Autumn Colors on the Pine Trees

 When I looked out of the bedroom window this morning this was what I saw. I had never noticed that the pine needles seemed to change the same way that the leaves do. You can tell that of the different types of pine trees at least three of them have some rust color to them. Greens and rusts are some of my favorite colors. 

Today I took the time to sit at the Lendrum to do some plying. I am plying 4 oz. of Into the Whirled fiber that I purchased a couple of years ago at Maryland Sheep and Wool with some Wild Hare Seronghetti colored fiber that was also a couple of years ago at the same show. This is not the best picture. 

I do like how it is turning out. It is about a fingering weight that reminds me of the Stonehedge Fiber Mill's Crazy yarn. I think it will make a great sweater!

Hello....... Hello....... Are you there?

 It has been a long while since I sat down at the computer to post on this here blog. Time and commitments seem to take over life sometimes which is what has been happening around here. I'm still plugging away at schooling with one class a semester. There is an end in sight. Just not for another year.

I've been knitting. I know that is a shocker. Knitting is what gets me through reading textbooks, watching videos for school and just relaxing when I have a few minutes. I have so many WIPs that I am slowly working my way through. I'm tired of having so many projects on the go and have decided it is time to finish some of them.

This hat is one that I completed last February but didn't get the pompom on it until just this past Sunday. I really like how the pompom turned out---the hat also. But to me the pompom really makes the hat.

Make it a great day and include some knitting.

Time for a Sweater

In September I signed up for the Sweaters That Fit A-Z class offered at Nature's Yarns.  I have knit sweaters before, but they don't usually turn out just right. There is usually something that I don't really like about the sweater, either it is too loose, too long, or the underarms don't quite fit right. I thought it was high time I figured out how to make a sweater that really fits me. 

The instructor wanted us to use a sweater pattern that was in pieces. I really like raglan shaped sweaters and I like to do all the knitting at once, so a pieced sweater was going to be a challenge for me. I found the Lapse pattern in a booklet I had. I didn't have any Lustra yarn, it's been discontinued. I did have some Bergereine in the Rotin colorway by Bergere de France which I had in my stash and I thought I would have enough. I got about the same gauge as the Lustra and thought I really need to use what I have. 

I used four of the eleven skeins I have for this back piece. That means I won't have enough to finish the sweater. Off to the internet to see if I could find this same yarn. Of course, I know it isn't going to be the same dye lot, but I really want to use this yarn. I found the yarn. The dye lot is different, but the color isn't too far off. I decided what I am going to do is use the new yarn for the sleeves. I have enough of the old dye lot to do the back (pictured) and the front, as well as the neckband. 

If you can see in the upper right corner of the picture, I am using locking stitch markers to keep track of every twenty rows and each of the decreases so that my front and back will be the same length from shoulder to ribbing. I really am liking the way this is knitting up.

The knitting has actually gone really quickly. I am about half way through the knitting of the front piece. I plan on knitting both sleeves at the same time, so that when they are completed I can start putting everything together.

I decided I needed to start finishing some of my UFOs and this sweater will be the first one. Then I can start digging out the other three sweaters and get them completed one at a time, hopefully before the end of the year. Too many UFOs! I will keep you updated on my progress.

Knitting Has Been Happening

Knitting Has Been Happening

I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth. I have just been busy going back to school working on my Bachelor's degree (one class each semester so far), full time work, part time work, lots of knitting, and some traveling.

Color Affection

 I finished this Color Affection shawl for a friend who moved from our area. This is the second time I made this pattern and this time I really liked it. It turned out nicer than the first one and it is so soft. I am hoping that it will keep this friend warm as winter will set in out in Utah before very long.

I used Woolike yarn from Michael's for this shawl. I was surprised at how soft and wonderful it felt as it is an acrylic and nylon blend. In fact, I liked the yarn so much, I went back and bought enough to make a lightweight sweater or two for myself.

Ashton

 I knit this Ashton shawl by Dee O'Keefe for another friend who moved to California. This was a fun knit. The pattern didn't have beads on it, but I thought some little purple beads would look so pretty on this shawl. I really like how it turned out and I would like to make myself one, probably without the bead though. The beading slowed the knitting down quite a bit.

This shawl was knit with a Zauberball lace which is a single ply. I don't really like to work with single plies, but this one wasn't bad at all. I might even succumb and purchase another ball one day soon to make a really large shawl for someone else. The beads were some that I had in my stash from a project many years ago. I only used one tube of beads, so I still have another full tube left in the stash.

H's Modig

 This little vest, the Modig, was made for our twelfth grandchild. It is made with Paton's Encore yarn which I picked up at Second Story Knits in Bethesda during the Metro Yarn Crawl in April. In fact, I started this little vest the night I bought the yarn. I only had a week to make it before flying out to meet this new little baby. I love how the blue and green car buttons just fit the vest. Perfect for a little boy.

