a post in which I get all the knits

Happy Weekend, friends! It has been a good weekend for recharge and knitting.

I finished the Evergreen socks:

Pattern: Evergreen Socks by Madeline Gannon
Yarn: Cakewalk Yarns Footsie in Peppermint Bark, which is sadly discontinued
Needles: 2.25 mm
Modifications: I added a little length between finishing the chart and starting the heel, only because I like longer socks!
This is my second finished pair this year! I am aiming for 18 pairs.

modified eye of partridge heel

The pattern is very well written and includes both charts and written instructions for the lace trees, making it an excellent pattern for knitters new to lace and/or charts. I remember the first time I knit from a chart, I also used the written directions to double check that I was reading the chart keys correctly. It was very helpful and gave me confidence in chart reading (when I got it right, ha!)

Cakewalk Yarns is such a pleasure to knit with. It is sad the dyer is no longer dyeing yarn, but there are hundreds of indie dyers producing yarn everyday that deserve their work to be celebrated too.


I also finished a hat! For me!

Pattern: Brier Toque by Cecily Glowik MacDonald
Yarn: Liberty's Yarn Sockingbird (also another discontinued yarn) in Montol
Needles: US 2.5 for brim and US 5 for body
Feb 1-Feb 7

I've owned this book for at least two years, I enthusiastically marked patterns I must knit, and yet this is the first hat I've knit from it. Story of my life! All of the patterns in Weekend Hats are beautiful and I'd really love to knit more of them...maybe even one a month??

This hat is my first entry for My Sister's Knitter Stash Down KAL! Yahoo!! It feels awesome to have used stash and also knit myself a hat that I love.

It's a beautifully mindless knit. I cast on February 1st and finished last night. At one point when I had knit about three inches and was b o r e d  to  d e a t h of the vanillaness of it and wondering what the heck I got myself into, I opened a book. Sometimes vanilla knitting and watching tv is honestly not stimulating enough and I will get tired of knitting. But there's something different about reading and knitting that makes me want to knit and read and knit and read forever.

 

I knit to the pattern, so the hat is ten inches from cast on edge to start of decreases. It does make for a long hat. Several Ravelers noted in their project pages that they just knit to eight inches. I might do the same when I knit this toque again. The pattern calls for Crazy Zauberball, and I'd really love to have a Crazy Zauberball hat :)


I cast on my Valentine's Day/Birthday socks!

The pattern is Allons-y!!! by Jennifer Thomassian and yarn is by The Little Mount Yarn Co in Chocolate Covered Cherry.

I loooooooove these socks.

I've knit almost exclusively on this sock and the February hat this week. Scott's socks have the beginning of a heel flap but it's almost impossible to pick them up when I have this lovely pink one on the needles too. It's like choosing between a bag of Skittles and boiled Swiss Chard... Duh.


It rained all week but today the sun is out!! I am going to take a walk while I can :) I hope everybody has a beautiful Sunday and a fabulous week xx

2014: a year in socks

Happy New Year!! I hope it has been treating all of you very well. So far my January has been very inspiring and hopeful. I hope I can make it last! :)

Right now I am knitting Weasley Homestead socks by Erica Lueder:


The yarn is stuff I handdyed with Kool-aid! I am really pleased with how these are knitting up; I wasn't too sure on the color at first, but the colors combined with the pattern.......ooooooh!


Since the new year began, I have finished two objects. yeah!!



Pattern: Afterthought Heels by Laura Linneman
Yarn: String Theory Colorworks Tachyon Self Striping in Helix Nebula
Needles: Magic loop on 2.25 mm 40" cable
Cast on: December 23, 2013

Learning to make an afterthought heel has been in my to do list for quite some time. I love when all the stripes line up. And these were soooo easy to do! Very eye-pleasing with not a lot of effort :)


My second FO is currently blocking; it is a Great Divide shawl. I started it in September 2013, so it feels awesome having it completed. I will take photos as soon as possible!! I already know I love it. I knit it with Madeline Tosh dk...... ♥ ♥ ♥


Have you heard about the Knitting Resolutions KAL that My Sister's Knitter is hosting??

