Sunday, March 17, 2024

Green = Go

 Hi Dear Blog Readers....I don't have much to report this week.  The time change really knocked me for a loop...very tired all week..and work was crazy busy.

I did manage to knit and try on, and knit and try on the Crowberry sweater. I had to decrease more stitches than I thought I would for the sides so it would fit.

I always use a green marker to start my rows. Green = go.  Do you do any special trick on every project so you "just know" what it means?  

Ruth is zooming along on her Crowberry sweater!  It is just lovely, don't you think!

Martha finished up the red sweater for her son Tom. Mailed it off to him and he loves it!  Oh, and it fits!

 She dug out her chicken yarn socks and finished them up today. So cute!

I don't have much other news this week dear blog readers.

Have a wonderful, knitful week!


Sunday, March 10, 2024

Winter returns

 Hi Dear Blog  Readers,

I may as well talk about the weather because there is not much knitting to talk about. It was nice a couple of days this week, and now its snowing.  But, it is March in Western New York...so to be expected.

I did spend a lot of time knitting on the Crowberry sweater this week.  Maybe 5 inches or more done...put it on a string, and it is wayyyyy tooooo hugggeee... My gauge was off by .25 stitch..so that will account for some but not all of it.  I am making the sweater longer, which means, I have to add more stitches than the pattern calls for to accommodate my hips.  And then do more decreases up the body.  I got out the Sweater Workshop book and according to that, my numbers were good.   I went down a needle size so we'll see what  happens.  So far I have ribbing done on the new start.  This is why I like top down sweaters better, at least for me.  

Ruth is making a Crowberry sweater out of Lettlopi yarn also. She is zooming along on hers.

Martha continues great progress on her son's sweater.

In other news:

Joe and I took a Saturday drive yesterday.

This is Conesus Lake...The waves were about 2.5 feet tall...the wind was whipping!


Honeoye Lake was not much better!

Joey, Casey and sweet Charlotte are in Florida  this week. They sent lots of great pictures!

Mason playing in the tent.

Jayce playing and not taking a bottle to go to bed!

Have a good week dear blog readers.



Sunday, March 3, 2024

More

 Hi Dear Blog Readers.....

More of the same here this week from me, Ruth and Martha.

I have a few inches past the armpits on the Golden Assam sweater.  And for those wondering, I put it on a string--twice--this week.  I did a couple of decreases in the waist, and will add them back before the hips.

Yarn came yesterday for the Crowberry sweater. I had a start to it but dropped a stitch in the twisted rib and could not recover. I was only a couple rows in so just ripped and restarted.  I don't have that long in a day to knit..maybe an hour...so I won't get as far along as the ones trying to finish in March.

Ruth finished up her first sock of lovely colors!  She has a start on the 2nd one. She is going to knit the Crowberry sweater too.

Martha worked on her sweater this week. She had a rough week at work so did not get as much done as she would have liked.

In other news:

I saw Charlotte today. She is so cute.

Jayce hung out while I was cooking

Our beloved diner in our small town literally had the back fall off. It is old building from 1800's that clearly needed some attention.  Luckily, no one was hurt.

Found these on Tuesday when it was warm out.  Not sure if they are still alive...

Mason and I made blue playdough...

It was a good week.

Have a great week dear blog readers...



Sunday, February 25, 2024

Daytrip

 Hi Dear Blog Readers...

It's been a busy week here...and NOT knitting.  LOL  I did try on the sweater Friday, and so far so good, but the arm holes will be too big I think. I can easily take are of that with a couple of K2 togethers when I put the stitches back on the needle.  I will try on again in a couple of inches.  I put a marker on the row I was knitting on Friday just to see how much progress I made on the weekend.  Well, as you can see...not much!  We took a ride yesterday and the kids were here today.

Yesterday on our daytrip, I wore my Daytripper sweater that I made two years ago. It was only about degrees out, but it kept me nice and warm.  I made it during the "bang out a sweater in a month" event that Modern Daily Knitting was hosting. 

It was so much fun and so fast, I decided to do it again!  I'm going to "bang out a sweater" with MDK.  I already have a couple colors of the Lettlopi yarn so I didn't have to buy much more.  And, why not!

The sweater is Crowberry Sweater.   I'm still not sure if I will knit the sweater, or the vest version.  It's been a long time since I have knit a bottom up sweater.  I don't care for the colors the designer used.  I'm not sure why, I like the apricot color fine enough.  I just don't care for them together.  The name of the field guide is MOSS, so I guess it fits with the moss theme. My colors will be blue.  I'm swatching this week. 

Ruth finished her beautiful fun sweater!  She is thinking of the buttons she has setting on top of it , but not quite sure yet. Just lovely, Ruth!

She started a pair of socks in Emma's Yarn. Something about these colors that really appeal to me. Not too bright, not too soft...just right!  She is using the Hermione’s everyday sock pattern. I think everyone has knit that pattern...at least once! 

Martha bound off the bottom of her son Tom's sweater.  I think its great!  And Tom approves!  It's so nice. He is one lucky dude.  She'll have it done in no time.  She was off of work this week, so progress may be a little slower next week. 



In other news:

I saw the little kids this week - all three of them - but don't have any new pictures to share.

This is a picture of Cayuga Lake looking out of the window of a winery we stopped at. It was just beautiful.  You would never know by looking out that it was sooooo cold.