Truth be told, this is the second Modig I made. I also made one out of stashed Luna yarn for my niece's baby who is about the same age as "H" but much smaller. My niece says her little one can probably wear this when she is five.

Maryland Sheep and Wool 2016

May brought the Maryland Sheep and Wool show. I loved going this year. I probably spent more money than I should have, but I found some wonderful things. I found that the jumbo flyer for an Ashford Kiwi will fit my Ashford Scholor, so I bought the jumbo flyer and can now get a larger skein when plying.

I found I really like Turkish spindles and I found a couple of really nice ones. I also replaced my Trindle. My first Trindle's arm don't stay in very well, they keep flying off when spinning which is very annoying. I like the new Tridle, it spins very nicely. I also bought some yarn: Ella Rae worsted in a pine green and Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in a pumpkiny color. I also bought one hank of fingering weight yarn from Dragonfly Fibers in their show colorway.

I have lots of new projects, lots of UFOs, and projects in the planning stages. I am hoping that getting back into blogging will help keep me accountable and give me a goal to get some things finished as I would like to share my progress on all these yarny pursuits.

Happy knitting and spinning.

Sewing and Socks

Box Bags

I have been bitten by the sewing bug lately.  Since the first of January I have made eleven of these box bags in assorted sizes.  I have found the size I like to sew best is a 10 x 10 inch square.  I have given a few away and have four being used carrying my current projects.  I have also placed some of them in my gift box to use as gifts.

I have also started sewing a quilt top using the leftover flannel from all the pajamas I have made in the past twenty years.  I have a LOT of left over flannel.  There might even be enough to do quilt tops for all the kids eventually.  This is a cleaning out the stash project.

Lynette's Socks

 Two weeks ago this past Monday, I asked DH if he wanted me to make something for his sister's birthday.  He flew out to her party as a surprise and I really didn't want him to go empty handed.  He said that would be nice and I asked if socks would be appreciated.  He thought they would be very much loved.  So I went stash diving and came up with a skein that he thought Lynette would like.  Next was a phone call to Mom to find out the shoe size and off I was going.

The first sock was started on Monday, January 21 and completed on the next Sunday.  The second sock was cast on that Sunday and finished Friday, February 1 in the late p.m.  DH caught his plane Saturday morning and the socks were on his sister's feet by that night.

View of the Cable

The pattern I used was Socks on a Plane.  I really liked the pattern and it worked up really quickly.  I couldn't knit on this in the car, because of the cabling, but every night for an hour or so and it was enough.  I will definitely make these socks again, but probably in a more solid color.

Happy knitting and spinning.

Simple Hat

 I was asked in September if I would help in making some hats and/or scarves for some missionaries serving in our area.  I ended up making two scarves and two hats.  They were my "in car" knitting projects for a couple of months.  I gave the last hat to the Sister collecting the items about two weeks ago, but had to take a picture first of this hat.  I love how the top of the hat turned out!  The first picture is truer to the actual color, but the bottom picture shows the crown of the hat.  This was a simple two by two ribbing knit for about nine inches and then I did the decreases.  I wrote everything down before giving the hat away and I'm hoping I can replicate how I did everything.  Only time will tell.

Top of hat.

I have two baby afghans I've been working on.  One should be at the first granddaughter's house this week.  When I have confirmation that they have received the afghan I will post a picture.  I think it turned out cute.  The second afghan is almost finished also and when that one is at the second granddaughter's I will show pictures of it.

Christmas knitting has commenced.  I am hoping I will get it done in time.  I am not knitting something for everyone in the family this year.  They will all get something homemade, just not knitting.

Off to get some more knitting done.  Happy knitting and spinning.

Ten On Tuesday

Ten on Tuesdays

Carole says the Ten on Tuesday topic this week is 10 Things on my Mind Right Now.  That shouldn't be too hard.

1.  There are only 54 days left in this year!!  How did that happen?

2.  I really need to get the baby gift for E and A's new baby sent.  Our first grand-daughter is now two months old and I haven't even sent her gift yet.  It is already to go.  I just have to put it in a box and take it to the post office.

3.  I really should get back into blogging.  I have so many projects finished or in progress that I could talk about.

4.  I'm really glad I voted this morning and didn't wait until on the way home tonight.  Traffic was really crappy tonight.

5.  I'm not really ready for cold weather.  Although it is nice to wear all my hand-knit sweaters.  I have two I want to make right now, but those will have to wait until 'have-to' knitting is complete.

6.  I wish there was less clutter in our house.  One goal for next year--clear the clutter in the house.

7.  Isn't it true that there is always job stuff to worry about.

8.  I sure wish I could find more time at the spinning wheels right now.  There is so much fiber to be spun and it's all fun to spin.

