Picking Up Where I Left Off

I've given up hope of posting regularly here. I'm having trouble with the left hand, arm and shoulder once again so my crafting time has been limited. I've been unable to do much of anything for any significant length of time. The state fair knitting is started and I'm currently working on a women's pullover. It will, along with the other knitting for the fair, remain a stealth project until after the fair in October.

I finally got back to beading this past week and made three bracelets with one or two more to go. The pattern is Bump in the Road from Step by Step Beads which is now Beadwork.


The top one is for my co-worker Tammy's birthday, the second one is for my mom and the third and unfinished one is for my sister. I had to modify the instructions for the toggle loop since it came out way too big on Tammy. I redid that one and finished my sister's Sunday night.

I'm participating in the Westknits Mystery KAL on Ravelry. We are currently knitting clue 2. I finished clue 1 yesterday and will work on clue 2 this evening. The first two clues are quite short but he has promised that the knitting will pick up drasticly with clue 3. This is my first Westknit pattern and so far I'm enjoying it.

I resisted the temptation to purchase yarn for this project and after much searching I came up with a combination I like. The yarn is Dalegarn Tiur in colors I call Mossy Green, Antique Gold and Brick Red.


In keeping with earlier plans I've been working with the knitting machine in hopes of using up some of the sock stash. I've got casting on ribbing and circular knitting down. I'm having some issues with the main bed. The stitches will knit fine for a while and then all of a sudden some of them don't knit anymore. I'll switch out some more needles and play around with the weight to see if that solves the problem. I'm also having problems with the short-row heel. Jan did a refresher for me at our meeting on Saturday some I confident that the more I practice the better I will get.

I still haven't had time to take a spinning class so that has been on the back burner for know. I've got a pretty full plate is it is so I'm going with what's already in the works for the time being.

Feeling the Family Love

My great-niece turned 1 earlier this month and her birthday party was Sunday. Due to family issues, I hadn't seen her since my birthday party in September. Madison is a sweet, happy and loving little girl. It was a great party and we enjoyed meeting the rest of the family.


Megan (mom) & Madison

Parents, grandparents and great-grandparents
Obviously I'm not cut out for project monogamy. I do really well until I see a project that hits the sweet spot and then all bets are off.

I was sailing right along on Buttercup and making great progress after having to rip out most of the sweater and then I decided to take a look at the "New and Popular" patterns on Ravelry. I'm not sure if it was at the top then as it is now but I couldn't resist Catkin. This gorgeous cape/shawl/poncho has created all kinds of problems. I initially started knitting it with some Miss Babs from the stash but not liking that I lost all resolve and ordered the delicious Madelinetosh Merino Light that the pattern called for. I ended purchasing 5 skeins of yarn instead of the 2 I originally intended. So much for Cold Sheeping.


After I getting over my original feelings of guilt I love the work in progress.


This is for my mom's birthday this month and the plan is to finish it before she leaves for Hawaii at the end of the month.

July 1st is the opening day for submitting your request for the state fair exhibit tags. I was considering not entering this year since I have won the sweepstakes 4 times including the last 3 years in a row. I thought about it and decided that I shouldn't punish myself by not entering because I keep winning. I have worked really hard to improve my skills to get to this point so I don't feel that I am being unjustly rewarded. Each time I win I remember my first entry many, many years ago that didn't qualify for anything because some of the buttons fell off. I may have been in my late teens or early twenties and my main focus at that time was crochet but the failure had such an impact on me that I didn't enter anything else until I was in my early forties.

I compiled my list of categories that I plan to enter and decided on the projects and the yarn. This year I will enter something in the "Infant and Toddler" section. I have two babies, a great niece and a goddaughter, that I'll be able to pass the knits to once the fair is over.

That's it for the update. I keep saying I'm going to do better at blogging but I know if life gets in the way that won't happen so I'll say until the next time.

Adamas Shawl

I didn't mean to take so long between blog post but life has been hectic and demanding. You think that everything is going well in your family life and a bomb drops. I can't go in detail except to say that this has been one of the most devastating events our family has had to endure and we are still trying to recover.

