make one, which she did while I was there to help. She'll send me a picture (someday) of that one too!

So, here are the 2 cuties:



The blue one is made with 2 strands of Lamb's Pride (one swirly color and one solid) and the red one is 2 strands of a mono-varigated Malabrigo (I love Malabrigo!!!!)....

I snapped this photo of my Brother being a goofball (thus the picture being publicized) of the hat I made using Jen's (Knitting Like Crazy - see link to the right) hand dyed superwash wool in Camouflage that I purchased from Peggy's (www.strandsofheaven.com). This yarn is one of the softest I've ever worked with, it was like my hands were getting lotion added to them as I knit the hat. Just a simple hunting hat which he infact is utilizing as we speak out hunting in Kansas - my SIL said she'd take a better picture of it when he returned.




I also completed this AG Tunic (knit for a future class at Peggy's). It's out of a Encore worsted yarn - fun to knit, fast and Bree loves it. I ended up making her one without the sleeves because it looks just like a tank top - I haven't taken a picture of that one as she has run off with it on her doll.




I still have all the inside Christmas decorations to take down.. which I dread because then it makes you realize that the "long" part of winter is still ahead.

My filly, Jessie, has been "lame" since the week before Christmas with an abcess (so we think/thought) but it has never reared its head yet and somedays she's as sound as a dollar (odd thing to say in this economy - but you know what I mean) and other days she is as lame as a 3 legged table (as my Barn Owner describes it). I'm thinking it was more of an ice bruise - as yesterday she was getting around much, much, much better on it - I was even tempted to ride her - but didn't. I wanted to wait for our farrier to come out to reset her but he was in a very bad accident. We don't know all the details yet, but the words, trampeled, crushed face and lost eye were in the description. How sad. Am thinking of you, Noel and your family.

My sinus' have/are going nuts as these weather swings are miserable. Just when you start getting over a headache, another front comes thru and whacks you again.

I'm working on an American Girl Doll Robe with some very icky yarn - cheap stuff - I hate it - but it is "robe-like" - bleck. Bree says she likes it so there you go.

I'm also working on a pair of Alpaca Boot Socks for my Brother (a Christmas present I started when we were in TN - had to measure him to get it right) and still have Bree's knee socks to finish. I'm to the point on her socks that I'm bored to death. The leg is SO long - all I think of when I work on them is "The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round" - sing along and don't be mad at me that the song gets stuck in your head. Join the club.

Riddle Me This...

How is it that I can start a pair of socks on size 1 dpn's and totally make a mess of it, rip it out, do it again, make another mess, have Miss Sarah fix it for me, and make ANOTHER mess out of it..

Then within 24 hours start a different pair of socks on size 3 circs (one sock on 2 circs) with worsted weight yarn (wool for hubby) and just CRUISE along....

What is it about socks on dpn's that is so riddling to me? I've done numerous projects using dpn's (in my 4 months and 25 days of knitting) from leg warmers to sleeves, to mittens to other "stuff" and yet, this sock thing on dpn's is a mess to me?

I'm not going to have a choice in becoming the Queen of converting sock patterns from dpn's to circs - Now, that's a riddle in its own right - At least for a while since the IL sock rage has me with at least 5 or 6 "stashes" of sock yarn waiting for needles... (circular ones that is)