Wow

It sure has been an eventful couple of weeks around here. I got a year older and it was a big birthday. I got sick. I sent my little buddy off to preschool, which wasn't nearly as traumatic as I expected. The girls have both been sick. Other things have happened but that is a later post I think.




I did finish a project. (I STILL need to weave in the ends though.) It is the One Row Lace Scarf. (Ravelry) I knit it out of handspun and I think it turned out pretty good. I had the Punkinbug do some modeling for me. I think she would keep it for herself if she could.






This is just a little closer picture to see the colors and stitch pattern a little better.

First Day of School

The girls headed back to school today. From what they told me they had a great day. Punkin even had a little homework today too. I think they are even excited about going back tomorrow.








Little Buddy doesn't start preschool until next Tuesday. He is still enjoying his summer vacation.

Just the Beginning

I have lots to post about but don't have time for the epic that this post would be if I did do the whole post. So this is the first of probably many posts to come. I decided to do the Sockknitters Anonymous September Mystery Knit A Long. It is a pattern by Nancy Bush and we were supposed to use yellow yarn. This is the two cuffs of the pattern. I am anxiously waiting for the next clue which should be out late tonight or sometime tomorrow.

I am using Shibui Knits socks in the Jonquil colorway. I find this yarn to be a little splitty but it just might be because of the needles I am using. I am using size 1 Knit Picks Options.

I have already learned a new stitch which is exciting for me. I even got it right on the first try. I am excited to see what comes next.

Sock Busy

We have been busy around here at our house. We are in the process of getting ready for school,we also went on a short vacation and some knitting is getting done as well.




After almost four months, I started them May 2, I have finished my Malabrigo Mockery socks. I finally sewed the toe on the second one this weekend. I have absolutely no idea why this pair of socks took me so long to knit. I loved the pattern it was super easy to memorize and I like how it turned out. I loved the yarn, how can you not love anything by Malabrigo????








It may have been all the spinning I have been doing this summer, I have spun at least a pound of fiber so far. I spun the yarn for this pair and finished them while we were on vacation last week. I knit the Baby Cable pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks and I knit them with the Riverbed Pattern pathway from New Pathways for Sock Knitters. The fiber was from Gale's Art in the Wildflower colorway that was one of the limited edition Siblings.






Since I finished the other two pairs, I needed to start another pair for mindless knitting. This is the Twin Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks and I am using Brown Sheep Luxury Foote sock yarn in Black. These are being dubbed the Boring Black socks which are going to go live with the Boring Brown socks that I knit back in May.

A Surprise of a Prize

I won a prize from my friend Amanda on her blog when her daughter had a concert. I was the first one to pick the correct song that the band played. She sewed this awesome bag for me and I really really like it a bunch. She also added a footie sock kit, undyed merino roving and a note pad. I have already put my current sock project in the bag.

Thanks again Amanda.

Forcing Myself to Post

I really haven't had much to post about. I have been working on lots of UFO's. I don't have enough progress to show so kind of low on blog fodder.







I did finish spinning the singles of my Gale's Art Cupcake. I just have to ply these together and then I will have a some more sock yarn. Woo Hoo!!!







This is my next spinning project. I have separated it so I can try to spin the bobbins equally. I am going for two hanks of sock yarn again. It is called Strawberry Shortcake. I thought it kind of looked like a bouquet of some sort when I took this picture.









I have become obsessed with this wrap. I decided to pick up this project to keep my obsession at bay. It is working for a bit, but I am not sure how long I will be able to hold out.

Overcoming a Knitting Fear

I had some handspun that was calling me. I decided that I wanted a Morning Surf Scarf. I am using the Festival from Gale's Art for this project. I only casted on 26 stitches hoping that it would be a decent length. We shall see.




I have a knitting fear of toe up socks. I always avoid patterns that are knit toe up. Some people swear by toe up socks. I have heard all the reasons why to knit them this way. (use all your yarn, no kitchnering the toe together, easier to try on yada yada yada) I still didn't want to but I decided I wanted to be able to use most of the yarn since it was handspun so I gave it a shot. Oh my goodness, I love how these are turning out and couldn't say enough good things about Cat Bordhi's book New Pathways for Sock Knitters. My biggest fear was the heel. I don't like short row toes and I didn't know how to do a toe up sock with a heel flap. I do now though and even if a pattern doesn't have this method I can still knit the sock. Also, with the Master Numbers this sock fits perfect perfect perfect.