via My Sister's Knitter

Firstly, these are the best KALs I've ever participated in. Andi is an awesome host, and the Ravelry group is full of the most supportive crafters :) and secondly, all of the KALs have been very inspiring!

so, my goals:

1. Knit 13 pairs of socks
2. Knit up more stashed yarn, including handspun!
3. Learn to Navajo ply
4. Buy a darning egg and fix that white pair of socks
5. Organize craft room
6. Frog Rockefeller, reskein and wash yarn ... I will never wear this shawl
7. Knit mom an afghan
8. Knit dad a pair of socks
9. Finish WIPs, I think I have about four
10. Read 50 books

there are several more, but they are pretty unrelated to this blog so I won't mention them :)

 

To help knit thirteen pairs of socks, I spent my morning organizing and going through both my Ravelry library and queue, combing patterns I have been dying to knit. I really want to knit new patterns this year. There is nothing wrong with Hermione's Everyday socks, but they are my go to pattern when I don't know what to knit, and I would like more variety!! hehe :)

I created a 2014 tab in my queue with eleven sock patterns (ideally one per month!):

January: is my current WIP, Weasley Homestead
February: True Love by Chrissy Gardiner
March: Shur'tugal by Alice Yu
April: Cadence Socks by verybusymonkey  (I want to try this pattern again since I frogged my first try)
May: School Pick Up Line Socks by Lisa Beth Houchins 
June: (open)
July: Devil's Snare Socks by Erica Lueder
August: Waving Lace Socks by Evelyn A. Clark
September: Merripog Socks by Jennifer Hagan
October: Boo! Toe-Up Socks by Emily B. Miller
November: "Little Pumpkins" Socks by Sabine Ruppert
December: On-Hold Socks by Wendy D. Johnson
floating socks (that I might work on between other sock patterns):  another stripey pair of AfterThought Heel Socks by Laura Linneman. and there will more than likely be Hermione's too...because I can't help myself

The above photo are skeins I would like to knit into socks this year, and many of them have been "assigned" to a monthly sock pattern. I am sure there will be changes to this list during the year; I will really just use it as a guideline. But I am already looking forward to all of these patterns...some have been in my queue for years!! It feels really good to have a plan for them finally :)

I really hope planning a year's worth of socks pays off! It will give me something to look forward to each month. It will help use up stash. It forces me to use patterns I've been collecting...and ogling :) 

that's it from me, I hope everyone has a wonderful week!! xx

hello!

I am back from vacation!! I can't wait to share my photos and stories with all of you... but I'm warning you that it will be a beast of a post :))))

In the meantime, I'll share two recent finished objects.




Pattern: Blueberry Waffle Socks by Sandy Turner
Yarn: Cakewalk Yarn in colorway Cherry Blossom
Needles: Magic Loop 2.25 mm
Modifications: I knit these socks toe-up in fingering weight yarn, rather than sport. 64 stitches.

This is pair six of thirteen that I hope to knit this year :)




I love this yarn. And I can't wait to get my hands on more.




Originally, I started vanilla socks with the yarn, but realized I wanted something else. I am really glad I frogged and knit this pattern instead. Don't get me wrong; I swoon over the plain vanillas on Ravelry knit in Cherry Blossom. This yarn is gorgeous in any pattern.





Pattern: Whitecaps Hat by Emily Wessel
Yarn: Malabrigo Chunky in colorway Bobby Blue
Needles: Magic Loop 4.5 mm and 5.0 mm
Modifications: none! Though, I might have added more ribbing rows but I didn't know if I would have enough yarn. As it is, the hat fully covers my ears so I am very pleased!

The pattern gives directions for three different weights of yarn, and I'd like to knit one in sport next!! This is a great pattern, very well written with beautiful results.




This was my first time using Malabrigo and it is sooo lovely!! The dye job is gorgeous and the yarn is so dreamy. On vacation I bought a fingering weight skein of Malabrigo... moohaha! can't wait!




Off to work on the vacation post :) happy Tuesday, friends!

Sunday already?

