Sunday, July 30, 2017

I feel like Sybill

 Remember the movie from years ago, Sybill about
a girl that had multiple personalities?  Well that's how
I feel this week about my knitting. I keep starting
projects, and then moving on to something else.
The craziness has to stop!

The socks are done...I really like them.
They are so nice and soft, yet sturdy.


I hope the tencil holds up.
I reinforced the heels..so cross your fingers.

Finished up Joe's worsted weight socks.
I would not normally pick such a bright color, and
in fact had to look when I got the yarn to make sure
they sent what I ordered.....but they did.
I have read about other people that got yarn from Knitpicks and
the color was off. Oh well...I'll see if he will model them for
next week.
I started a pair for him in Sportweight Opal.
Cast on 64 stitches..we'll see how it goes.
These are going to be top down. They looked
this red when I bought the yarn, but they are more pinky.

Decided my bosses wife needed a nice shawl
for Christmas. She does so much for so many people,
but I don't think anyone does much for  her.
Silverlight shawl pattern, in Wonderland Yarn.
Then, I was sitting here this morning and thought,
I should make Joe's sister a pair of socks for her 60th
birthday which is August 16th. I cannot knit that fast,
but maybe I can get one done. She has been asking me for
years to make her some socks.
Sybaritic pattern.
The way I'm going who knows that else I might start this week!


Ruth is almost done with her socks...she is hoping
she has enough yarn to finish..They are soooo nice!!
Martha did run out of yarn on her shawl.
She is going to try and get more from Green Mt  Spinnery.
I think the colors are very striking!
She started some socks till she gets the yarn figured out.
sigh....

In other news:
Ruth made current jelly. She started last night and got
these two jars.... a lot of work for those little things.
I bet it will be very decadent
Joe went fishing today and caught a ton of fish!
Took him a few hours to clean them all.
These are 5 gallon buckets...!
 The flowers are still beautiful
The pool was beautiful today also.....
which was especially nice after a crappy weather week...

Have a great week dear blog readers...next time I write,
it will be August!

Sunday, July 23, 2017

Alls Quiet...while we celebrate summer

 Quiet week this week for  me, not much knitting.
Was able to get in the pool a few nights after work
and enjoy it.

Last week I told you the tale of Joe's socks, and how I would
run out of yarn.

I found some in stash, Cascade 220, that will match pretty well
The important thing is...the yarn with nylon is on the foot part,
for sturdiness....
The first picture above of the blue is much more accurate, it's
royal blue.
Kind of neat how it all worked out.  I hate ribbing legs,
off the leg, so skinny compared to the foot part.
I will take pictures on Joe's feet once both are done.
I will run into the same thing with the 2nd skein I bought, not
enough original yarn, so will have to sub the leg.

Am up to the heel flap on the 2nd sock
coming along quite well.....

Ruth is working on her second sock. I saw this in person
(did I tell you? and the colors are soooo vibrant!
She was gone this weekend so not as much progress to show

Martha is doing a great job with her s hawl (see last week's
post for more details)
She will continue to decrease one stitch on the side with the orange marker, then when I get to the center decrease  somehow knit up and finish the other side point!
 Really nice. sounds like an interesting pattern.
She added the eyelets to the pattern

In other news:
Family came over yesterday for a nice summer party:









Joel brought his croquet set and we all had so much
fun playing!

Today on the pool deck I had two visitors:
this guy was sleeping....don't know how he got up there
a tree frog. Joe said they climb everywhere

and this precious beauty:
our neighbor, Maggie the shitzu...
she came right up there for some lovin! She is about 10 or
so...curly brown hair.  Cute as a button...

That's it for this week dear blog readers....have
a good one.
Enjoy summer while it's  here.

Sunday, July 16, 2017

Sidetracked

Hey blog readers...Happy Sunday!
Managed to finish up the first Year of Techniques
Sock...


 I chose a blue toe for the contrast....The socks are darker than the pic
above...more green.
I have decided to keep them for myself. I'm a little afraid
that with the tencil they may not hold up  very well, and I
would not want to give them away knowing that.
I love the reverse side also.
Just two rows done on sock #2.

I got totally distracted this week....Joe has been having
some foot issues, and only wears the socks I make him now.
I decided he needs a few more pair and I have to mass-produce
them...so I ordered some worsted and sport weight yarn
that has wool and 20% nylon. 
This first one is worsted....I weighed the yarn, and made into
two equal balls.  Then, I knit from the toe up, so I know how
much I have.  German short row heel, my favorite.
Will not have enough yarn, I'm almost out of the yarn for
sock #1.  Knitpicks Felici Worsted....
Several try-ons to get to this point and make sure they fit
right. I'm not used to the worsted weight.  Ended up with
26 stitches on each needle, total of 56.   Now this color
is much brighter in person...but hey, who cares...
not sure why some of my pics  get that yellowy orangy tint...
annoying.

A few weeks ago Ruth and I scoped out a new yarn shop that
sold LYKKF driftwood needles. I got size 1.5 - for socks.
Really like them.  Today I was nearing end of the sock decreasing
for toe, on the bottom of foot side and all of a sudden snap.
yep, totally broke.

If I was pressing on it, I would understand,
but just happily knitting along and snap.  I was p*ssed beyond
words.  Good thing I saved my receipt (which I never do) because
they are  guaranteed for life.



Remember the shawl Ruth made last week?  Well she brought
it to lunch this week, and gave it to me!!! OMG, I could have cried....
I wish the photos showed the true colors....
Due to no makeup, bad hair day, etc, this is the best pic
I have this week....more next week. 
A big thank you to my dearest  friend, Ruth, for making this
for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She was traveling this weekend and didn't send a new pic,
but I suspect she has a lot more done on her socks.

Martha is coming along on her shawl.
In her own words:
This is my take on the Serenity Now! shawl.  If you look at the picture there's a lot of texture with the skinny color striping on the left side of the shawl. I tried to do that when the color changed from grey to white, and it was not worth it. Instead, I put the yo holes in the pattern to add some texture with the white color. Now I'm at the point of the shawl getting ready to change directions and, I think, begin decreasing.  Can you see the beads? I decided the shawl was so monochromatic I would add some bling with the beads. They are white, gold, clear, silver, and some purple when I thought I would put the purple yarn in.




Totally lovely!  Beads are a great addition!!!

In other news we went swimming in the pool..finally!
It felt sooo nice.....
I am exhausted tonight, have been the last few days...so I'll end here.
Mickey is waiting for me to snuggle...


Sunday, July 9, 2017

Sunday, again

Here we are at Sunday again. The time sure flies!
I finished up the socks from Three Irish  Girls
yarn.  My own pattern...2 mock-cables on each side...


They are for my friend Betty


They are a maroon/green color...hard to photo
Here's a pic in the sun, but not much better colorwise.
I'm glad they are done..I was really sick of them by
the time I got to the 2nd foot!

Started a new sock...
Yarn purchased at Rhinebeck...
Antirrhinum socks...what a mouthful, huh!

Kind of a blue/green color.
Yarn has tencel, for my SIL for Christmas. I think
I will do the toes in a soft gray, what do you think?
I only have one more repeat till I start the heel, but I
think I'll do one or two more...

A good re-start on the sweater I'm making up.
I can see now  how I twisted the darn thing, It's easy
to do when adding 23 stitches in the center that are
flip flopping all over...Better this time for sure.  This
is my current brainless project.


Ruth has started and finished a shawl since last week!

Knitpicks sparkle yarn

Pattern:  Summerleaf by Nim Teasdale.
I love it...so so pretty and fun for this time of year!

 She is starting a new pair of socks, yarn unknown
 Diagonal  Cross Rib Sock pattern by Ann Budd. 

Martha just finished up her Diagonal Cross  Rib Socks...




She has a good start on her new project,
Serenity Now! Shawl

 She spent a lot of time this week searching for a shawl
pattern she liked with her yarn.
Yarn is  She's  using the Simply Fine fingering weight yarn.
It's 40% kid mohair, and 60% fine wool, and is variegated white to gray.
She had a question about the pattern, and emailed the
author. That is one of the things I really like about Ravelry.
The pattern authors are so accessible.  I've had to email different
ones a time or two.  Can't wait to see how it looks  next week!

In other news:
Joe was able to go fishing today:
Blue Gills from Silver Lake
He hasn't been able to go in a while, so I'm glad it worked out.

Here is the total of our garden this year,
one tomato and some herbs


I'm still loving the colorful flowers!


Have a great week dear blog readers....
till next time...