Defeated

I did not (and will not) finish Tour de Fleece. I got really close but have no gumption to finish right now. I only have a bobbin and a half left which is about an ounce. I did have lots of fun and I did get lots of spinning done.

I just want to knit with what I have spun.

TDF Wednesday Update

I finished one spinning project that puts me over halfway done with my goal. This one took longer than I thought it was going to. I ended up with two hanks. One is three ply which is shown here and I have about 214 yards. The other one is two ply and I have about 160 yards.





This is what I have to finish by Sunday to reach my goal. I am not sure I am going to make it but I am going to give it a good try. I am trying to spin this into two hanks of three ply. I am on the second bobbin for the first hank and I am about halfway through that bobbin.






Well, I guess I better get spinning, huh????

13 Years

Thirteen years ago, I married my Prince Charming. He is the most wonderful husband, father, best friend, and one of the most amazing men I know. I am so blessed that I get to be his wife.

Brett, I love you with all my heart and thank you for the thirteen years that we have spent together. I wouldn't change any of it because it makes us the couple we are today.

My First Pair of Handspun Socks

I can't believe it. I finished my first pair of handspun socks today. When I started wanting to learn to spin one of the reasons why was so I could make handspun socks and I did it. I used the Gale's Art Black BFL that I got from The Loopy Ewe.

Details---
Pattern: Textured Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks
Needles: 1.5 KnitPicks Options DPN's
Started: July 1, 2009
Completed: July 12, 2009





The other night we went to dinner at a drive in and on the way home we stopped for a minute, while Punkinbug and I waited for the others she came up front and kept me company. I think I am in trouble. Scary thought in 9-10 years she will be driving.

TDF Update

Wow this week has just flown by. I have been doing quite a bit of spinning which is probably a good thing since I am participating in Tour de Fleece.



This yarn is the project I started before the start of TDF. One of my goals was to finish it. I have succeeded with that goal. I have two hanks of finger to sport weight yarn. One hank is approximately 150 yards and the other is approximately 138 yards. The top was from Gale's Art in the Wildflower colorway. The fiber was Corriedale and it was one of the limited edition Siblings.




I am now in the process of working on the rest of my goal which was to spin another 8 ounces of fiber. I am starting to think I didn't make my goal very challenging. I am about one third of the way through this fiber. I might have to up my challenge. I guess I will see when I finish this and then make a decision.

Sunday's are for Spinning

Well, at least this one was. I have been doing pretty well with my participation of the Tour de Fleece. I have spun yesterday and today. My goal is to finish the spinning project I am working on and then spin 8 more ounces of fiber. I am hoping to get sock yarn out of all three of them. Yesterday, I finished the second bobbin and started the third. Today, I finished the third bobbin. I am spinning this into six bobbins total since I split the fiber in half and then split the halves into thirds. I should end up with two skeins that I can use to make a pair of socks.


On a totally non spinning or knitting note does anyone know why my photos get turned the wrong way sometimes??? I didn't mean for this photo to be vertical like it is, it was supposed to be horizontal.

Tour De Fleece

Well, I decided that I would participate in this year's Tour de Fleece. I have set my goal to finish this spinning project that is about a third of the way done. I am going for two hanks of a three ply sock yarn. I am almost done with the second bobbin of the first hank.






I would also like to spin two more pairs worth of sock yarn. I might use this one or I might use something else I have in my stash.








Here is another of Punkin's self portraits.

Fun in the Sun

My wonderful husband had a day off today. Those don't come very often around these parts. So I thought I would share some of the things we did today with some pictures of the kids thrown in. First, he got up, and drove to get me breakfast at McDonald's and a Frappaucino. (These are some of the flowers that I planted after we finished the remodeling the flowerbeds, I think they are looking pretty good.)







For lunch, I made him home made pizza. While I was making the pizza Wonderful Husband and the kids washed the cars. (Cars= 1 Van, 1 Truck, and 1 Economy Car that helps our gas budget tremendously since the truck is a gas hog.) Punkinbug after she played in the sprinkler. Thanks again, dear, for washing the van and doing the windows.






