Something Got Done Around Here

Author: knitting

Sep 16

I seem to be collecting photographs of finished items but just not blogging about them.  Mostly because they just don’t seem to fit any one post particularly well.  Plus, when my home life gets busy, my blogging takes a bit of a back seat.  Suffice it to say that life seems to have sped up to hurricane force now that the girls are in school.  We’ve got piano lesson one night a week, a garage sale to get ready for (yep, it’s round 2 for the summer since the last one was a dud) and a house that seems to dirty itself.  Seriously, do the dirty socks grow on my living room floor???  Why is it that we have an automatic dish washer and an automatic laundry washer, but not an automatic putter-awayer of any sort?  I know my trials and tribulations are no different than any other working parent.  And I also know that I am lucky to have a husband who helps out.  So why is it completely overwhelming at times?

Enough whining.  Here’s a bit of a random assortment of finished items.

Cruiser Mittens

1.  Cruiser Mittens.  Made from Misti Alpaca Sport weight and Rowan Kidsilk Haze held together on size 3 needles.  I do these on 9″ circular needles because I don’t like switching needles all the time, that’s just how I roll.  The combination of alpaca and Kidsilk Haze is wonderfully soft.  The photo is of the unblocked mittens, I wasn’t in a rush to block them because they’re  a Christmas present.  As I was working on these I realized that with just a simple heel added in, the pattern would make amazing socks.  I even have more Misti Alpaca to do this with.   Hee hee.

Lined Mittens

2.  Basic Lined Mitten.  Made with Malabrigo Twist on the outside and Berrocco Ultra Alpaca Light for the lining.  These are the mittens I made for a friend in trade for doing some minor body work on my car.  He’s been hinting that he’d like a matching hat for Christmas.  I finished the mittens right after the Finish-a-long challenge ended so I couldn’t count them in my total.

Sweet Norwegian Cap

3.  Sweet Norwegian Baby Cap (not the original pattern, but there’s a link to the English version and sweet photos) out of leftover sock yarn.  You might notice this is the same yarn that made a pair of socks last year for my sister and the troll vest.  I bought this yarn at a fiber festival and promptly lost the sellers tag.  I wish I knew where I bought the yarn because it is lovely stuff.  It also seems to be a bit of a never ending skein since I still have a tiny bit left.

Now, I’m off to indulge in a bit of startitis.

4 Comments
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged as: , , ,

Frustration

Author: knitting

Aug 20

I’m a little frustrated with the blogging software right now.  I’m sure it’s the learning curve and that I’ll figure it out soon.  However, if someone knows WordPress and would like to help me figure out how to get my Blogroll to show on the left hand side or to have my Ravelry Progress bars show up, I’d appreciate it.

I’m about to head out to Stitches Midwest, but before I go I want to announce some winners.  I have three winners from the Finish-a-long Contest.  The first winner is getting a skein of Yarni sock yarn.  It’s beautifully soft yarn dyed in St. Paul, MN.  I only know of one store that carries this yarn, and that’s the Yarnery on Grand
Ave.  This skein goes to Diane, for finishing 12 projects over the course of the contest.

The next winner is getting this book, The Queensland Collection Book: Jane Ellison #3.  Sorry for the crummy picture, for some reason I took the photo with my phone instead of the camera.  Rookie mistake.  This is donated by Barb at Fabric Works.  Thanks Barb!!

The book is going to Lisa for having finished the oldest project.  Lisa, send me your address and I’ll get this out to you when I get back from Stitches.

There is one more prize, but you’ll have to wait until next week for that.  If you haven’t emailed me a list of what you finished, there’s still time.  You have until Monday.  I forgot my list of contest participants back at the office.  The prize is pretty yarn donated by Fabric Works.  Also coming next week will be some finished object pictures.  I finished one in time to be counted in the contest and one I just finished last night.

2 Comments
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged as: , ,

Are You Finished Yet?

Author: knitting

Aug 13

The sock I'm sick of seeing. How are you doing on finishing up those projects?  If you’re anything like me, you’re trying desperately to get the last one or two finished up before today’s deadline for the Finish-a-Long Contest.  The rules for the contest are here.  Although I don’t feel like I’ve made any great strides in getting things finished (I keep finding old projects that I could work on!), I have heard wonderful stories of people being motivated to finish old projects.

Lisa from Rubyringz has finished projects from the 1980′s, which blows my mind.

Diane in my knitting group has finished 11 projects.

Knittymuggins is knitting away despite being a full time mom to a 6 month old.

