Quick Knits

I knit a couple of pairs of Camp Out Fingerless Mitts since the last time I posted.   I knit the darker pair in less than a day.  Those were knit from some handspun.  

The second pair took me a little longer. They would have been done really quick as well but I didn't knit on them all weekend.  I just used some yarn from my stash to knit those.  I think the girls like them.  I am considering making myself a pair but I may tweak it a little to add a little shaping to the arm.

First Finished Object of 2012

This is my first FO of the new year.  Sadly these were on the needles for almost six months.  I am so glad they are done.

Vanilla Socks
Started August 27, 2011
Finished February 3, 2012
Needles Size 0 Addi Turbo Circulars (two circular)
Yarn S.R. Kertzer On Your Toes with Aloe

I am not a huge fan of this yarn.  It was very splitty and there was a knot that changed the direction of the yarn stripes which was kind of irritating.

Spinning Has Taken Over

I have been spinning quite a bit this year.

This is Wild Ivy BFL, it is around 182 yards of worsted weight.  I usually don't spin thicker yarns but it turned out okay I think.  I am planning for some mittens or fingerless mitts.

This is Woolgatherings January 2012 fiber club.  It was a BFL/Seacell blend.  I am planning another Sockhead hat I think.

This is UrbanGypz Superwash Merino.  The colorway is Little Laney and it is a three ply fingering weight.   I plan to make some socks with this.  I love this yarn for socks.  They are so soft and cushy.  The two pairs I have made from yarn spun from this fiber are my favorites.

So far this is what I have spun this year.  I am really enjoying spending time with my wheel.  I already have another braid on the wheel.

Awesome!!!!!

I have to admit that I was a little afraid to spin this fiber.  I have never spun BFL/Seacell blend.  I love the streaks of seacell that didn't take the color.

I started spinning this today.  I am spinning it kind of fine to navajo ply it for a hat or a scarf. I think it would make a very happy Hitchhiker scarf or an amazing Sockhead hat.

Ten On Tuesday 1.17.12

Today's Topic:  10 Things To Do Inside When It's Too Cold To Go Outside.

1. Knit

2. Read a Book

3. Watch Kansas Jayhawks  Basketball

4. Bake cookies

5. Clean house (not really but it sounds good).

6. Put a puzzle together

7. Watch TV or a good movie 

8. Take a hot bubble bath

9. Spin beautiful yarn

10. Take a nap all snuggled up under a blanket.

A Start

I have started on my 12 lbs of Crazy project.  I have really been "bitten" by the spinning bug lately.  This is the first yarn I finished this year, approximately 322 yards of heavy fingering two ply.  It was dyed by Wild Ivy and it is BFL.

My second yarn for this year is the December SAL from AllSpunUp.  It is approximately 332 yards of merino/tencel heavy fingering weight.  The colorway was Water Lilies.

Both of the yarns turned out really well and I am excited to knit something with them.  I just need to find the "perfect" project for them both.

10 on Tuesday 2.0

The topic today is 10 Things You Want to Do This Year

1. Take better care of myself.

2. Continue to read my Bible everyday and develop my relationship with God.

3. Spin more.  I signed up for the 12 Pounds in 2012.  I am calling it my 12 Lbs of Crazy project. (The above yarn is what I am currently spinning.

4. Make two sweaters for me.   This includes the one I started in 2010.

5. More organized.

6. Knit 12 pairs of socks, six of them from my stash.

7. Listen more.

8. Worry less. Quit worrying about things I have absolutely no control over.

9. Read 75 books this year.

10. Find more happiness in everyday.  We tend to focus so much on the bad and not enjoy the good.

New Year=New Yarn

Well it is a new year, and I have new handspun yarn.  This is some Wild Ivy Designs.  She doesn't always give them names so I make them up as I go.  I called this one Easter Basket.

This is the Polwarth from The Knitgirllls SAL/KAL.  I don't know the yardage on this one either but I am going to put it back on my niddy noddy to find out.  I had a little over 400 before I soaked it, but Polwarth seems to bloom so I will check it again before I decide what to knit with it.

My Last Finished Object of 2011

Well this is it.  This will complete my finished objects for the year of 2011.  (I don't think I can whip anything else out before midnight tomorrow.)

Sockhead Hat
Started December 22, 2011
Finished December 28, 2011
Yarn Handspun Wild Ivy in Hooligans
Needles Size 3 Hiya Hiya 16 inch circular.

I really like this hat and I eventually I will make more.  I didn't have enough yarn to do the whole 14 inches so I started decreasing at about 9 inches total.

Finished!