I finished the Adamas shawl the first part of last month but didn't get around to blocking and taking pictures until over a month later. This was our guild kal project that started in January.





Specs:

Pattern: Adamas by mimknits
Yarn: Karabella Lace Merino
Needles: 5 US
Knitted: January 26, 2011 - April 7, 2011

I increased the size in order to use up the full 4 skeins of yarn on hand. I'm glad I did since this made it the perfect size for me. Graciously modeled by my mom.

Beads, Beads Everywhere

Our beading weekend was fantastic!!! We had such a good time that we are already planning the next one. Nancy graciously invited us to her cabin in Chesnee for the weekend. We headed up on Friday after I got off work.


Nancy has been a beader for years as well as an accomplished knitter and painter. She has also been waging a courageous battle against several types of cancer for the past few years. Millie another knitting friend who started beading last year was our driver and co-coordinator of the trip. I rounded out the group of three.

We stopped for dinner and picked up some goodies along the way and once we got to the cabin we settled our things, took over the dining room table and immediately started working on our projects. On Friday we visited Horsefeathers Bead Store in Campobello, SC which is right up the road and dropped some cash. It is off the beaten path but worth visiting. They have an excellent selection of Delica beads.

We also visited North Woods Farm Fiber and Yarn Store in Inman, SC. They have a wonderful selection of yarn, books, needles and bags. In addition to these items they also have an alpaca farm and process their own fiber. I was tempted several times to purchase yarn but managed to stick to the no yarn buying plan. I did purchase some ChiaoGoo needles to test since I have heard such good things about them and this is the first store I've been in that had them. They also sell KnitPicks and Blackthorn needles. I forgot to take my camera with me so I didn't get pictures of either place. I would have loved to get pictures of all of the alpacas especially the babies.

Once we got back and had dinner we began beading in earnest. I started my most time consuming project having found the perfect beads to complete the design at Horsefeathers. I purchased some Rivoli's from Fire Mountain Gems before we left and the colors were not what I expected when light reflected on them so I found some beads that coordinated better at Horsefeathers. This was my first time creating bezels but I was anxious to try the new technique.

We resumed work on our projects Saturday and I finally remembered to get out the camera. The first picture is Nancy, the second Millie and the last me.




I finished two projects and only need to add the button closure and loop on the last.


From bottom to top: Rivoli Square Dance bracelet, Triangle bracelet and Wave Ring


My favorite project is the rivoli bracelet but I learned from all of them. I feel the need to challenge myself with each project and I'm driven to learn all that I can about this new hobby. I'm sure that I'll eventually settle down with some favorite methods but for know I'm having fun trying new ones.

I did manage to get a little knitting done on the way up and back. My Adamas shawl has reached the point where I have to decide if I want to make it bigger or work the final chart. I have two full skeins of yarn remaining so I can easily make it larger. That's it for now. I'm off to put together some beads for some more Wave rings.

Leftovers Are Good For You

For several years I've been saving the little balls of yarn left from socks and more recently (as in last year) fingerless gloves. I've used some of it to make baby socks but was at a loss as to what to do with the rest. I knew I wouldn't knit a sock yarn blanket because blankets aren't my thing. My original plan was to save it for sock repairs which have proven to be few and far between so that the amount on hand has continued to grow.

I bought Think Outside the Sox at Stitches South last year and one of the patterns that caught my eye was the Drip Candle Socks. They were knitted using one of my favorite yarns Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Merino. This past week I pulled out all of the balls that used yarn with a content and twist similar to the Cherry Tree Hill Supersock. Below is the result of that search.


I have enough leftovers to make at least 2 or 3 pairs. I started the first pair today and so far I've used eight of the colors I pulled for this pattern.


This first sock may not be keeper since it is quite snug on the foot. I'm going to put this foot in time out and cast on another with more stitches using the same color scheme. So far I've found the pattern to be quite meditative to work. It is a very simple 2-stitch, 2-row pattern that works up very quickly.