This weekend is going by much too quickly! We spent a lot of yesterday cooking, dehydrating meals, and cleaning up. We managed to make and dehydrate Thai Noodles and Black Bean Stew; they are both really tasty! Dehydrating meals is somewhat of a new adventure for us, we started trying it last year after finding the Backpack Gourmet. I was skeptical at first but the recipes in this book are actually really good (like, meals to cook on a regular basis even!). It has recipes for both hot and cold breakfasts, lunches, dinners, breads/crackers, and snacks. What really sealed the deal for me is it's sooo easy to rehydrate the food when camping- just add water and boil. That makes camp life so much less stressful if it's getting dark, you're starved, and don't want to cook! And since the meal wasn't prepared in the pot, just rehydrated, it's ridiculously easy to clean up (I hate washing dishes when camping).


This past week I finished a pair of fingerless mittens:



Pattern: Grand Right and Left by Paula McKeever
Cast on: April 1, 2013
Finished: August 1, 2013
Yarn: Knit Picks Telemark in Aubergine
Needles: US 4
Modifications: none!

I looove these mitts. They were a mystery KAL that I couldn't resist....but lost my steam after the first mitt! Very happy these are finished and am looking forward to autumn so I can wear them :)


I have also picked up my dad's (last year's) Christmas socks again:



The toes were too short!! I had put off knitting these until the final weeks before Christmas, and knit like a madwoman. I think I actually finished them on Christmas Eve....and then they didn't fit! I probably cried. It has seriously taken all these months to gather up my strength.


And progress on my Whitecaps Hat:



The color is a little off in this photo, but you get the idea! I am on the last pattern repeat before decreasing. I would like to finish this hat in time for our Canadian vacation :) T-minus eight days!!!!!

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend :)

Pools of sorrow, waves of joy

FO!! This is pair 2/13 !



I am in love with these socks!! The yarn is wonderful, the pattern is pretty yet simple enough that I was able to read while knitting, and they fit perfectly!!

Pattern: Vanilla Latte Socks by Virginia Rose-Jeanes
Yarn: Lynai Superwash Sock Yarn in Across the Universe
Needle: 2.25 mm Magic Loop
Notes: Two at at time, toe up. I looove the Eye of Partridge heel! I think it's my favorite now.







in love with the speckles!!! Hope everyone has a good Wednesday :)

two old FOs :)

I finished both Hitchhiker and the Colorblock shawl in March, but never took photos of them! (with a real camera, instead of my cell phone, I mean :) )






Pattern: Hitchhiker by Martina Behm
Yarn: Madeline Tosh Sock in Tart
Needles: 3.25 mm
Notes: I wanted to use as much of the skein as possible, and ended up with 35 teeth

This yarn is soooo beautiful, I loved knitting with it. This is my second time knitting this pattern, and it is my favorite! I have yarn to knit my aunt one too :)



It started snowing!!



Pattern: Colorblock Shawl by Jenn Pfeiffer
Yarn: Knit Picks Felici Sport in Sunny Day and Lana Gatto VIP
Needles: 4.0 mm
Notes: The only modifications I made were sandwiching the MC between the CC (which ended up being the main color!), and shortening the length of the shawl.



I love it!! Both yarns are super soft, and the Lana Gatto has a touch of cashmere in it :)



That's it for now! Hope you guys are having a great weekend :)

FO: Holly, Ivy, and Bunneh, and Owlies

The finished trio for my mom!

grandma's old ornaments; they are glass and I have no idea how old, but I LOVE them!

Holly:

Ivy:

Bunny nugget:

and the bunny I first knit is on the tree:

I would love to knit a ton of these bunnies for the tree! I have been knitting a lot of them, only I keep giving them away!


I also knit these Owls for Autumn! She's having a baby girl soon and she loves owls:

Pattern: Owl Puffs by Jenna Krupar
Yarn: Stash worsted weight, mostly Patons Classic Wool
Needles: US 5
Mods: none! The pattern is very quick to knit and easy to follow. Knit from bottom up, and closed with Kitchener stitch.


