Sunday, October 29, 2006

Three Scarf FO's



These were all finished in the last few weeks. The red one in the middle is a Morehouse Farms scarf kit that I bought at last years Rhinebeck and I finished it on the train home from NYC the day before Rhinebeck. The one on the left is just like one in that small knitting magazine, Knit1, I think it is called. I changed the yarn and did a different amount of rows to get it to look like I wanted it to. The one on the right is from one of the latest Berocco books but I used Cascade 220 for it.

I am now working on the second Ladybug hat (pattern by Countrywool) that I am making for my hairdresser's two daughters. Then I plan to knit a hat for my nephew as well as start sewing together his afghan.

I also searched around the Dulaan website and have a pattern to use to knit up a hat for the Dulaan project. One of my LYS's is collecting the hats so I plan to drop one off.

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Rhinebeck




Ah, Rhinebeck. The weather was perfect, no rain, not too hot, not too cold. I couldn't find Beth, the Lace Pal that I sent a package to. I am really bummed about that, I was looking forward to meeting her. It was very crowded. I walked around for about 4 hours or so and spent about 5 hours cramped up in the back seat of an extended cab pickup truck. Needless to say, I ended up with leg cramps in both legs on the way home and we had to stop so I could get out and stretch. They still hurt today.

The Jacob Sheep was so cute and had almost perfect horns, he just matched the banner above the stall, maybe he was the model.

As for the shopping, most of my damage was done at Morehouse Farms, at the fair and the shop on the way home. Plus, Spirit Trail, where my friend Shelia was in from Oregon to help out at the fair. We got a few minutes when the booth wasn't so busy to get to chat.

I came home with no Socks That Rock, the line at The Fold was long and by the time I got back there, they only had 2 solids left. Oh well, I did find lots to get.

The lace weights on the right (multi and green) were from Skaska Designs, beautiful stuff. The blue on the left was from A Touch of Twist. Lovely, lovely. I came home with something for my SP9 and yarns to make shawls and scarves for me or gifts.

I actually got stopped and had many compliments on the scarf I was wearing. It was out of Lorna's Laces Dove in the Watercolor colorway and I had never been complimented on my knitting as much as at the fair.

Friday, October 20, 2006

My Tea Swap 2 Package



My Tea Swap 2 package is here. Included are: a box of Darjeeling Tea and Green Tea, some Mate Latte - All Night Samba Herb Tea, some luxury wafers. A box of assorted chocolates and a small sheep, and some single packages of tea. There was also this neat purple infusor. Very cool. Plus, my favorite yarn, Lorna's Laces. These are two Shepherd Sock in Jungle Stripe. I love this yarn and usually make small shawls or scarfs with it. I am thinking and planning what this will become.

I am off to Rhinebeck tomorrow and can't wait. I am going to meet the Lace Pal that I sent my package off to.

Sunday, October 15, 2006

SP9 Questionaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

My two favorite standbys are Cascade 220 and Brown Sheep Lambs Pride and Naturespun, my stash is filled with these two and they are my go to for felting and sweaters. My favorite more luxury for me yarns are Lorna’s Laces and Koigu. Hmm, a fiber I really dislike, usually just the really rough feeling yarns or anything really furry like Angora, they make me itch, most blends don't bother me but the ones that shed a lot do.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

I have a Bass Pro Shop bag for all my circulars. My straights are all in a basket. I also have two fabric rolls by Crippen Works (I think that is their name), one for my DP’s and one for Crochet Hooks but I plan to use it for DPs. I also have the KnitPicks needles in their case. I also have this plastic craft organizer that I have some notions and buttons in. The rest of my notions are in cosmetic bags, one for each knitting bag.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I have been knitting for over 20 or 25 years. I would say intermediate to advanced depending on what I am making.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

No, but I always say that I should make one.

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)

I don’t really have a favorite. Strong scents give me a headache. I do tend to buy the fruity shower gels, though.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

Yes, Dark Chocolate. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Yummmm.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I do have two wheels but haven’t spun in a year. I really need to decide if I want to sell one of my wheels. I have a lot of fiber and always want to fit in some time to spin, but knitting usually comes first.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

My stereo can play CD’s I think. I have put my favorite CD’s onto my computer and then put them on my MP3 player and also burned CD’s for my work CD player. I like everything from Sissel and Sugerland (both are on my computer and I listen to them while I am on the computer) plus all the Classic rock of 38 Special, Skynard, Peter Frampton and Meatloaf.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

I love Purple, Turquoise and for some reason every new piece of clothing I have bought has been in the Moss/Olive green color. I really can’t stand yellow unless it is in a variegated yarn.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I am single and have 1 dog and 2 cats.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

I wear everything but I only wear a hat when I am out shoveling/snow blowing the snow.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Lately it has been scarfs as I knit at lunch at work and they are easy to work on there. Other than that, my home projects are usually more complicated projects like lace and sweaters which I usually work on while watching TV.