9.   Seven Tuesdays from today it is Christmas day.

10.  Pictures, pictures.  I need to clear the memory card on the camera.

11.  I'm glad I get to take walks with the handsome man in the picture below.

Taking a walk across the new bridge to see how much water Sandy left us with.

Family Time

The past few months have just flown by!  I really need to get back into this blogging idea.

In July, Jim and I were able to spend a few days with just about all the children and grandchildren.  We were missing one daughter, who was in Spain at that time, and in this picture we are missing one son-in-law, who was setting up another camera.  We had lots of fun playing, but now it is back to reality and life as we know it now.

There has been some spinning, knitting and planning for Christmas gifts.  There are two new grandbabies on the way, due in the next six weeks, for which some knitting must be done.  I'm only halfway thru knitting an afghan, no sweaters or anything else yet.  There have been lots of yarn purchased for said baby projects though.

Well, I must get ready for work.  Happy knitting and spinning.

Western Done

I made the Western vest, out of this booklet, for a shop sample. I really liked the pattern, but it took me about six weeks to finish it. Granted there were other projects completed in that time, but still--six weeks! I can see this pattern being used with some hand-spun I have sitting around here sometime in the future.

Happy knitting and spinning.

Easter Dyes

A week ago Jim said he wanted to do something fun for date night. After he picked me up from work, we went home and dyed Easter eggs. We haven't dyed eggs since we moved here to Virginia and it was kind of a fun thing to do.

When we were finished dying the eggs, Jim wanted to throw the dyes out. I told him he couldn't! I don't know what you do with your left over egg dyes, but at my house wool is found and placed in those lovely liquid solutions.

Jim had picked the vibrant colors on the Paas box and the eggs, plus the wool turned out really nice.

The colors on the back two rows are from the original dye. Didn't they turn out lovely, or they would be if I had taken a picture in the daylight. The three rovings on the front rung are from the second batch. They are not nearly as bright, but I am quite pleased with them and I exhausted all the dye.


Now to see if I can figure out how I want to spin it! Happy knitting and spinning.

Last Year's Christmas Pillowcases

I decided to make pillowcases for the grandchildren for Christmas each year. These are the ones that were given to them for Christmas 2011. The pillowcases were a fun project that I hope they will use throughout the year and remember grandma while they use them.

I need to watch for Christmas prints as soon as they are available, so that I can make each one out of a different fabric/print. One family has three little ones and I don't want duplicate prints sent there.

This would be a fun project for birthday parties, baby showers, different holidays, and who knows what else. Have you done anything like this before? What would you give a custom pillowcase for?

Next time some knitting content. Happy knitting and spinning.

First FO of 2012

A week ago tomorrow Jim and I flew out to Washington state to visit with Ri. We then took Ri with us and went down to Oregon to visit M and B and their little one, JP. JP is nine months old yesterday and I haven't meet him in person until this past Saturday. It was good to visit a couple of our children in their own environments and to get out of town for a few days.

The first project into my carry-on was this scarf which I had started in November, then put aside until Christmas knitting was over with. I was determined to finish it and give it to one of the kids. Ri called dibs, so he got it. The pattern is the one row scarf pattern by the Yarn Harlot. I completed the scarf about an hour before dropping Ri off at the Ferry so he could complete his trip home.

Ri and M have put in requests for socks sometime this year. Don't know when that will be done, but it might just be Christmas 2012.

Well, off to get some more knitting and spinning done before returning to work next Monday.

Happy knitting and spinning.

Finished Damson

While on the trip to England I bought the book Whimsical Little Knits 2. There were a number of patterns that I really wanted to make. When L told me she was ready to quit working, I thought of making the Damson for her. I had some hand spun fiber that had been sitting in the stash for a while and I thought it would work up well in this pattern. I also thought it would look good on L.

I knit the Damson during my vacation time in July and then it sat, waiting to be blocked.

In October L was kind enough to take pictures for Jim and I. That gave me the perfect opportunity to present the shawl to her. I think she looks really good in the shawl and she will stay nice and toasty this winter.

I am definitely going to make this shawl again. I really like the construction of it and it's not like I don't have enough yarn sitting around around here. Who knows, maybe it will be a jumping off point and I will come up with something totally different.

Happy knitting and spinning.

Socktober

During the month of October, well I actually started the pink pair the end of September, I knit two pair of socks.
The pink pair is for a friend who we had asked to take some portraits for us. She appreciates handknit!

The brown striped pair I made for her husband. The last time I gave socks to L, her husband said he wished for a pair. I thought it wasn't fair to give L another pair without a pair for M also. I hope they fit and he gets much joy and warmth from wearing them.

The pink pair is Brown Sheep Wildfoote in the Acappella color. The brown pair is Austermann Step with Aloe in Coal(460). Both pair were knit toe up with a regular heel flap. The actual knitting time took about two weeks, but I had to wait until the photo shoot last Monday to present the socks to L. I also knit a shawl for L as an extra gift. Next time pictures of her in the shawl.

