Hat 2.0 in Handspun

I seem to be on a little bit of an accessories kick lately. I have knit two hats and a scarf this month. I am also still working on another scarf. This was knit out of my handspun that I dyed with some egg dyes. I will admit that I enjoy knitting with handspun more than commercial yarns these days. I am even wanting to see if I am brave enough to spin enough for a sweater.




For the top I used the decreases used in the Turn a Square hat and I find I like how it looks. I think this will be my decrease of choice for simple hats which is what I usually knit when it comes to hats.

Paint Me HAPPY!!!!!!

Well first off, it is 66 degrees here today with no wind. Woo Hoo.

Second, the trees are budding out so that means that Spring is coming sooner than later.

Third, the Jayhawks won yesterday. It wasn't pretty but a win nonetheless.







Fourth, beautiful, lovely, gorgeous, smooshy handspun scarf.










I think I am in serious love with this scarf. It makes me super happy that I spun, and knit it. I guess the only bad thing is that the weather probably won't give me much of a chance to wear it for a while but after this winter I am okay with that.

It Just Doesn't Last

At least the handspun doesn't in my stash. This is some Corriedale that I had that I dyed with some egg dyes.









It is turning into a simple rolled brim hat. I am not sure who it will be for yet. Hubby says that these colors are too bright for me and he thinks it would be great for my Punkinbug.

A Hat

Every year, if I like my child's teacher, I will knit them a present. This year I really liked the two women that are teaching my daughters. They are both incredible women and I am very thankful for them. The Branching Out scarf went to Punkin's teacher.





Punkinbug's teacher got this hat. It matches her coat almost perfectly. I made it out of Cloud 9 which is 50 percent wool, 50 percent angora. It is so so so soft.




I had a little bit of the yarn left over, so Punkinbug's Froggy got a scarf. I thought it would be neat if she had something out of the same yarn that her teacher got.

They Are Done, Finally

It only took me the better part of two months but my Paradise Carolina socks are finally done. I think they are very happy socks. It is hard to stay in a bad mood when you look at them.






Since I finished a pair, I had to cast on another pair. We won't mention that I already have another pair on the needles for Punkinbug. These are actually some for a teacher that I made a pair last year for and she wanted some more socks so I said I could do that for her. She picked the color because brown is not a color I usually pick for socks. I believe in the brighter the better.




More yarn taking a bath getting ready for some glamour shots. These handspun yarns can be little divas.

What Do You Think???

I need an opinion. I need to know if this scarf is ugly or if it is okay. I am making this out of my handspun. Opinions are very welcome.

Where Did the Time Go????

Exactly six years ago, as I am writing this, I was in a hospital operating room. God gave us an angel. (eyes are tearing up now)





She got a little older and more independent. Here she is on her first birthday.





She got a little more stubborn and opinionated. Here she is on her third birthday.





I have truly been blessed by God with all three of my children. I enjoy thinking about the day they were born on their birthdays. Punkinbug you are such a special little girl. You bring joy, frustration, excitement and lots of love to my life. I am so glad I get to be your mom. I love you more than words could ever say. I hope you have a great day and enjoy being six. I know you are going to be an awesome six year old. I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!

Progression

It started out as this.








It became this.









After a little time with some knitting needles it was becoming this.






Which in it's finished state is a Herringbone Neckwarmer.
Yarn: English Garden Handspun 180 yards or so
Needles: Size 8 Knit Picks Options
Started: February 27, 2009
Finished: March 3, 2009
Pattern : Herringbone Cowl Ravelry Link.



I really hope that he likes it. I just don't let anyone have handspun you know.
I might just have to knit one for myself one of these days.

Deadline Accomplished

I guess it was a good thing we had bad weather today. Earlier this morning you could barely see across street. I went in to take Punkinbug to school and when I came out it was like this.








Since the weather was bad, I was able to finish my deadline and get them delivered so they could go to their new home. I think they were very much appreciated and I was glad I got them finished in time.




Now I think I need to start a new project.

Glamour Shots

I promised glamour shots of the handspun with an attitude that was taking a bath the other day. I ended up with a little over 400 yards out of eight ounces of fiber. It is a sport to light worsted weight. One hank will be something for my wonderful husband and the other hank will probably be something for me or for a family member at some point. I would have posted the pictures earlier this week but I was busy spinning.






As you can tell by this. This is four ounces or so of some Gales Art Sibling roving. I had two hanks of this and I tore it apart taking colors out for this hank of yarn and the rest is going in a different hank to hopefully make a Jared Flood inspired scarf.








Now, I must really get knitting. I am knitting this on a deadline (one that I am not sure I can achieve). So if I am quiet for a few days you know where I am.

Letter from the Fiber

Dear Blog Reader,


This is me, or at least that is what I looked like when I came to live with this crazy woman.



Sometime in December, she took me out of the stash where I was hanging out with some really cool merino and started doing weird things to me. She kept pulling me and twisting me. I think I should call Fiber Protective Services but I don't have any hands.



Well if twisting me around and around the first time wasn't enough. She did it again. She turned me into yarn. She thinks I look pretty good.



Now I am taking a bath. What is up with you people???? Can't some yarn take a bath without pictures being taken??? Guess not huh? Thank goodness for bubbles or I wouldn't have any privacy at all.




Now that she is done with me, she has moved on. I feel so used. She left me in the sink for this tart. Well I will show her how beautiful I am going to be after I have been sufficently toweled and dried.


