Third Time is a Charm

Well, it seems that Noro Kureyon Sock has a mind of its own. This yarn did not cooperate much in the pattern and yarn matching department. First, I thought it wanted to be the Undulating Rib Socks. Apparently not. They ended up in the frog pond.




Thinking that the second pattern (Ravelry link) I picked would work, nope. I admit that I was constantly messing this pattern up. It might have had something to do with not liking to knit my socks toe up.



So the third time was the charm with this yarn. I was able to complete the Cabled Rib Socks from the Favorite Socks book. I will probably knit with this yarn again (in a very simple rib pattern or a plain sock). The reason why you ask??? These socks are warm. I think living in Minnesota a girl needs warm socks.

Y is for

Yippee!!!!!!






I finally finished Kiri yesterday. It is now in the process of drying. I will admit that I have no vague clue how to block lace so this is a new adventure in itself.

I have to admit that I was scared of knitting lace. All the yarnovers and knit togethers scared me a little. I think that I will be knitting more shawls and stoles. If only I knew what to do with them afterwards. I am not the "shawl wearing" type. I tend to lean towards jeans and sweatshirts most of the time. I might just have to change what I wear just so I have an excuse to knit more shawls.

After finishing Kiri, I am motivated to pull this(Ravelry Link) out of hibernation.

X is for

eXtra. I need some extra knitting time. I am not a "Christmas Knitter". If I give something to someone I have knitted it is usually "just because". So none of these are on a deadline. I am just doing my own thing.



Word of wisdom: Rows of 300 stitches plus take a while to knit. Even when you knit 10 to 20 of these rows it still doesn't look any bigger. I am down to the last two repeats and the edging and then I am done with this project. I am already thinking about the next one.



Haven't been knitting on the Noro socks since Saturday. They are coming along nicely. I think I won't have to rip them out again. I have a feeling when these are done they will become one of my favorite pairs.




I gave into the Monkey again. I have the cuff done and I am working on the first repeat. I think just casting them on has kind of let some of the intensity behind knitting them lessen a little. Hoping to wear them on Christmas.




This is my second attempt at a sweater. If I knitted one, I wanted to be able to wear it when I was done so long sleeves was a must, since it is Minnesota.

I must go knit now.

W is for

Want. This yarn wants to be Monkeys. I tried to resist the third pair of Monkeys but I have decided that it is futile. So I plan to cast these on tonight or sometime tomorrow.




This yarn just wanted to be wound into a ball. I think it thinks if I wind it up it might get knit up soon. We shall see. I am still looking for a good pattern for it.




This sock just wants to be finished. It wants to be worn in my Ariat's that I always seem to have on. I am trying to accomodate all three of these, but they are all being pushy.


P.S. If someone knows where my scissors are can you please fill me in??? I can't find them.

Where the Yarn Speaks

I have always heard "the yarn will tell me". I never believed it until now. My friend Linda sent me this yarn. I guess it wanted to move up here in the cold. Maybe this yarn needs a therapist because I would have stayed where it was warmer. I am really glad that it wanted to come here though. Thanks again, Linda.



This yarn finally got an "attitude adjustment" and is becoming a pair of socks FINALLY. I am using the Cable Rib Pattern from Favorite Socks. I do enjoy the pattern but I am not enjoying the cables stitches on size 0's too much.




This yarn has dreams of being a Christmas ornament, little does it know that it will be my next sock project. I am thinking Diagonal Cross Rib Socks or Embossed Leaves from the Favorite Socks book. Do you see a pattern developing here? All of a sudden I have been wanting to make the patterns out of this book. I got this book last year for Christmas and it wasn't until the last pair of socks I made did I get the "bug" to make so many of them. I am still trying to avoid making another pair of Monkeys. I should just give in and make another pair though, huh?




Last, but not least by any means, what would a blog post from me be like without a gratiuitous picture of Buddy.

Busy Wednesday!!!!

The little people got out of school at 12:50 this afternoon. Punkinbug helped bake pies. I think she is going to be the one that likes to cook the most. Punkin is getting good in the kitchen also.








I think they turned out well.




Since we have been getting ready for tomorrow, very little knitting has occured today. I think I have knit five rounds on this sock today. So far it might be a keeper. I did have to rip it out since the last post due to a dropped stitch that I couldn't fix. I am on the second repeat now.






A day just wouldn't be complete without playing a game of "Squash Your Sister".