The Palmetto Purlers, my knitting guild, is doing a KAL for Miriam Felton's aka Mimknits Adamas Shawl. I'm using Karabella Yarns Merino Lace which is slightly heavier than laceweight but not quite fingering weight. My initial plan was to knit at least a row a day but as you can see I've already been derailed from that plan. There isn't any rush to get this done so I'm doing a row here and there until it's finished. This is another stash buster project as I try to work through some of the laceweight yarns that I have.

I've been successful in that I haven't purchased any yarn. I did add two skeins of Red Heart Heart & Sole that was in our Knit-Inn baskets. I have mom's skein and mine and will use them to make either socks or fingerless gloves. I'm having success going "Cold Sheep" and it's a pleasure to walk in the room and pick out yarn for whatever project I want to make.

Last year by this time I would have hit all of the sales and added a significant amount of yarn to the already burgeoning stash along with the associated guilt of buying yarn that I don't need. This year it's about making do with what I have and being happy and guilt-free without all the excesses.

Morlynn Shawl

I've been working on a special gift. A gift from the heart and soul.

When Mrs. Edmonds passed I wondered what I could do for Sesame in the days, months and years to come. I can't imagine how it is to loose one's mother. My mother is not only my mother she is my best friend, confident, cheerleader, inspiration and I could go on and on. I wanted to do something that would give her comfort so I knitted her a prayer shawl. We she wears this she will be covered in not just the prayers from me but also those of my mother.




Specs:
Pattern: Morlynn Shawl / Tuch by Alexandra Wiedmayer
Yarn: Miss Babs Yummy Sock & Baby Handpainted Journey & Monochrome Roasted Pumpkin
Needles: 4 Addi Turbo
Started: November 6, 2010 Finished: November 16, 2010

There isn't a modification needed for this wonderful well-written pattern. The only decision is how to arrange your colors. The yarn is delicious and I can't wait to use it again.

Summit

A few days ago I finally was able to arrange a photo shot with Mom to take pictures of the Summit shawl. Even though this project is very repetitive I didn't find it boring at all. I still have yet to cast on the red Summit due to other more important projects. I hope that I'll have it done for vacation.




Specs:
Pattern: Summit Shawl from Knitty.com by
Yarn: Tess' Designer Yarns Raw Silk Silver
Needles: 4 Addi Turbo Lace
For: Mom
Started: April 5, 2010 Finished: May 11, 2010

Mods: I knitted thirteen repeats instead of the original 15 worked in the pattern. No other modifications needed. This design is true genius.

Silk Garden Sock Triangular Shawl

Sometimes you just have to believe.

I was not at all convinced that I liked the color of this shawl while I was knitting it. There is a gray stripe between the blue rows and the colors are deeper than they appear in the picture. It is a beautiful shawl and warm. I tested it in my office on Friday when I took it to work to show it off.




Specs:
Pattern: Based on charts from Knitting Lace Triangles by Evelyn Clark
Yarn: Noro Silk Garden Sock color S8
Needles: 6 Addi Turbo Lace
Started: July 28, 2009 Finished: August 6, 2009

I could see myself knitting a lot of shawls based on this book. All the patterns are very straight forward and the directions excellent. I love the size of this shawl but plan on making several smaller ones. I used most of the 3 skeins of the Silk Garden Sock I purchased and could have easily stopped at 2 - 2.5. I have 3 skeins in another color which I also plan to use for a shawl.

Peacocks

This past weekend I put all these pieces together to form the lovely Little Peacock cropped cardigan. I still need to block it and sew on the button.




Mom tried it on and it's almost a regular sweater on her. She is significantly shorter than me but I don't think that if I'd made it shorter it would have complimented the design. She asked for a cropped top yet each time she's had it on she keeps trying to pull it down?! I asked her if she's sure that she wants a sweater that short.

I'm still waiting on my Skaska Triangular Shawl kit to arrive. They're busy traveling for shows and classes and haven't been back in town to get it together and send it off. In the interim I decided to cast on a shawl using the Silk Garden Sock I recently purchased at the Christmas in July sale at the Hook N Needle. I'm using Evelyn Clark's Knitted Lace Triangles for the design. This basically means that I use the book to plug in the patterns that I want to use.