Sincerly,
English Garden Fiber purchased at the Yarn Barn in Kansas

The Wheel Goes Round and Round

At least mine has lately. I have been spinning quite a bit in the last few days. I am hoping to do even more today. I think after it finally clicked I am enjoying it more. I was able to go to Knit Night at my LYS this last Thursday and I met someone that is going to help me improve and give me some tips. I had a really good time and I hope to get to go again soon.




When I went to Knit Night I wasn't sure what project to take. I ended up taking three. I worked on the sweater which is almost to the end of the first of the six balls of yarn I have for it. I am making progress so hopefully I will finish it in time for next fall (or if I get my act together I might be able to wear it this winter, I do live in Minnesota after all.)




I started like gangbusters on this sock a few days ago and then I haven't really knit much on it for a few days. I really want to get this pair finished but other projects and my wheel are pulling me in different directions.

I hope everyone has a Happy Valentine's Day.

A Little Post

I have been doing a little knitting. I decided to make a hat for the baby of a first grade teacher at our school. Punkin had her for a few subjects in Kindergarten and 1st Grade. Her class is called the Busy Bees so I thought it would be a perfect gift to have a Busy Bee Hat. I think the rabbit made a good model don't you????

I had to restart the second of my Paradise Carolina socks. I made a mistake I couldn't quite fix so I tried to rip it back to where the mistake was and I couldn't get the stupid thing back on the needles. I kept losing stitches so I decided to just start it over. I restarted this afternoon and I am making good progress.

I also spun a little this morning. I think (after a year of spinning), that something finally clicked in my brain and I am hoping that it won't be as overspun as some of the other yarn I have made. I can't believe it has almost been a year since I got my wheel. I just need more time to spend working on getting better.

Priceless

Ice Cream 3.96









Cake 4.00








Birthday Presents 45.00










Hospital C-Section 12,000.00











Having the opportunity to celebrate the birth of one of the two men in your life. Priceless.


I love you Little Buddy!!!! You are the only guy that ever steals a piece of my heart from your father. You are such a blessing to me and I love you more everyday.

Not Much Knitting Progress

I have finished the first of my Paradise Carolina socks. I am working on the second one as I make this post (got to love waiting for those pictures to upload, huh?).
I really like this yarn and it is very bright, but I am a Frank sock person, so that is probably why I was drawn to this yarn.




The reason why I don't have much knitting progress???? Little Buddy and I are working on a project together. He is doing most of the work I am just helping. Go Little Buddy you are doing great.




I am learning lately that God can work in amazing ways. When I am frustrated or disenchanted with my life he puts a little something to remind me that He is in charge. I really have no control over anything. Yesterday, He gave us a beautiful sunset that this picture doesn't even begin to capture.

A Good Day

Every now and then you just get blessed with a good day. Today happened to be one of those days.






We got some snow this morning. It was so pretty just watching it fall. The wind wasn't blowing and it was just pretty. There were some big flakes and I always like those.




I also got to do a little knitting. I worked a little on all three of my obsessive projects that I am doing now. I do realize that one row on a scarf really doesn't make that much difference but all those rows add up after a while and you end up with a finished scarf. I have got the gusset decreases done on the sock and am hoping to finish one of them this weekend. I have a feeling this will be my Super Bowl knitting for Sunday.



I also got in a little spinning today. I love spinning. I am really starting to 'get in the groove' of spinning. I like the whole relaxation of the process of watching roving turning into singles. I am also enjoying all the variations in this roving that are really hard to see in this picture.



This afternoon was a big day in Kindergarten. It was the Annual Kindergarten Potluck. The potluck is when you bring your favorite foods and share them with the other children and their families. Punkinbug chose to take Crockpot Mac and Cheese. There wasn't much of it left when it was time to put the food away. After the lunch, we decorated Valentine's Day boxes. I hav to say that her box is quite snazzy. I forgot to take a picture of it though. BAD MOM Little Buddy got to go along too and he had a great time playing in the housekeeping area.

Enjoying My Knitting

Isn't it great when you are really enjoying what you are knitting? Right now I am so enjoying being a knitter. The three projects that I am working on right now are all projects that I am really enjoying. I was working on this sock while the pictures were uploading to Blogger and I didn't want to put it down to finish this post.




I have also been bitten by the Lace Bug. I have to admit that this project is keeping my attention. I still have a very long way to go with this project but I am still excited to see what it will look like after "just one more round". The sad parts are the rounds are getting longer and longer. I am on the 290 stitch rounds and they go pretty quickly, but the next chart has rounds that are 574 stitches and I know they will go much slower added to the fact that I have to do 48 of those rows, plus the 115 repeats of the edging. I really have no where to wear lace, I might just be the snazziest person at the grocery store.

Done and Begun

Done.I have FINALLY finished the Mountain Monkeys. They only took me the better part of six weeks and knitting one of one and a half times. When I started these I just needed to do this pattern again for some reason. I think I am over that now.



Begun. Since I finished the other pair of course I had to cast on another pair. I am knitting the Carolina, Last Queen of Naples socks. I am using Scarlet Fleece in the Bird of Paradise colorway. I am sure these will help with the winter blues too.



We have had a couple of nice days and that has helped alot. If more of winter was like yesterday and today, I don't think I would mind winter so much.



I am still working on the Sick and Tired of Winter scarf. I had to do some tinking but it is back on track. I am a third to halfway done with the yarn that I have so I am not sure how long it will be. I am excited to finish it though.