So this will be a super busy and fun week: there's Book Club on Wednesday, Holiday Switchy-Switch on Saturday (a full day event: our Book Club's holiday party where we will eat a lot, watch Christmas movies, craft, and give handmade gifts!), and for everyone in school, it's Finals Week!


How cute is this ornament?? I might have to make some, as well as all the others in her ornament series! Arg, I had better get moving. Why is it that when I have so much to do, I procrastinate the hardest?


Happy Monday! Stay warm.

FOs

Oops, I meant to post this on Friday! Oh well, leaves me room to add things :)

Holly:

the trio will be for mom

Christmas Cafe au Lait:

for my cousin

This was such a great pattern! The texture is awesome, and they are a nice, snug fit - which I love.

 Cross stitch update, I'm finished with week two:

The more I stitch, the more I love it! Each square seriously is cuter than the last.

And last but not least, I'm currently working on the second monster of the trio, Ivy, and reading a new book!

I am such a fan of Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling (you probably knew that already) so I am incredibly excited that she wrote another book! I read a lot of negative reviews on the book, but I will see for myself. Part of me thinks people will hate just to hate, especially since she's had so much success. It's a darker book, that's for sure.

I hope all you of enjoy your weekend! It seems like it will be wet and chilly here.

bunny nuggets and things

Wow, I can't believe it's already November 1st! We had a pretty unspirited Halloween... no costumes, no pumpkins, no trick-or-treaters! This is the second year we've lived in this house, and we didn't have any trick-or-treaters last year either. I think because we live so close to the mall, most kids go there. Scott and I have been having a Matrix marathon, and finished the third movie last night.

I was recently gifted a pattern on Ravelry by a dear and kind friend, and although I'm sure she would not mind if I mentioned her name, I will keep her anonymous. I just wanted to say thank so much, you are a wonderful being, and I was absolutely floored that you did this! The pattern is Hitchhiker, one that I've wanted to knit for some time, and now Hitchhiker and this wonderful RAK will always be synonymous in my mind!

A few things off the needles recently:

Bunny nuggets!

Pattern: Bunny Nuggets by Rebecca Danger
Yarn: Knit Picks Felici Sport in Sunny Day
Needles: 2.50 mm
Mods: none! super cute. I used 6 mm safety eyes and glued little pom poms for a tail instead of making one.

Starting a new book, the first physical book I've picked up in a long time

Daybreak! Will have an actual photo shoot soon...

Pattern: Daybreak by Stephen West
Yarn: Knit Picks Chroma fingering in Galapagos and Stroll in Dove Heather
Needles: US 4

Mods: none!! Perfect size after blocking, not too big or small, just right.

for Aunt Linda...first Christmas present knit!

Pattern: Cranberry Sauce by Brittany Tyler
Yarn: Knit Picks Cadena in Cranberry
Needles: US 9 & 10 1/2
Mods: none, but it is a little short. Good news is I didn't run out of yarn like I thought I would!


That's about it, hope you are all enjoying your week!
Thinking of everyone affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Denise's hat

I finished my first commissioned project! It was a very exciting process and I can't wait to have another order!

The yarn is Patons Classic Wool in Gray mix and Black.

FO no. 34: save yer bags!

Unstuffed. This is the only project I've ever enjoyed this colorway knit in. It stripes!!

 
2011 Knit Challenge: 34 knit, 26 to go!!!!!! woo hoo!!









Fancy side by side, huh? :) Left, unstuffed. Right, stuffed.

I modified the pattern I linked a few days ago, but it looks like I can still make some more mods.

For one, it only holds 15 plastic grocery bags. I don't know about you, but we certainly have waaay more than that. Although to be honest, those 15 are among the ones that we've accumulated since living in this house. (We try our hardest to use reusable fabric bags.) The others are in a laundry hamper, and are from Scott's previous life. To be fair, they were a great help protecting dishes and glassware when we moved.

close up!

This is one of the mods I made.... a little loopy to hang it!! I would like to make the loop wider and bigger, especially if the entire bag holder is going to be bigger.

Eee!! I am so excited to use this!! Growing up, we used a bag holder that grandma made out of fabric and elastic ends. It was HUGE. My parents still have it. And now I have one of my own :)