Summer is for socks

As if I don't have enough projects on my needles, I cast on a new one. I got an incredible urge to knit socks--so I did (one anyway).

The pattern is My Cup of Tea free on Ravelry. I love tea, these socks, and things that are free. I'm using the Cascade 220 fingering from my Roxborough Dolman that I didn't like. I know, I know, there is no nylon in this yarn but I don't really like the feeling of it for a top. So far, I'm happy with it for socks. Which is good, since I have plenty. I'm working on the second one right now, and finding them rather compulsive!

Happy knitting friends!

We're here, and I've been knitting

Hello! We have moved countries, and are now settled back in Michigan. We left Michigan in 2006 and spent several years in Scotland, and then Australia. It was fun, and it is also good to be home. We are living in the middle(ish) of the state, in a lovely town. I've started my new job (same thing as I did before we left Mi) and I love it. I feel very lucky, and very happy. 

During the move I continued to knit. I'm still working on my Alice in Wonderland, but I think I need to order *another* ball of yarn for it. I got the amount waaaaay off. It is also still cold here, so I've started another jumper and while I was ordering that wool ordered enough to make another one. Fun!

 

I made another pair of sports socks from leftover sock yarn. I love them. These little short socks make me happy. I also love these:

 Which I bought at Cabela's of all places. There is a whole rainbow of colors and I love them all.

I also knit up some Hermione hearts Ron fingerless gloves

 

 

I made them to match the hat I already hat, and I messed up the thumbs big time. But all my belongings are on a ship right now, and these have come in handy. Walking the dog, at work, I mean, I could use some warm weather right about now.

And that's all the finished projects I have at the moment. I seem to have start-itis, and I have three things on the go. And a few WIP's on the ship. Fun stuff!!

Until next time, take care and happy crafting!

 

SockSaga

Here I am, finally back on a FO Friday. I've been knitting, a lot, but I don't have much in the way of FO's to show you. Life's been stressful--we are moving, again. To another continent, again. I have my fingers and toes crossed this is the last move for a while, and I'm pretty excited because we are moving back to the USA. Hurray for being closer to family!

But I digress. I decided to use some yarn left over from my Hermione socks to make some sports socks (that's what I call these little short socks, I don't actually do sports in them. Or any time, really).  In truth I'm just using up stash so when I get a job in the USA I can buy more yarn. Just don't tell Dave that. What's that you say, he already knows?

I almost had enough yarn to finish these. But I didn't. So I used up a bit of spare 4ply I had, and I am pleased with how they turned out. I'm not one to be critical of the miss-matched colors. I'm a big fan of "different."

I've got a bit more spare sock yarn that I will use to make another set of these. My girls call them "summer socks" and luckily I get to go from the southern hemisphere summer to the northern. Hurray! If you are interested in the super simple yet satisfying pattern, you can find it here.

Hopefully in between all the packing I will be here on Wednesday for a WIP show and tell. I'm making some good progress on things! Until then, happy crafting!

These Tasmanian Devils remind me of my twins.......

The last of it

Well, my Christmas knitting is done. The final tally is 4 hats, two shawlettes, one pair of mittens, one pair of fingerless gloves, and one pair of yoga socks. They have all been sent and received (though not all opened yet, oh the will power!!)

I knit two Watch Caps, for two young men in my family. The pattern is brilliant, you can use whatever yarn/gauge you want, and it tells you how to make the hat. The pattern is in the book Knits Men Want, which I got for Christmas a few years ago. Both hats were made from stash yarn, one is 8ply and the other 10ply. I love how simple and great these hats look. I want one for myself.

It has been so hot today, but I'm going to sit down and knit a wee bit. I've been busy preparing for my folks to arrive, and haven't knit in days. *gasp* I'm going into withdrawals. But before I go, one last FO, the striped pair of socks I was working on. I finished them about a month ago, but never got around to taking the picture.

Now, while I go and ooh and aah over the yarn that arrived with my parents, you have yourself a very happy holiday season. I'll see you in January!!

What I'm working on

Sometimes, I just love the start of a new week. I like to look forward to what I'll be working on, and the things I want to accomplish. This week started out really well, with a beautiful sunny day and a nice long walk. My energy is generated directly from sunlight. 

