Last Post of 2014

Well, this is the last post of 2014. No post next week as
Joe and I will be on Christmas Vacation.

I tried really hard.  I did. Epic FAIL.
Did not get the Bosc scarf done this week.
 

It's rather complex, and I even have to count on the purl back rows.
I worked on it all week, and if you look at last week's progress
I did a lot.  Just not enough.
I only did two repeats.  It probably would have looked better with
three or four. But
1.  I don't like really wide scarves
2.  I only had two skeins of yarm, about 420 yards total

Once it's blocked I think it will look really nice.  I need a good 8" more.
The recipient will understand, I'm sure.   I am so sick of it though.
I mean really really sick of it.  sigh....

Ruth is making great progress on her sweater.
The sweater pattern is Room to Grow by Veera Valimaki.
Free on Ravelry. Green yarn is Colinette Jitterbug. The blue yarn is
some leftover sock yarn that she thinks is Miss Babs.

She shortened the length a little as the pattern as written seemed to
long to her.

Martha finished up her britches!
This pattern is Go-Veralls from Ravelry.   She added a gusset
in the crotch. These were made with Ella Rae classic
superwash. It knitted up a very loose 4sts/1". She would knit this again at 4.5sts/1".

 She started a cute little bunting

in Martha's own words: 
I'm not putting sleeves in since baby arms are just on their
mouths and I expect this baby will be largely strolled
 since they live in the city. I will put in legs however.
 I'm making this out of Bazinga by Plymouth.
 It's 53% wool 47% acrylic. With all that acrylic
shouldn't it be washable? But the directions say no?
 It's very bulky so it's going quickly. 

In other news: 
A manager at work gave me 2 doz tulips this week.
It was a cold, dark, dreary week here so they were
definitely appreciated.

Merry  Christmas !  Have a safe wonderful, serene holiday.
Safe travels to my friend going overseas.

It's a Wrap!

The 2014 Christmas knitting season is coming to an end, and I'm
ready to wrap.  Note there are 6 pairs of socks, 3 hats,
3 fingerless mitts, one cowl, one finished scarf, and one work-in
progress scarf. 

The Funicular hats need pompoms yet.

I you tubed how to make a pompom for a hat and did not know it was
going to be such a pain the a**.  OMG.  It will be worth it though.

The purple scarf is a little less than half way done. Bosc pattern.
I really have to pay attention. It's for a coworker and I'm really hoping
to get it done. If I really concentrate on it this week, I think I can do it.

The color in the picture above is more accurate. A grape purple.
The yarn is Aslan  King Baby Llama & Mulberry Silk. Very nice and soft.
I've had it in my stash for a long time so glad to find a nice project
for it.   The pattern  calls for i-cord edging which I am really loving!

Ruth finished up her Snug by Hinke sweater.  I love it!
Such a nice wearable garment for a baby. She opted for a collar
rather than a hood.  So chic!

She started another one  knit with some Colinette Jitterbug yarn
and some leftover blue sock yarn from her stash. Pattern is Room to 
Grow by Veera Valimaki.

This is for the same baby.

Martha is working on some cute leggings -- for the same baby!

Go-vet alls, found on Ravalry. Made with Ella Rae superwash.

She has put the blanket on hold for now.  Here is the progress thus-far.

 All of these baby things need to be done and in Martha's suitcase
by Christmas Eve when she is flying off to Germany to deliver in
person.  She and Ruth are really working hard to make this baby
dressed in style and warmth.

We had our annual Christmas party last night.  My favorite
night of the whole season.  I hardly took any pictures!
The house was beautiful with lights and candles, that you can't
see in the pictures I took later in the evening.

Mark and Joey thought it was a Halloween costume party
and came dressed as Rednecks.  Oh well, they had fun...

Mickey was so out of sorts with the Company...poor thing.

Surgeries

If you remember from last post, I was in the middle of a cowl,
so I would not waste yarn.  I really like the way it turned out,
after surgery.  I remembered that I had done one a while ago
just plain stockinette.  I looked at it (which obviously I should
have done before I started, and it had k2 rows, p1 row, and
I honestly think that helped the curl.  so,  picked up stitches
all the way around the cast on edge, and purled a row.
I'm glad I purled, it made the wonkiness of pick up look normal,
knit 2 rows then bound off.  I think it matches the other end nicely.

Still a little curl, but that's normal.

Tiff modeled for me.  kinda cute, huh?  She also wore it with the fingerless
mitts, and decided they needed buttons.

I'll work on that this week.

Decided to make hats for my cousins kids.  They are 14 and so cute.
I think the Funicular pattern is perfect for them.  One will be gray
purple and one will be fushia purple.  I followed the directions and it
looked like it was going to be small. I added an inch of purple, as one
raveler suggested. Got it done and decided it was not big enough. There
was not "slouch".  UGH...it needed surgery.

I put a needle through a row below where I started the decreases.
Of course, I did not follow a straight line and ended up taking all
needles out and picking up the dangling stitches anyway.

It turned out pretty good I think.  I want to see it on Tiffany.
(this is unblocked). 

