Pattern

HFO Object and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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I started this “newborn” sock on Friday evening, so much for it being newborn tho’.  I used some (very) deep stash, Red Heart Pompadour yarn, and size 0 double pointed needles (because it’s too small for my 9 inch circs), but honestly this is not a newborn size, this would fit a 12 to 18 month old :(.  It was a different kind of heel so that was interesting, but this won’t fit the little one I knit it for for several months out :P.  I did start the 2nd sock so I won’t have 2nd sock syndrome 🙂 and it’s all sock practice, right?  They are a pretty quick knit, because they are so small :P.  I’d rather not go down to 00 size needles, so maybe finding a finer yarn would be best for my next try.  Still a nice sock tho’.

I can’t give you the pattern info because I forgot where I got it, ugh!  I looked but couldn’t not find the source, I did post the first page so if you feel inclined to search farther than I did on Ravelry and the internet (and I did search), you can do that.  The copy-write says 2013.

I woke up to about 2 inches of fluffy snow this morning.  It was starting to melt by the time I went to Church and was blowing off the trees because it was a very light powder snow.  I was so excited by the warmer weather I forgot we can get snow here through April.  On Friday, I also saw some geese, the Robins can’t be far behind :).

More Snow and Basia Hat Finished

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More Snow Feb 2019  We got 2 inches of snow on Sunday morning/afternoon, and from yesterday evening until this morning when I took the picture we got a little over 3 more inches of snow.  So the ground is once more white with snow, and more snow is on the way on Thursday or Friday, sigh.  I just keep saying Spring is right around the corner, Spring is right around the corner, Spring is right around the corner…..

Jennettes Basia hat1

I finished the Basia hat, and gave it to the intended recipient.  She was very pleased.  I knit this on size 4, 16 inch circular needle for the ribbing and changing to size 6, 16 inch circular needles and (at the end when it got to small around for the 16 inch needles) size 6 double pointed needles for the crown,  instead of going up a needle size for the slighter heavier wt yarn, causing it to be a bit denser and heavier.  I used the sport/DK wt Polypay, which dyed up a lighter brown, and a dark brown alpaca, which I hand spun as heavy fingering wt.  These two yarns used together was a heavier weight close to, but maybe a little heavier than the worsted wt called for and oh my it will be so warm.  I had promised my family member that I would hand spin alpaca for her hat, but since the Basia hat she chose calls for worsted wt and I truly did not want to want to have to do the math for the lighter wt yarn (I’m not a math person :P), I added the Sport/DK wt wool I had on hand which made it a little heavier than a worsted wt.  She is happy with the hat, and with the sub zero weather we have been having I’m sure it will be a welcome addition to her winter wear :).  I think you can see better the lighter and darker browns together and how they play well with each other :).  I forgot to get a picture before she left, she was kind enough to send me one for my blog ;).

There Be Socks!!

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Hermiones Everyday Socks finished

Finally done, I have a finished pair of Hermione’s Everyday Socks!!  The family member I knit these for will be very happy indeed.  These would have been done much faster if my knitting mojo wasn’t so hit and miss lately.

The yarn Dreams in Fiber I used was actually dyed by the same person who wrote the pattern for this sock, and the match up wasn’t on purpose, so as Dumbledore would say it was “by some happy circumstance” :).  The yarn was wonderful to work with and I love the pattern :).  Thanks Erica :).

Happy Father’s Day Dad! & Lace Bookmarks

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My Dad Happy Father’s Day DAD!!!

 

I know, I have been AWOL, kinda sorta, but it’s not unusual for me to not post more than one to 2 times a month.  Nothing major going on in my life at the moment and not a ton of knitting (but there is a little bit :P), so there is not much to post about.  In my Church we have what we use to call Visiting Teaching (the women of the Church that we refer to as Sisters, as we visit with Sisters we have been assigned (usually 3 to 4 Sisters per Visiting Teaching companionship (two of us) to help and check on to make sure they are not in need of help every month and depending on the Sister we give a little spiritual thought) and Home Teachers are the Brothers of the Church and they do the same thing for the brothers and their families.  It’s our way of taking care of each other.  The name we call this program has recently changed to Ministering, and I’m trying to get use to using it instead of Visiting Teaching but I’ve been a member of my Church for a long time and changing the name of things is hard to remember :P.  This month my companion and I chose to talk about the scriptures and as a little gift to help them remember I found this wonderful pattern for Bookmark Trio , (it is a free download on Ravelry) and decided to make a bookmark for each of my 3 sisters and my Visiting Teaching companion. :).  I chose the lace bookmark and used scraps of sock yarn.  It calls for 25 yds of yarn (I weighed out the finished book mark because I put a tassel on it, and it was about 1/8 of an oz.).  I made each one out of a different left over sock yarn scrap, I still have one more to make but so far they have been well received :).  I found the lace bookmark well written, easy and enjoyable.  I haven’t tried the other two yet.