13. What are you knitting right now?

I am making a Birch shawl out of BS Naturespun Sport, a scarf out of Cascade 220 and a shrug out of Cascade 220.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Yes, though it seems like only my sister makes me anything and they are usually socks that are too big.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I love bamboo circulars and the ivorys plus the Inex Grays are my not wood favorites. I tend to use straights for scarves and after getting rid of all of mine, I have now re-built my whole collection back up and have given my duplicates to my mother who has just started knitting again.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Yes.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

Hmm, a few years ago, a friend of mine posted online how she was ripping out all old projects one New Year’s eve. So, most of mine are now gone. I do have a paper tote bag that is filled with projects that are unfinished or need to be ripped and they are on my to do list to get them ripped out and back into the stash. I keep a spreadsheet of everything I am knitting and still have the ones on it that are to be ripped. I checked it and the oldest one on that list is from August 2005 and it is something that I actually want to finish. I also just remembered an old scarf that I am making out of Fiesta La Boheme (I think). It knotted up and I remember pulling out what I was originally making from the yarn and starting a simple garter stitch scarf to use up all the small balls I had left after the ripping. It was just too pretty to toss so I will finish it up and weave in the many ends that I will have on it.

18. What is your favorite holiday?

I guess Christmas and Thanksgiving as I have a niece and nephew who are now in college and high school and they spend a few hours at the house. Other than that, I am really not a holiday person. My Aunt passed away this summer so I know that the holidays won’t be the same this year for my mother and the rest of the family.

19. Is there anything that you collect?

I collect Sheep, Giraffe and Monkeys. I have pared down my monkey collection to just my favorites, same with the Giraffes. But, the sheep just keep growing and a few alpaca’s or llamas have joined into the flock.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?

I usually study books before I get them. Yarns I love or Koigu or others like them. I usually make scarves out of them but I love them. I do plan to look for some Socks That Rock at Rhinebeck this year. I have tons of needles and can’t think of any new ones that I haven’t tried. Patterns I love but I don’t know of any that I really can’t wait to get except maybe the Creatures of the Reef but I can’t remember if it is a Fiddlesticks pattern or another designer.

What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

Interweave Knits and Spin Off. I like to look at the rest before I buy them.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

Entrelac. I took a class a few years ago but never tried it. I know that Black Sheep Bags has a new Entrelac bag that looks neat but I haven’t seen the pattern around here yet.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

I am not a sock knitter but hope to sometime in the future. I wear a size 8 ½ or 9 shoe.

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) 03-11

Sunday, October 08, 2006

The Shepherd's Rug



Yesterday, Saturday, October 7th, I attended our October meeting of the Nutmeg Spinners Guild in CT. The meeting consisted of a workshop by Letty Klein and Ann Brown who have a book out called: The Shepherd's Rug. We spent 6 or so hours making braiding rugs with roving. We braided the rugs, they went to the laundrymat and felted them and then they came back and taught us to sew them up. We were making chair pads but I intended mine to be for my cat. I finished the felting today of another braid to make my other cat a rug, too. I have boxes and boxes of roving in the cellar so my mother said she would take a rug for the side of her bed. I should just about finish off 3 of my boxes with these rugs. That still leaves 3 more boxes of really nice fiber roving for me to spin. It was a fun day and just a little tiring from the standing and braiding to the sitting and sewing.

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Knitted Mitts FO


These are a pattern from SWTC that I found online while doing a search for knitted mitts. The yarn is SWTC Karaoke. I actually have 3 balls of it in the stash that I bought at Webs in the spring. I had the 3 as part of 3 sets with matching solid yarn to make scarfs. But I had it in my mind that I had to make a pair of these. These are made flat (except the thumbs) and then sewn up at the palm. Mine aren't a perfect match like the picture on the pattern but I got them as close as I could without really fiddling with the yarn. They called for 1 ball and I did a few less rows and still had a very small amount of yarn left. They were a cute, quick knit.

Sunday, October 01, 2006

FO - Berroco scarf


This was a free scarf on the Berroco website. I used Missoni Giglio from the stash for the scarf and then the ties are a Jane Ellison (I think, I lost the label) fancy yarn. It squishes up like an accordian or you can let it hang straight down. I saw it on the Berroco site and had to make it. I think the ICord ties were the worst part. They are 60 inches and I did them both together and thought I would never finish.