I was really rather proud of myself last weekend. I decided I would take the template of the Creme Brulee top, which I love love love wearing (the bamboo yarn is awesome!), and make it again with a different stitch pattern. I decided to use the Sirdar recycled cotton that I bought ages ago for the cardigan I frogged. The stitch pattern I picked is  braided lace. I cast on, eager, and I knit like a fiend. 

Until my wrists started to ache and I remembered yet again why this yarn is languishing--I just cannot work with cotton. I did in both my wrists and then couldn't knit for a few days. My husband, ever wise, said "Just start over with a different yarn, and give that cotton to someone that CAN use it." How little he knows me. I think I might see if I can knit a few rounds a day, pain free. I hope so. Otherwise I will take his advice, I guess. I don't like being defeated by yarn. I really do like how it is looking though.

I also cast on the second striped sock. I really wanted to knit sports socks with leftovers I have, but am trying to be disciplined and make pairs before I start new ones! I also decided I will not make the stripes match, I think the difference will be a nice quirk, though I can see myself assigning the different stripe patterns to each of my feet. I'm just that odd.

Lastly, I've really slow to the party, and just now started listening to audio books while I knit. I'm almost done with this:

and I love it. I hope it will end the way I want it to. At any rate, it is fast paced and has that nice plot device of going back and forth from modern day to 1340 Italy. Fun!

That's it from me, see you on Friday!

The Seeker

And..............I'm back.  We had a very fun, very exhausting whirlwind getaway, but now we are back to "life as usual."  It was my intention, of course, to knit like a fiend while on the airplanes. However, all I managed to accomplish was this:

It is just a plain sock, in self-striping yarn, and I do so love the colours.  Of course, the minute I got home I cast on the Shellseeker I've been planning. It was calling to me.

I'm using Fisherman's wool, in Oak Tweed.  Pure wool, pure warmth.  

That's all I am working on just now.  I appear to have lost my mojo a fair bit, but I'm chalking that up to not feeling great, stress and the unknown future before me.  I hate waiting for news, yet that is exactly what I must do. Wait.  While I do that, I might as well knit.

Happy Crafting!

Love!

I am really rather excited to share not one but two FO's today!  The first up I am super proud of:

Paton's Stretch Socks yarn

I finished my Hermione socks!  I took ages on the first one (I swear, almost 2 months) but the second one flew off the needles.  I think I was faster because I knew how happy I was with the first one, and I wasn't working on the Citron anymore. I love them.  I love the colours, the pattern, the fact that I made them.  Hurray!  I think the pattern was great for my novice sock knitting skills.  It kept me entertained, but wasn't too complex while I worried about turning the heel and all that.  And now, I can't wait to knit more socks!

The second FO is a hat.  Or rather, a beret.

I used a mystery ball of yarn that my parents brought me in July.  Hence I used the Meret or Mystery Beret pattern on Ravelry.  Very fast knit, really rather pleased with it.  Yup, going to have to keep this one for myself.


And that's all I've got for this week.  I have another project almost off the needles but that will have to wait for next week.  Happy Crafting!

Making a pair

I'm super excited to be starting on my second Hermione sock--you know what that means?  I not only finished the Citron shawl (more on that on Friday) but I also finished the first sock.  Woo hoo, I'm on a roll.

First things first, here's the completed sock:

Second things second, here's the WIP sock.

Last things last, here's a pretty picture I took from our front garden the other day. We were having a couple of days of misty rain, which makes for some lovely rainbows.

Happy Crafting, I'll see you on Friday.

Well, it is certainly on going.......

I will admit I've hit both a crafting wall and a blogging wall just lately.  I suppose they go hand in hand, since I do one based on the other.  I just wasn't "feeling it" with my knitting, but I have since been a bit rejuvenated.  

Remember a few weeks ago when I said I was excited that my parents had picked out projects for me...............well, uh, yeah, that was a good idea.  I'm still struggling along with the Citron shawl, which is easy, but one heck of a lot of stitches.  I'm on round 8, because my Mom wanted it a "good size" and I've convinced myself this will be the last round.  The problem right now is I have no idea how big it will actually be after blocking, as it is all bunched up on the needles.  I went out and bought another ball of wool to make sure I had enough for the ruffled border.  THAT should be fun, if I have the energy I'll count all those stitches.  But don't hold your breath.  All I know is it will be a LOT.

