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.