I finished my Christmas knitting.  I really don't knit for Christmas but someone asked me to make a pair of socks for her mom for Christmas so I said I would.  Her family does "special" things for Christmas and she thought her mom would LOVE a pair of hand knitted socks.  I thought it was a really sweet thing to do for her mom.

Hermione Everyday Socks
Socks that Rock Lightweight in Rocktober
Needles 1.5 Knit Picks Circulars
Started November 15, 2011
Finished December 18, 2011

I really enjoy knitting with Socks that Rock it is one of my favorite yarns.

I started a couple of new projects yesterday.  I am making the Sockhead hat out of some handspun.  The roving was dyed by Wild Ivy Designs.  I also started a pair of Jeck socks.  I am using Socks that Rock in the River Rock colorway.

I Have New Handspun

I finished spinning part of the Polwarth/Silk in the Tapestry colorway.   I have about 250 of a light worsted to worsted weight.  It is amazing how much this "poofed" up.  I had 300 yards before I washed it and now I only have around 250 yards.  I love this fiber and I think that it is one of my new favorites.

I am spinning some Polwarth now. It is the Haunted Vineyard from the KnitGirllls spin a long/knit a long.  

Tiny Tea Leaves

Oh how I enjoyed knitting this sweater.  Which is a good thing since her older sister wants one like it but in pink.

It was such a fun knit.  The only problem I really had was when I was trying to do the sleeves magic loop and I didn't like it so I put it down for a while.  I hope I can remember just how much I dislike magic loop knitting. So I don't "try" it again.  It just leads to frustration for me.

I think she likes it.

Tiny Tea Leaves Cardigan
Yarn is Berroco Vintage
Needles Size 6 and 7
Started September 25, 2011
Finished December 4, 2011

Stranded

My first stranded knitting project that I have ever completed.  I used some Wildfoote sock yarn (that I wouldn't recommend) and some handspun.  The pattern is the Selbu Modern and I used size 1 and size 3 needles.  I really enjoyed making this hat and at some point I will probably make it again.

Almost

I made lots of progress but didn't quite get as far as I wanted.  I am just a couple of inches left of being done with the first sleeve on the sweater.  The striped socks I didn't really make a goal for but I did knit about an inch on them.  The other socks I am in the process of decreasing the gusset. 


I am making a new goal and I am giving myself until December 7th.  I will finish this sweater, finish one of these first socks and at least work on the other one.  I am also going to dig out my Twist cardigan and start putting that in the mix so I can wear it this winter.

The hat I will show off tomorrow.

A Promise Kept

I told you I had a finished object and some new yarn to share yesterday, so I am keeping my promise to show it off. I finished the Noro Biased Scarf made from handspun Woolgatherings BFL.  It will be gift for my nephew's wife when they come to Kansas to visit for Christmas.

I finished the Woolgatherings October Fiber from the fiber club.  I got around 625 yards of a heavy laceweight to light fingering.  I love it.  The fiber was Polwarth/Silk blend and I don't think I could recommend it enough.  It was an amazing fiber to spin.

Four Projects and Three Days

I have four projects that are currently being worked on at the moment.  I have three days until the end of the month and I am curious to see how far I can get on them in the next three days.

In the left hand corner at the top is a Selbu Modern that I started a couple of weeks ago.  I am only about ten rows from being done with the chart so I am hoping to finish it in the next three days.  The Tiny Tea Leaves sweater needs one button band, the sleeves and the buttons sewn on.  I would like to finish a sleeve.  I have two pairs of socks on the needles.  The pink and yellow ones were started in August right after we moved to our new house, when I hadn't knit for a week and I was getting kind of crabby so I cast on a vanilla pair of socks.  I still haven't finished the first one.  The second pair of socks is the Hermione Everyday socks, I am knitting these for someone to give to their mom at Christmas.   They need to be done in the next couple weeks.  I would like to at least get the heel turned and all the gusset stitches decreased before the end of the month.

I have an FO and new handspun to share next time.

12!!!!!!

I made one of my goals that I set this year.  I have knit 12 pairs of socks.  I probably won't finish my other goals but I completed one.  I will probably finish a couple of more pairs before the end of the year.

Details

Pattern: Petunia Dursley Double Eyelet Socks
Yarn: Handspun UrbanGypz in Mr. Blinky
Needles: 1.5 KnitPicks Options circulars
Started: October 14, 2011
Finished: November 15, 2011

I love love love this pattern.  It is very easy to remember and goes pretty fast.  The yarn was a joy to knit with and spin.  I think these will be one of my favorite pairs to wear.

If Only.....

I had more hands and time, I would be able to stitch, knit, and spin at the same time.  I guess I could use more hands for laundry and dishes.

My daughters took a cross stitch class at our local library and it inspired me to get some of my projects out and get working again.  This one I actually just picked up recently on sale to make for Little Buddy.