That’s just a small sampling of the wonderful stories I have heard of people finishing up projects.  Everyone’s stories have been great motivation for me to keep going on these socks.  The socks have gone everywhere with me the last few weeks.  They seem to have entered that black hole of knitting where you seem to knit and knit and you never really get any further on them.  The only thing I do notice is that my ball of yarn is getting dangerously small.  It’s a size 12 mens sock, so it requires A LOT of yarn.  I am very afraid that I’m going to end up with one toe that doesn’t match the other.  My husband says he doesn’t mind that the socks will be different.  I bought the yarn in Stillwater at Darn.Knit.Anyway.  Although I could probably find another skein of Madelinetosh that would be close, I’m not sure I want a whole skein.  What do you think?  Should I just deal with  it and do the second toe in a different, complimentary color?  Should I buy a matching skein?  Should I rip out the toe of the first sock and do both toes in a different color?

BTW:  My almost 6 year old daughter just told me that boys and girls kissing was “yuck,” complete with tongue out and a chopping motion across her neck.  We’ll see how long that notion lasts.

4 Comments
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged as: ,

Flashing the Stash

Author: knitting

Aug 7

My friend Knittymuggins and I are working on a trade.  We’re each clearing out a little of our stash and possibly trading with each other for some new yarn.  I took some pictures this morning of the skeins I am clearing out.  If Knittymuggins doesn’t want them, then this yarn is going to be quickly made into socks… or maybe used as prizes in our Finish-a-Long.  It’s all really good yarn, I just don’t love it as much as I used to. 

Speaking of the Finish-a-Long, we are just a week away from the finish date.  I know a lot of you are doing better than I am.  I’ve heard of people finishing projects that have been sitting since the 1980′s.  One person has finished 10 items so far!  That’s amazing!  I’m still working on my socks and mittens.  Although I don’t think I’ll have time to finish the wrap I started 3 years ago, I do want to still get it done before Stitches. 

Now, a little flash of my stash…

Hazel Knits, Artisan Sock in It’s a Wrap.  This is an exclusive sock club colorway. 

Lorna’s Laces Shepard Sock in Rainbow. I bought this forever ago, probably right after I knit my first pair of socks. I always thought this would make great socks for the kids.  Or fun legwarmers.

ON Line Supersocke 100.  I think this came from a swap package.  I’ve never really known what to do with it as I never really dug the colors all that much.  Which is a bit strange since I love pink and green together.  I think I just have trouble knitting with something that is multicolored.  I tend towards the tonal colorways. 

Hello Yarn sock yarn in Fruit Bowl.  I’ve always wanted some Hello Yarn sock yarn but never seem to be online when she has inventory available.  This was the only skein left in her inventory and although it’s not really my style, I snatched it up.  Now I don’t know what to do with it. 

1 Comment
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged as: , ,

Things Are Getting Finished Around Here

Author: knitting

Jul 12

I may have finally escaped from the black hole of knitting that was sucking me in.  You know the hole I’m talking about, right?  The one where it feels like you’re never making progress even though you’re knitting and knitting and knitting.  Then, all of a sudden you look down and you’re much further along than you thought you were.  Suddenly, you’re free from the black hole, crusing along towards the bind off. 

The black hole applies to spinning as well.  I started this at Sock Summit last year.  For the longest time I just had one bobbin full and the rest was just sitting around while I finished up some other spinning.  I love this colorway, it makes me happy. 

Fiber:  Superwash Merino in Vintage Garden 

Company:  Susan’s Kitchen – I bought this at Sock Summit last summer as an impulse buy.  It is some super soft fiber.  I’m hoping she’ll be at Stitches Midwest so I can buy more of her fiber in person.  If not, then I’ll just have to haunt her etsy shop.  The pansy colorway is really calling to me. 

Yardage:  133 yds, 3-ply, approximately a worsted weight. 

This project I’ll tell you more about tomorrow.  Right now it’s blocking on my dining room floor.  It turned the water a very interesting shade of blue. 

My friend Diane finished these great socks last week.  She’s going to have the toastiest feet in town this winter!  Diane is an amazing knitter, and one of the sweetest people I know.  In a lot of ways she reminds me of my Mom.  She’s always so supportive at knit nights.  Even if your sleeves come out 2 different sizes, she’s the one that will be there telling you it will be ok and will even help you rip it back.  Diane is having surgery tomorrow so please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. 

Please send me your items as you finish them, I’ll either post photos or just jot you down as you finish things.  I’m keeping track of finished items for one of the prizes. 

1 Comment
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged as: , ,