Blocking will make those wonky stitches even out.  Yarn is
my favorite Plymouth Select Worsted...
Those little stitch markers are telling me how many rows I knit
between short row finish and decrease start so I can do the same for
the 2nd hat.  Just starting ribbing on hat #2.

Here is Ruth's finished baby tunic and hat. ADORABLE.  

 new projects are Anne Hanson's Jazz Strings socks. The yarn is from Rhinebeck

The third project is a baby sweater called Snug by Hinke. she found it for free on Ravelry. Interesting construction. Yarn is Patons Classic wool worsted.

 Martha finished up her baby sweater. Aren't the buttons great?
the whole thing is wonderful.

In other news...Mickey is in Christmas position. Whenever I can't find
him, this is where he is:

This is the Christmas present I give myself every year...the sleigh filled with
greens. So pretty.

The fake tree is up and decorated

The real tree is waiting...it might have to wait another day.

I made orange cookies today. Probably the only baking I will do this season.

They will be much better tomorrow.
Have a great week dear knitters.

and Martha: have fun at your new job tomorrow!  Can't wait to
hear about it.

Stops and Starts

I had a knitting week full of stops and starts.
I thought I would knit tons and tons this Holiday Week.
Nope!  Besides not really having a lot of knitting time,
it did not go well.  (insert sad face here).

I got to the heel of the stripey purly swirly sock.
Used the German  Short Row (double stitch) heel.
Now when you read the directions, it says to do it
2 or 3 times.  I never did it 3x so decided to try it.
Big mistake. Took my whole knitting time one day
to tink back.  Ready to head down the toe.

The two fingerless mitts are done.  I like them a lot.

 
I had a lot of the maroon yarn left over.  I hate leftover
yarn. Especially nice yarn. So I decided there was enough
for a plain cowl.  1st time cast on 130 stitches...too small.
2nd time cast on 150 stitches...too big.  Ripped AGAIN
and cast on 140 and now its just right. Size 2 needles, so
it took me a long time to knit 2 inches to find it was not right.
I think this time its nice.  Quite a curl going on there, don't you
think!

Ruth finished up her adorable tunic for her great niece that will soon
be born in Germany. So stinkin cute !

Martha finished up her sweater for the same niece.  Adorable!
That is one lucky baby!

 Martha changed the design and added a collar. She is also
going to make a hat.

I have two hats that I would like to get done before Christmas, and the
stripey socks.  Maybe a hat for my brother. Ambitious, I know.  I probably
won't get that all done. 

We had a nice Thanksgiving. Now its time to decorate the tree. Have a great
week, and let's hope my knitting mojo  gets back to where it should be!

It's the little things

I continue to work on little projects, that knit up quick.
Finished up the 1st fingerless mitt. Can you tell the stripes
get smaller? 

The Louet Gems yarn is nice 100% merino, but
has the feel of cotton when knitting it. (The light color)
Maybe that is because its superwash.

I did a picot bind off. Curling right now, but I will
put a book on it while its blocking and hopefully it
will straighten out. 

Started a pair of socks on Friday, just to have something
portable.The yarn is Saki Bamboo.  50% Merino supewash
25% bamboo, and 25% nylon.  It is very soft. 

Ruth is starting shoulder decreases on her sweater. It is so pretty!

The cables really POP when you see it in person.

Martha is almost done with her Inky Dinky baby sweater.
I love the yarn with the pattern--it will look great on a baby.

In other news...I have been wearing my sweater A LOT.  The boys have been
deer hunting....total -  Joey 1 doe / Joe 1 doe. I'm glad to have some meat in
the freezer. 

Have a wonderful week and Happy Thanksgiving.

Its' been two weeks...(:

Two weeks since I've worked on knitting a sock.
I've never gone that long before...LOLOLOL

Finished up the fingerless mitts. Added the buttons today.

Churchmouse Welted Fingerless Gloves pattern.

6 welts, and 3 buttons.
I started another pair.  Churchmouse used to have a free pattern fingerless
gloves, now they charge for them. Awfully cute.  So I am making my own
up using their pictures.  They start out with wide stripes and go to skinny ones.
I am doing ribbing rather than welts for these. The colors did not show up
well in the pic.  The tan color is Louet Gems color linen. It has pink undertones.
The cranberry is Shibui.  Both are very similar, fingering weight.
I started out with 72 stitches, way too big. Went down to 64, still too much.
Now I am using 60 and its seems perfect. I'm almost ready to start
the thumb gusset.

Also worked on a hat this week, but not that special to show.

Ruth is busy working on her sweater. It is beautiful !

She washed and blocked this section.  I saw it in person this week,
it is a lovely shade of gray. Just lovely.

Martha is putting her Cookie A sock aside, and working on baby stuff.
her is the first sock done. Love the colors:

Here are sleeves of the Inky Dinky baby sweater she is working on.   and about 1.5 " of the body. The hat was knitted with the yarn she bought last year at Rhinebeck.  She will knit more hats. 

Thw sweater yarn is Blue Ridge Tango. Apple Rose Colorway.
Wont it be adorable on that new little girl!

Check out the baby sleep sack she made.

 

One lucky baby with great Aunts like Ruth and Martha..

don't you agree !

Knit on !