I hope you all have a nice knitting week....and here's hoping March comes in like a lion so it goes out like a lamb. 




Sunday, February 18, 2024

Strings

 Hi Dear Blog Readers!

It's snowy and very windy (sometimes blizzardy) here in Western New York today. Brrrrrr

A good day to stay inside and ....knit!

I worked a lot on the Golden Assam sweater this week....in my head at least. 

After the blog last week, and I was done with the lace work, I put it in a string, even though it was still very short. Determined I needed to add extra increases.  Some comments on Rav were that the sweater ran small.  I don't want it overly big, but I want it "just right".  So I did a couple of increases, got to thinking that the lace was going to open up when blocked. Hmmm. So, I put it on a string again, and soaked it.   The lace did open up!  Tried it on again and it was still too small.  So I added some more increases.  Yesterday I put it on the string again, and this time it's very close. So I added some more increases. I think I'm good now.  A little bit longer and I will separate the sleeves from the body.  Then it will go much faster. There are close to 400 stitches on there now.  It's size 3 needles with yarn that seems smaller than fingering. 

 

Ruth is working on her Neckdown Cardigan for Women from knitting pure and simple. She's been playing with different balls of yarn to try and minimize the pooling. The colors are so vibrant!

 

Martha is zooming along on  Tom's sweater. She has sent him pictures and he approves. Yea!

In other news:

Tiffany and Mark took the kids for a sled ride yesterday. I wish I could show you the video.  She was on the sled holding the two boys and Mark was driving the tractor pulling them.



I was very domestic today.  Made two loaves of banana bread and chicken soup.

Made bread.  I've been talking to a nutritionist because I have high cholesterol.  She gave me a lot of good advice, and one thing was to substitute oatmeal flour for white flour when I can.  She said to buy a big tub of oatmeal and grind it myself...way cheaper than buying oat flour. So...the bread is 4.5 cups  white flour and 1.5 cups oatmeal flour.  It's  quite good!  and Joe didn't complain...he liked it!  So a big win!


Have a good week dear blog readers...Stay healthy!


Sunday, February 11, 2024

The Talk

 Hi  Dear Blog Readers,

Happy Superbowl Sunday!  I think we are routing for San Francisco here at our house, though Joe and my dad are Patrick Mahomes fans.

This week I had to have THE TALK....yet again....with Joe.

I was working on the very complex lace pattern on top of the current sweater and he keeps talking to me.  I have to start counting the stitches over. and then over again.  So I called him over, and said see these symbols.....each one is a stitch. I have to count each one and know what it means. I said when you talk to me and I ignore you, I'm not being mean, I just can't talk to you right now. He said oh my I could never do that.   He did not get the  message that what I was really trying to say was "please don't talk to me".  hahahah.

I have finished the lace section on the Golden Assam sweater, and adding stitches in the yoke now.  It's a blob!  Some of the last few lace rows were pretty difficult, and took a long time. I'm glad they are over.

Wore new socks this week. The angle of the picture makes them look tall, but they are actually shorter than I usually make.

Ruth is really zooming along on her new sweater!   Yarn is Arcane Fibre Works. Prairie storm colorway. Pattern is Neckdown Cardigan for Women from knitting pure and simple. A basic raglan sleeve sweater.

Very colorful!

Here is Martha's finished sweater. So pretty!

Wearing it. Incredible fit!

This is the sweater she started for her son Tom.

Pattern is Ann Budd's Top-Down Sweaters book  She is  using Valley Yarns, Whately which is 968% baby Alpaca and 32% cotton. Tom’s allergic to wool.

This picture shows more progress.  The real color is red, not pink.


In other news:

I took a walk yesterday early. It was so pretty out.


About 30 minutes after this pictures was taken and I was inside sipping tea, it started to hail!

Have a nice week dear blog readers...



Sunday, February 4, 2024

February!

 Hi Dear Blog Readers....

It's February!  I'm always relieved when January is over...seems like the longest month.  

I was able to finish up the heel toe do si do socks this week.

 hue Loco Rooster : Buckeye w/Vineyard and Plum colorway.  I'm glad I am able to share a picture that really represents the colors this week.  They are still a little wet from blocking. 

Since the socks are done, I started working on this sweater again that I started in the fall.

Golden Assam pattern.  My color is more forest green than this picture shows.

Size 3 needles....slowwwwww going for sure.  I am totally loving the lace.

Just did the final yoke increase.  Now there are 48 stitches in each repeat.  I knit the repeat, then go back and make sure each stitch is correct.  Takes a while but better than finding out an inch or two down that there is a mistake.


 Ruth finished her Sleeve-less vest this week.  Blocked so beautifully!!!

She started a new sweater this week.  Yarn is Arcane Fibre Works. Prairie storm colorway. Pattern is Neckdown Cardigan for Women from knitting pure and simple. A basic raglan sleeve sweater.

Colors are sooo pretty!


Martha finished up her beautiful beautiful Wanderling Sweater.  The details are beautiful.  Maybe she will share a pic of her wearing it next week!  She is designing a sweater for her son...She has the plans all worked out so will start knitting soon.


In other news:

I'm still dealing with bronchitis so a slow week. I'm hoping to feel well enough to walk this week.

Have a great week dear blog readers...