These next two are LONG term projects.  I love these designs because when you are finished the shading makes it look like a painting.  I would like to have one of them finished by January 1, 2013.  I am using aida 22 count for this one.

This one I started a few years ago and I decided to pick it up again.  I am using 28 count evenweave for this one and I am doing it "over 1".  I wanted to post pictures so I could see how far I have gotten periodically.

Going To SAFF!!!!

I don't get to go but the socks I knit for UrbanGypz get to go.  They were mailed off yesterday and are now making their way across the United States to get there in time for next weekend.

The blue, green, brown pair is the Harvest Dew Pattern done in UrbanGypz Merino,Cashmere,Nylon blend. I knit them on 1.5 US needles.  The color was is Aqua Mod.  This yarn is so super soft and squishy and I really enjoyed knitting with it.

The blue, orange, rust, yellow pair is the Petunia Dursley Double Eyelet socks knit in the Superwash Merino blend..  I also knit them on 1.5 US needles.   The color was So Ready for Autumn. I loved the colors and they made me happy when I was knitting them.

New Yarn and Progress

I finished spinning and plying half of the fiber from a couple of posts ago.  It is BFL dyed by my friend, Ivy.  She has been dabbling in dyeing and I think she does an amazing job.  I navajo plied this and I am thinking of either spinning some white or getting some white yarn to make a stranded hat of some sort.  I still have 50 grams of it left to spin but not sure how I am going to do the rest of it.  It is about 180 yards.

I am still plugging away on the socks.  The first one is complete and I am almost to the toe on the second one.  They need to be moving on so I can knit something else.  I am really wanting to cast on a shawl or a hat soon.

New!

I have some new handspun that I finally got finished last week. This was from Two Windows, she is a Kansas dyer. I think it turned out pretty good.  It is about 340 yards of a fingering weight and the wool is BFL which is probably my favorite to spin.

I also have a new project started.  My youngest daughter wanted a new sweater because she has outgrown the one I made for her a couple of years ago.  I am making her the Tiny Tea Leaves and I am using Berroco Vintage.

There Has Been Spinning

 Just not nearly enough! Is there really ever enough spinning though?

This fiber was dyed by one of my friends from the LYS.

She also dyed this one.  I need to get off my tush and get this one plied.  I am thinking of making a shawl of some sort with it.

Have a blessed day,
Robin

First Sock Syndrome

I know a lot of people that say that they have to start the second sock immediately after the first one so they are not struck by second sock syndrome.  I don't seem to have that problem.  I get the second one done pretty quick but I sure do have a problem getting the first one done for some reason.  It isn't because I don't like the project.  I think it is because I think I can crank out a pair of socks in a week or two and when that doesn't happen I seem to lose interest a little.  I guess I have a mental block when it comes to that or something.

I like both of these projects and I really want to finish them so hopefully I will have started both of the second socks by Friday.  I think I just need more time in my day.

Now Broadcasting from a New Location

Well, I didn't fall off the face of the earth but I did move.  This is the front of our new home. So far I am really liking it.  (So not enjoying the unpacking which I am still working on)

This is the back of the house.  Yes, that is a swimming pool in the back yard and the kids love it.  It will be time to close up the pool for the winter soon but I am sure we will get lots of use from it next year.  At the top of those stairs is the most awesome little sun room that I have turned into "my" space.

Along with moving and getting the kids in school (they went back three weeks ago), I got a job.  Little Buddy is in all day kindergarten so I got a part time job working at the lunchroom at the high school. I find that I really love working there but mornings are a little stressful for me getting them ready in time so I am not late for work.

I haven't had a whole lot of time for knitting.  This is all the knitting I have done in the last three weeks.  I even had a stretch of about a week without any knitting at all and it was making me very crabby.  I am just making a vanilla sock.

I have finally had a little time to do some spinning.  I am still working on this BFL,  I am excited to see how it will ply up.

Will I Make It???

I have been participating in The Knitgirllls 5K Stashdown this summer.  I am currently at 5012 yards and I need 5460 to finish.

This yarn got me to where I am now.  It is 412 yards of merino that I dyed with food coloring.  It didn't really turn out the way I wanted to I am debating if I want to try to dye it again or just leave it.

I am currently knitting this pair of socks out of UrbanGypz Superwash Merino.  I am halfway done with the leg on the second sock and when I finish them I will have used a little over 300 yards for the pair.

I started a Noro Bias Scarf last week at Knit Night.   I am about a third of the way done with the yarn so I have used about 130 yards of it.


I also have some spinning on my wheel that I might be able to finish as well.  I am thinking I will make it but I am not sure yet.