I think it's ironic that I just finished the Little Peacock cardigan and this shawl reminds me of the colors of a peacocks tail. Growing up there used to be peacocks on the property behind us and every now and then one would come up the hill and we would see its' beautiful tail unfurled. It's not a sight often seen these days.

The Silk Garden Sock was on sale for $10.00 so mom and I purchased 3 skeins each of two different colors for shawls. So far I like the colors. I getting ready to phase into the purple and then the aqua. I'm hoping that by the time I finish this my other shawl project will have arrived.

The hunt is on for the next sweater. I'm thinking of doing either a Berroco or Rowan design. I have designs in mind as well as the yarn for swatching. At the same time, I'm debating whether or not I'll enter anything in the state fair. I don't have anything in mind and time is winding down. For the moment I'm going to play it by ear and if anything strikes my fancy I'll go from there.

Sock Frenzy

It's been hot, hot, hot here. That means lots of time spent indoors escaping the heat and enjoying the AC. I've been working on the 3 pairs of socks that I have on the needles.

Sunshine - One sock down 1/3 of the second started.


Elongated Corded Rib - Sensational Knitted Socks for mom. I'm using Regia Bamboo Color. I started this one before the June Cookie A Sock Knit-Along began.


Nebula - Cookie A Sock Innovation Knit-Along June. I'm using the Kona that I dyed Cantaloupe.


I'm not sure if I'll finish this one in time. It requires a lot of work and I may not have the time to devote to it.

I've decided to knit the Triangular Warm Shawl. I spent two days looking for the pattern and it was exactly where I had put it. This pattern is in the September/October 2002 Piecework which is sold out and I was freaking out for a minute because I knew I'd purchased it with the kit. I haven't started yet too busy trying to get some of these socks finished and I've cast on something for mom.


She's been looking for a bolero type sweater. The new Knotions is out and features a cute bolero named the Little Peacock. I had Cotton Classic on hand in cream, she had specified white, but says that this color is okay. I casted on today and will try to finish this by the end of the month. We have a trip in July so I definitely want to be finished by then.


I've been keeping an eye on the garden. The tomatoes and squashes have blooms but no squash or tomatoes thus far. I have peppers growing and today I saw the first little cucumber. It is about an inch long so I have to be sure to water them well. Each year I'm trying to add something different. I love fresh fruit and vegetables and this is the time of year when you can get them at their best. I'm hoping that I have the same bounty that I did last year which gave me plenty of opportunities for sharing.

C is for Cookie

Yesterday I started my fourth pair of Cookie A socks. The Sunshine pattern from Sock Innovation. I'm using the Trekking Undyed that I dyed Cornflower. This color has called me from when it first came out of the dye pot. I may end up giving these socks to mom as the leg seems a little big on me. She has you increase to 80 stitches when doing the pattern and that may just be a tad too much for me.


The Sock Innovation knit-along is also planning to knit the Nebula. It is a new pattern available on her website. I was planning to use the Dream In Color Smooshy I purchased at Stitches South but it turned out to be a tangled mess. I had undone a knot in the skein thinking it was where it was tied and the trouble began. One large beautiful skein turned into 3 smaller yarn cakes. I was disappointed to say the least.

I've narrowed my shawl selection down to two. Both are Galina Khmeleva designs. The first choice is the Triangular/Warm scarf which I purchased as a kit at the TKGA convention in Atlanta a few years ago. The second choice is Olga's Indiski (Indian) Shawl which is on the cover of the current issue of Piecework. I saw this shawl at Stitches South and purchased the magazine before it was distributed. If I select this pattern I'll use some of the 50/50 Merino Silk I purchased from Skaska at the same time.

I'm still playing around with the dye pot. I tried the yarn cake dyeing technique used by Monica. I wound the cakes too loose and they fell apart in the pot. I also added two skeins that were still in their original form and had some fun results. I've overdyed some of the skeins and am waiting for them to dry.

I went to In the Loop to find yarn for the Nebula socks. I didn't find anything that caught my eye so this evening I am dyeing two 400 yard hanks Canteloupe. The large size of this pattern takes 500 yards! I may have to tone the color down some when I check it in the morning but for now it's looking good. This dyeing thing is getting in my blood. That's all for now, check you later.