A Punkin still playing in the sprinkler. She didn't want to stop playing but since she gets sunburned easily I had to make her. I actually ran through there with her a few times and I forgot how much fun it was.







And what would a Fun in the Sun post be without a picture of the Little Buddy. I thought this was an awfully cute picture of him.





On a knitting note, the yarn from yesterday didn't become either one of those projects but it is in the process of becoming something else that I am pretty excited about. (That is a Minnesota accent "about".)

New Month = New Post

Well, I have to admit that I am glad that June is over. I was stopped in my tracks last week with some earache thing that I am extremely glad is over. I really didn't get much knitting done last month either, which I guess is another reason for being glad that June is over.









I did finish spinning this.








Which became this.
248 yards of fingering weight yarn in Gale's Art Fiber's Black BFL in the Grape Vine colorway. I think it might become this or this. (Ravelry Links) The colors are more accurate in the above photo compared to the finished yarn photo.





I am STILL working on the Mockery socks. I really have no idea why they are taking me so long. I like the pattern and I love the yarn. I guess I just haven't had much motivation to work on them since I won't be wearing them until the fall. I have finished the first one and I am on the leg of the second one. Hopefully they will be done soon.

Spinning and Knitting

Well, I have picked up my sweater again. We went and saw the new Star Trek movie last week so I took it with me since it was knitting I could do in the dark. I have to admit I didn't get much knitting done on due to the movie being really good and I dropped a stitch and couldn't get it back on the needles in the theater. I will admit I fixed the stitch in the ladies room where I could see after the movie was over.





This is my new spinning project I started last week. I can't tell you how much I love this fiber which is Gale's Art Black BFL in the Grape Vine colorway. I want a sweater out of this fiber really bad.





This is what I finished spinning before I started the yarn for the Meret that I made. This is Bonkers superwash merino in Calendula. It reminds me of Kansas City Chiefs so I am thinking of making it into socks for Sunday's this fall. I ended up with just a little over 400 yards of a three ply out of four ounces. I think I have finally made it to spinning for socks.



Punkinbug had a knitting lesson today and my Punkin is asking for them also. Here is Punkin holding my sweater this evening when I was taking pictures of it. I just hope if I teach them to knit they won't get in my stash.

The Story of the Meret

I had some beautiful handspun that I thought would make a great Meret.
(Ravelry Link)










It did make a beautiful Meret. It was just a little big. Okay it was huge. I mean massive huge.











So I washed it. It felted a little. It fits much better now.











Looks even better on the Punkin. It was a perfect hat for a tea party this afternoon.

First of Many (Hopefully)

Last week, we did some landscaping improvements around here. We tore out some old landscape timbers in a couple of our flower beds. This was the before picture.






This is the after picture. We moved 110 of these landscaping stones. Each one of these stones weighs about 30 pounds. I have mucho respect for people that do this for a living. I felt a great sense of accomplishment after completing this job.




The girls have "learned" to use the camera. They have been very busy taking self portraits of themselves and other things around the house. I am going to show off some of these photos in the future. This is the first of this series. This is Punkin. I am so glad that they aren't using film.




There will be some knitting and spinning posts coming up. I promise.

Would-a, Should-a, Could-a

I would-a been blogging but it has been really busy around here.



I finished these footies. They are pretty comfortable but not sure if I like them or not yet. I know if I make another pair, I should have enough for a few more rows of the cuff before starting the foot. I actually did a short row heel (which I hardly ever do).





I should-a posted about the girls last days of school. I took this on Thursday after making the final lunch for the year. Friday was their last day but they ate at the picnic at the park. I also went to school on Thursday to visit a plastic company that is in our small town and to take freezer pops to the children in Punkinbug's kindergarten class.




I could-a posted about the dishcloths that I churned out earlier this week. I made five in five days. I made these for the helpers in the girl's classrooms. I had one already done from a while back it just needed the ends woven in. I wove in the ends the morning they took them to school.




These posts might have happened if my son hadn't become the little computer geek. I mean geek in the best way possible here no offense intended at all.