I am busily knitting away on Christmas projects and the spinning has not been left behind this time. I am spending about 20 minutes each day spinning. I even did some wool dyeing last Monday and have been spinning that up with a project in mind.

The end of this week my mom and aunt are coming to DC for a visit. They have both been to DC before, in fact my aunt lived here for a year, but they haven't been here since we moved here. It will be fun to show them our place. With that said, I have a lot to get ready for them.

Happy knitting and spinning.

What Happened the Year I was Born

I couldn't pass up doing this week's Ten on Tuesday and discovering what the headlines were in 1962. I definitely don't remember what happened then, but I have heard about some of them. Let's see what they were:

1. Polaroid introduces color film prints which develop in 60 seconds. Does anyone remember Polaroid?
   
2. 90% of Americans own a television set; ABC begins broadcasting in color.
   
3. The World's Fair is held in Seattle.
4. Maury Wills breaks Ty Cobb's single season stolen base record.
5. Industrial robots introduced to perform repetitive manufacturing tasks.
6. Lt. Col. John H. Glenn, Jr. becomes first American to achieve earth orbit; his Mercury 6 mission is followed by two other Mercury flights.
7. Telstar becomes the first communications satellite intended for regular service; relays television signals between North America and Europe.
8. Blowin’ in the Wind, Go Away Little Girl, Days of Wine and Roses, The Loco-Motion, Sherry, Monster Mash, Big Girls Don’t Cry where all released.
9. I’ve Got a Secret, Beverly Hillbillies, Route 66, The Flinstones, and the Price is Right were all broadcast.
10. And finally, Marilyn Monroe dies of barbituate overdose at the age of 36.

What happened the year you were born?

Happy knitting and spinning.

Well Traveled Shawl

I started this shawl on the trip to England in April and completed it once I was home in VA. It's been in the car as the commuter project. Long rows of purl stitches makes the four minute light cycles go faster. It's finally blocked and has now been gifted to a friend. Hope she'll enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it.

The hurricane didn't affect us very much. We were lucky and just had rain and wind. We still have electricity, water and our lives are normal (as close to normal as normal can be). There are others in our area who didn't fair as well. Our prayers are with them.

One of the kids is here for a short visit. She will spend the next year in Spain on a study abroad program. Now off to get her up to head downtown.

Happy knitting and spinning.

What I've Been up to This Past Summer

This past summer has been a busy one.
There has been visits with most of the grandsons.


Getting to see the youngest one for the first time.

There has also been knitting............... Mittens for the donation box and some shawls.

There was also a tie-dying evening which resulted in about 13 shirts getting a little bit of color. This was done with Corb. Some fun time with him before he heads back to be nearer his brothers in another month or so.

Now that summer is over, I might get back on the blogging bandwagon. Happy knitting and spinning.

England the King Richard Edition

My sister is fascinated by King Richard so we spent some time at Bosworth Field on our first Sunday in England. We took the tour and learned more about the War of the Roses.

The next day we spent some time in Leicester. The first stop we made was at the Guildhall which was right next door to the Leicester Cathedral. Leicester Cathedral is where King Richard is said to be entombed. The Cathedral is really beautiful and the stain-glass is really stunning.

We then spent some time at the Jewry Wall. This is the remains of a Roman bathhouse. If you look at the picture below you can see the St. Martin's cathedral behind the wall and see that the bricks from the wall were used to construct the cathedral. They blend together very well.

The last bit of time spent in Leicester was spent wandering the castle gardens. It was very peaceful there and the flowers were all out.

I had not had much interest in King Richard, but doing the tours on Sunday and Monday made me want to do some reading. Who knows when it will be done, but it could happen.

England 5

Floating down the canal we also saw some swans. There were actually two swan couples with females sitting on the nests. I thought I had missed the picture of the first nest, but it turned out that I got it okay. Not very well framed, but okay from a moving boat.

The second picture is of our boat coming out of Saddington tunnel. The tunnel is 808 meters long, that's a little over half a mile. The first time through Aunt G steered and the second time through Mom did the steering. Mom said that was a good time for her at the tiller. She could bounce off the walls without worrying about hitting another boat or running aground.

Happy knitting and spinning.

England 4

We saw a LOT of ducklings with mommas and poppas. They were swimming all around in the canal. There were a number of times when the babies got separated while the boat went past. That means there was a lot of quacking until they could be reunited.


I took quite a few pictures of the bridges as we passed under them. If you enlarge this picture you will see the front of the boat at the bottom in the middle. I loved seeing all the moss and weeds growing out of the mortar of the bridges. We went under about twenty bridges and they fascinated me every time.

Happy knitting and spinning.