I really shouldn't include my poor neglected sock as a WIP on here, since I haven't picked it up in weeks, but perhaps seeing it will inspire me to finish.  I told myself I wouldn't pick up another project until the Citron was done..........then I cast on a shrug for my eldest (check that out on Friday!).  Then I told myself, "THIS time, I REALLY won't start another project until I've finished the Citron."  You can check out the other FO I created this Friday as well.  I am so terrible at listening to myself.  I love this sock though, and I know there isn't much left to do.  You know, after I finish that Citron and then make its pair.

Until Friday dear friends, Happy Crafting!!

Yarn Bomb Joy

Hello!! In all honesty my WIP's aren't much bigger than they were last week.  The beach bag is almost done, I just need to start finish the handles.  My sock is making progress, I think there are only about 3 more repeats until I can start the heel.  Hurray!!  Though at this speed it will be Christmas before it has a twin.  I love the stripes, they make me oh so happy!

So instead of boring you with my same old same old WIP's, I thought I would share some yarn bombing I've seen and participated in lately.  The first one I saw when visiting Stromness on Orkney at the beginning of the month.  I couldn't resist taking a picture.

The second is of a bust at work.  His name is Gladstone, and apparently he was a British prime minister.  At work we play a game that is sort of called "hide the head" all around the distillery.  Yes, we are children.  Yes, it is fun.  Even my boss plays.  My co-workers want me to knit him a hat, but in the mean time my daughter knit him a scarf with her little clover knitter.  It was a huge hit, and she was really proud.  Suits him, eh?

 That's all from me for now, I'm off to go watch some Doc Martin with my folks and work on that sock.  Take care

Have needles, will travel

Not a bad view from our holiday cottage, the girls asked if they could stay just a bit longer!

I'm back home from a short holiday on the Isle of Skye, just in time for WIP Wednesday!  Even though I've been doing a bit of sight seeing (nothing like a staycation and dry weather), I've been trying to work on a few projects as well. 

The market bag is getting some sides:

This pattern is free, and actually popped up on my Facebook page yesterday for the Crocheting Club.  For once, I'm ahead of the game.  Ha!

 

I cast on a new pair of socks, with some Paton's yarn my parents brought me.  I love the colours. I know you can't see the pattern in the picture, but I'm only two repeats in so there isn't much to see just yet.  I'm making hermiones everyday socks

I finished that hat I was working on for my Mom, so as soon as I can get a picture of it I'll get it posted.  She looks great in hats!

Lastly, if you would care to see any of my photos from Orkney, you can see them here.  It was incredibly foggy, but still great fun.  Good-bye from me, until next week!

Continuance

No, you aren't having deja vu, these are the same three projects from last week.  I've made progress on all of them, and I'm enjoying the blanket the most.

It is almost impossible to see the designs.  Sigh.  Sorry about that.  I've just finished the 4th block and now I'm having doubts.  I was planning on doing 5 blocks long, but even for a throw blanket I'm not sure it will be long enough.  And I'm not sure I'll have enough wool.  So.................my thoughts are:

1) Just keep on going, hope for the best, and order more wool if need be.  Maybe extend it to 7 blocks long?

2) Frog it.  Perhaps alternate colours in a checker board fashion, maybe all the plain stockinette blocks in a different colour?

3) Stuff it in a bag and forget about it until next winter and decide then.

Any opinions?

I've also made progress on the back of my leaf cardigan.  I'm thinking I should focus on finishing the back so I can start the fun stuff on the front.  That's my goal for the rest of this week.  I'm also now at the point where I can start the heel on the girls sock, so that's good news.  It looks like I'm just as slow at small socks as I am with big ones, oh well.

Lastly, the wool arrived that I ordered for a top secret project.  You won't see it again until a FO Friday after I've gifted it.  Fingers crossed it all goes according to plan!  I seem to be a big fan of Araucania of late.  This one is called Lauca and is 80% wool, 10% camel, 10% silk.  Little bit of heaven in my hands.

On to books!  I just finished an awesome novel, the Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.  It was so compulsively good that I just devoured it! It has magic, love, a circus!  What more could you want?

I always think it is hard to start a new book right on the heels of an excellent one, but since I had two library books at the same time and I only get two weeks for them, I had to!  I'm about 6 pages in to The Far Country by Nevil Shute.  In my opinion you can't go wrong reading a book about Australia, and I loved A Town Like Alice, so fingers crossed!

Hopping Here: