Monday, April 29, 2013

Buttons

Ruth and I attended a Polymer Clay button class
last Friday.  It was a lot of fun.  Here are Ruth's buttons:




I like all of hers a lot.

My pictures are lame. I was having major technical difficulties yesterday, so
feel good I even got these to come out.


The class was a little long, I got bored near the end, but the possibilities
are endless.  I realize now that store buttons are not that expensive.
It is costly to make them, too.


I finished up the first sock...well sorta.
I had a epiphany that I should stop while I had yarn left.  I used the yarn
scale and wound the yarn in two balls, so what if I goofed? I can see myself
knitting along and finishing the first, and only having 1/2 a leg for the 2nd.

So I did 1.5 inches of ribbing and put the socks on smaller needles until the 2nd one
is this far along.  So far the 2 nd one is still at the toe increase stage.

Ruth finished up her sweater...look how nice it is. I was lucky enough to see it
in person Friday. It is a perfect yarn/pattern combination.

 Lucy likes it too.

Here is Martha's latest baby set.  Don't you just love the colors !

She was traveling this weekend, so I don't know what she is working on now.

In other news....Mickey was going crazy trying to get Tiffany to play
Lazer with him. 

And Abbey just sits there and thinks he's a dork....


I better go outside before it rains...have a great week...

Monday, April 22, 2013

Sockin along

My current sock is moving along, slow but sure.
 About another couple of inches and I will be ready for ribbing.

 Ruth is working on the sleeves for her sweater already.

 Check out this perfect fit !

Martha finished up the baby blanket. 
Before felting...
After felting - 42" across.
I like the very different things we are working on.....

Joe and I went away this weekend to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary.
My little friend Lauren made us this cute card:


 We went to this cook steak house (ate seafood...LOL) that was
very interesting inside.


They gave us cake...yum
I love to have fun....

Monday, April 15, 2013

Specifics

Non-knitters may not realize that knitting is very often person-specific.
We think about who we are knitting for and their likes and dislikes...
we want them to use the garments it took us hours to make..right?

The people I knit socks for are very specific in their likes and dislikes.
I started knitting socks for my Sister-in-Law that day she said, and I will
never forget this:
"if someone ever made me socks, I would cherish them forever".
She gets a pair for Christmas every year since then.  She loves them
because they don't make her feet sweat. She has a hard time wearing
store bought socks because of the high content of nylon.

Her feet love bamboo.  Last year and this year she is getting
Lornas Laces Comfort socks, which apparently adjust to the temp
of your feet. Really?  I was sold, and she loves them.
the color is really a nice chocolate brown. The 12 row Corn Row pattern is borrowed
from Ann Hanson's Tenonsite socks, but I am making the rest up and the pattern
is very much my own.  I used my own cast on.

I tried a new heel. I have not been very successful with the wrap and turn heel
I used for the last toe up socks.  This one is from Sockupied Spring 2013 issue.
Notice where my fingers are there are two lines. You actually do the heel 2x.

It is a little more fiddly than the regular wrap and turn, but look how nice it looks
and fits!  An no holes like the wrap and turn. I think I will use this again and again.
It is based on the German short row method. I sprained my ankle yesterday pretty
bad so i had a lot of time to fiddle with it. I took good notes so hopefully
sock #2 will look the similar. 

My friend Betty likes my homemade socks. She has two pair so far.
She always says she likes them because they have a "real heel" and don't
end up schrunched down in her shoes. I am going to try to  make her two pair this
year.  I made her these long socks - 14" leg - with short row wrap and turn heel, to
see if she likes them. She will get a pair with her favorite heel also.

The are blocking...

My mom likes any yarn and has no preference. She is just thrilled to get them.


Joe is funny.  He likes any yarn, and will even wear lopi wool!
I made him a cheap pair out of KnitPicks yarn last year and for the longest
time he would not wear them. he said they were too nice to wear to work.
OMG, probably cost me $10 or less for the pair.  Simple self striping yarn.
I have to make him socks with more nylon because he wears them all over
on the bare floor....

Tiffany is happy with any yarn, but she is prone to soft.  She really liked
Betty's long socks so there may be a pair in her future.

Orange sweater update: It is blocked and fits rather well. No buttons yet.
I did find embroidery floss the same color to sew the buttons on when I
finally get them.

Ruth is moving right along on her sweater. She put it on string and tried
it on and said it is perfect fit. yea!  I think it is very classy.

Martha is making a baby belly blanket for one of her friends.
She said she will make it really big and felt it. I love the colors and the
circular shape. It is very original.


I guess that is it. Spring has sprung here in Western NY.  I have been taking
lots of walks.  Well, I was before the whole ankle incident.  Take care.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Happiness

Happiness is the theme of today's post.


Sweater is done except for buttons.
Trail Jacket Pattern by Hannah Fettig
Size 8 needles
Schulana Pacolana yarn

I am hoping it fits. I may have to wear unbuttoned.  We'll see.
I trusted the gauge swatch AFTER WASHING and I'm hoping I was right
to do that. 

I liked this pattern a lot. I willl share pictures after buttons, which might
be a while. the top picture is more true to color.

Joe told me except for the color, it was a very pretty color. LOL.
I actually took the bottom cast off out, and readded a few more rows.

Ruth is working on some new socks.
Yarn is Opal Graffiti. Pattern is My cup of Tea by Robin Lynn. Free on Ravelry!

 I saw them in person, and the pattern is much more obvious, and very nice!

Martha is working on a baby outfit.
She finished one leg but does not like the bell at bottom of leg.... May reknit it w k2 p2 to the end. This is Encore yarn by Plymouth yarn, making Miss Priss Diaper Pants by Shaefer yarn in Interlaken N Y. B
So cute. I really like the colors....

Ruth and Martha are knitting up a storm for babies coming their way.
Some lucky kids for sure.
Don't these projects just scream HAPPY !