Kind of Sad

My favorite pair of pajama pants are just about worn out. They were too big but I love them. They were really baggy just the way pajama pants are supposed to be. I think after the winter is over I will throw them in the trash unless they just can't make it that far.




I have knit more today than all of the whole weekend. I only have one and a half repeats before I start decreasing the toe. I will be glad when they are done so I can focus on the next pair of socks.


Which I happened to cast on this morning. I am not letting this Noro Sock yarn beat me. I think I have finally got a start that I am going to want to finish. More details later if I stick with them.



I have a feeling that this turkey at some point was kind of sad too. Now it is sitting in my refrigerator thawing out for it's big day on Thursday.

Saturday and Sunday

SATURDAY



Punkinbug was playing store. All day long she was trying to sell me stuff. I let her "have" some of my yarn and roving to sell.





I got all this stuff for 50 pennies. Malabrigo and Claudia Handpainted sock yarn, Bonkers fiber, and some leftover Malabrigo worsted plus a Dinoco Lightning McQueen. I wish my LYS had sales like that.





I spun a little yesterday. I really need to get this all finished up so I can knit with it in December. I finished this bobbin and started the second one.



SUNDAY

I didn't finish this sock. Hopefully sometime this week.




This picture has nothing to do with this weekend, but they sure are cute aren't they. Love my guys.

Fashionista Friday

I am really enjoying knitting this pair of socks. It is an easy pattern to memorize and I like the different cuff. I have a feeling I will knit this pattern again. It is the Waving Lace pattern from Favorite Socks. I have had a hard time with knitting socks lately. The Noro sock I was knitting I ended up frogging. I have to admit I just don't like toe up socks. I don't like short row heels and I don't like messing with the bind off for the cuff at the end. I would just rather Kitchner the toe together when I am done.





I started a new spinning project yesterday. This is some BFL that I dyed with food coloring. I am hoping that it can be socks of some kind but we shall see. I wanted something "Christmasy" so I think this will work. I am excited to see how it will ply together, but that will be a little ways away. Since I don't spin very fast.




Well, I think I might have a little Fashionista on my hands. Our little Punkinbug looks great in her little hat and coat.

From Fiber to Finished Object

Well, I had wonderful plans to show pictures of all the steps of this fiber. Somehow I can't find the ones from when I spun it, or the finished yarn. I know the minute after I finish this post they will just show up. I dyed the fiber, I spun, and knit it. It was really neat to say that I did all that for this project.




This was my first project that I knit out of my handspun. It is a neck warmer that I used the Embossed Stitch pattern from More Sensational Knitted Socks. I had about 150 yards of a three ply. I think the model is pretty cute too.







With the cloudy weather, this is the best picture I could get of it right now but maybe if I get motivated one sunny day I will get a better picture.

V is for

Veterans.

I don't know if any veterans read this blog but I just wanted to say THANK YOU. I appreciate all you have done in the past, present and future. THANK YOU.

A Mouse took My Knitting

There is snow on the ground in my part of Minnesota. I will admit that I am not ready for snow yet. Okay, I am never really "ready" for snow but I didn't look forward to this at all this year. I guess if the wind wasn't blowing and it wasn't so cold I wouldn't mind. I do know that in the big scheme of things 22 degrees isn't really all that cold.



I tried the 'get up and do something, maybe you will feel better' trick this afternoon and this is what I did. I made some banana bread. It made the house smell so yummy. I am not sure if it worked or not. I am still really tired and achy but I think it is getting better.



I never thought a knitting Mickey Mouse could be so elusive. I looked for the Little Buddy's Mickey Mouse for half an hour last night and I couldn't find him. Little Buddy finally went to sleep so I quit looking. I guess he was trying to find peace and quiet to get the sock that he is knitting cast on. He is knitting the Waving Lace Socks from the Favorite Socks book. He is using Seacoast Handpainted in Signs of Spring colorway.



Are you wondering where I finally found him??? He was hiding in my closet on top of a small filing box. Notice how he somehow hid that sock while I wasn't looking. Who knew that the most famous mouse in the world was so sneaky??????

Sightings

I am glad the election is over. I was tired of the mudslinging about two months ago. I hope that the new government can work together and do something great for our country. We are very blessed to live in the United States and I am thankful for that. I have to admit I get kind of tired of all the political junk that comes with it sometimes.

Not much knitting going on around here lately. Don't get me wrong I have been knitting just not enought progress on anything to warrant a picture. Unless you count some dishcloths I knit up since mine were looking kind of ratty.

Now on to the sightings.



Fairies and Elmo. Along with goofy Uncle B.




Playing in the leaves. This is a tradition that we have now that we have moved here and the kids love it. This year it almost didn't happen since I was sick but I pushed through feeling horrible and raked enough leaves so I could take our yearly picture. I had chills and felt horrible the rest of the evening but it was so worth it.



Talking on the phone with Papa. I think this girl will have a phone growing out of her ear in a few years or a texting bill that I don't want to see.







Napping. Husband is going to kill me for this one. There is nothing as sweet as a little boy and his daddy taking an afternoon nap together. Love you both.

U is for

Upon. That would be that fall is upon us. It is windy as all get out here today and chilly. This tree is now pretty bare since the wind blew all the leaves off of it. It is such a pretty tree in the fall and I enjoy seeing it change every year.




Knitting has been pretty sparse around here lately. I have been spinning some but the knitting is taking a bit of a back seat. I am not sure if it is due to the pattern or the yarn. I might just be suffering from sock burnout. It seems that is all I have knit this year. I am enjoying the shawl project but not making much progress as the rows get longer and longer. My friend Linda summed it up pretty good when she said those triangle shawls suck you in with those shorter rows in the beginning. I really think that it will be very pretty when it is done though.




We had a sighting of the Tooth Fairy last night. Punkinbug lost her second tooth last night. The first one she lost at school and didn't tell anyone so it got lost somewhere. She was pretty excited this morning when her tooth was gone and there was a dollar bill in its place. I don't remember getting that much for a tooth. Must have something to do with the economy or inflation.

Socks by 2, Shawl, and Something about Shoes

There is a very happy little girl in my house. She is wearing her very first pair of handmade socks. Mommy made her a pair since she has been wanting a pair for a long time. I think I got them pretty close to matching. She really likes them. She was telling everyone at school today about them. It is really exciting to have somebody appreciate your knitting.




My friend, Linda, bought some of the dreaded Noro Sock Yarn. I asked her what she was going to do with it and she said socks. I told her "Good Luck" with that. I guess she inspired me to try to use mine again. I am not a fan of toe up socks. I don't know how to to the heels very well but, I am giving it a go again. This is the Anastasia pattern from Ravelry. Yes, Linda, I am being a copy cat. I didn't have too much trouble with the toe but we shall see how the heel goes. If anyone knows some place I can look online to find out how to do a heel flap for a toe up sock let me know. I never like how my short row heels turn out.




I am really enjoying this shawl pattern. I am on the seventh repeat I think. I am not sure how many repeats I will end up doing. I am not really sure how big I want it yet. I know that I am constantly looking for triangular shawl patterns on Ravelry. I have decided that I like shawls that have repeats that I can memorize.




I am really impressed with this little girl. This little girl learned to tie her shoes yesterday. I only had to show her twice how to do it and she was off to the races. She even tied her own shoes for school this morning, which gave me time to get Little Buddy ready to go. Now if I can only get him potty trained.




Bye for now, the knitting is calling to me.

Ranting and Knitting

I am going to rant about things that are really making me angry for a bit and the knitting is at the end of this post. I promise there is a FO. I am not trying to cause a rucus or anything, these are just my views and I wanted to put them out there.

1. I am sick and tired of mud slinging campaigns. I don't want to hear in commercials what is wrong with the other guy I want to know what you are going to do to fix the problem.

2. If you run for President and you lose, resign your Senate seat.

3. If you are running for office, vote on the bills and laws that are being voted on in the Senate. The people that put you there did so they could be heard. It is your job to do what the people put you there to do. Yes, that means you will have to be responsible for how you vote during the campaign, and you might have to defend it. DUH!!!!

4. When you are in a debate, quit avoiding the question and answer the question. That is the purpose for debates so the public knows what you are going to do instead of just dancing around the subject or changing the subject all together.

Okay I am done ranting for the moment.







I have a finished object. These are my Spring Forward Socks. Blue Moon Fiber Arts Hot Flash in the lightweight Socks that Rock. This color is on hiatus for a bit.



What do you do at 12:30 in the morning and you can't sleep. You get up and cast on a project is what you do. I cast this on after I ripped out my Secret of the Stole 3 project. Life is too short to knit stuff you don't really like. I am really enjoying this shawl. It is the Kiri Shawl that I found on Ravelry. I am using some KnitPicks Gloss Laceweight for it.




Punkin has been wanting a pair of socks for a while so I cast on a pair of ankle socks for her yesterday. I am almost done with the heel flap on the first one and hope to work on it some today if I get a chance.