I need to finish the socks that I have been working on forever, and I am starting to get my knitting mojo back so hopefully I will get busy on those soon, it’s not like I have a ton left to knit on them :P.  My dad is waiting for his pair of socks (that was for his Father’s Day gift, I know I’m slow at everything, so I need to finish these so I can knit his :P.)

We are having quite a heat wave here in the eastern middle part of IA.  It is 93 with a humidity heat index of about 100 to 105.  This is about the time I wish we had a little left over snow from the winter :P.

Progress on Hermione’s Everyday Socks :)

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Hermione's Everyday Socks progress

Finally back to the Hermione’s Everyday Socks!   This is a free pattern on Ravelry.  These are a birthday gift for a family member who is knit worthy :).  Her birthday is today so she will not get them on time, but I told her that and she said she was willing to wait for a hand knit item.  This will be her first peek at them, thought it only fair since she isn’t getting them today lol.

Wish my photography skills were better, you can’t really see the design for this pattern, tho’ the darker nature of the yarn also hampers that.  I am getting ready to start the heel on both socks.  I like knitting them together, makes them seem to go faster, you can make sure the leg and foot are the same length, and you don’t end up with second sock syndrome (for my non knitter friends that is when you have finished the first sock and aren’t in the mood to start the second :P.)  A friend on Ravelry is going to do a video showing how she does the heel and gusset on the 9 inch circulars (9 inch circs are my preference for knitting socks).  I usually change to the double pointed needles for the heel and gusset but if I don’t have to do that, it would be great!  When she gets the video up, I will post a link to it. 🙂

3-Color Cashmere Cowl

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Yarns
3-Color Cashmere Cowl 2
3-Color Cashmere Cowl 1

I am still working on Hermione’s Everyday socks.  I have finished the leg on one sock and am getting ready to start the leg on the 2nd sock, however I have started working on the 3-Color Cashmere Cowl, shown above,  for a friend, tho it is not being knit in cashmere.  It is a nice diversion.  The yarns she purchased for it are from Stitch Together, a local yarn shop.  More info on the yarns can be found in greater detail on  my project page for this cowl on Ravelry. 😉  You may need to sign into Ravelry to view the project page.

I will post a picture of Hermione’s Everyday socks when I get the 2nd leg finished before I do the heel flap.  The color (tho beautiful) on the socks doesn’t show the pattern very well, I think I chose a color too dark for a delicate pattern.

New Fiber and Tools for Knitting and Fingerless Mitts Done!

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Au Clair Fingerless

I have finished the Au Clair Fingerless Gauntlets.  I made them mitts instead by only doing 3 cables instead of 7 (which just makes them shorter.)   They were a fun knit, I hope Maddie’s teacher will enjoy them.

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThis is some spinning fiber I bought at the Cedar Rapids Fiber Festival.  The fiber in the left corner is black (not brown as it shows), green and blue and is a BFL and Corriedale cross 64%, Alpaca 27% and Sari Silk waste 9%.  It’s very soft and oh so beautiful and is from Fiber Curio and Sundries, LLC.  The other fiber  in the top right corner I purchased is 100% Rambouille from Mountain Colors.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

I did break down and buy some knitting tools that I have been wanting for a quite a while.  The picture on the left is 2 DPN (double pointed needle) holders, which makes it really nice so the stitches don’t fall off the needles while your project is in progress.  I also got a nipper to cut my yarn and a little case to put my stitch markers in and a needle gauge and a sheep progress keeper.  These I purchased on Etsy from Twisted Yarn and Fiber Co.  The picture on the right are some wonderful progress keepers from Yarn Candy Studio.  I bought a row counter progress keeper (very nice for when I’m doing work and knowing what row I’m on is necessary) and I bought  Harry Potter progress keepers and I love those Harry Potter progress keepers, of course I love the Harry Potter movies so maybe that is why :).  The one you can’t see very well has a hologram in it that is a picture of the patronus charm for Harry (stag’s head) and the words expecto patronus.  It’s really very cute, was sad it didn’t show up in the picture very well.

Went to my son’s today to watch him “blow out” his alpacas in prep for the shearers who came to shear the alpaca.  The shearers did all 6 alpaca in one hr.  I will have some pictures to post eventually.

Everyday Basic Scarf Finished and Yarn!!

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Kevin's Scarf

I have finally finished all my Christmas gifts now, lol.  This scarf was a request to match a hat I made last year,  and it actually is darker than the  picture shows.  I was able to dye it to be a very good match for the hat I made him last year.  My picture taking skills seriously lack :P.  There was no pattern, I simply cast on 36 stitches and used a 4 stitch border on each edge in a garter  stitch (so the sides won’t curl) and did a 3×2 ribbing (starting with knit 3 and ending with knit 3) between the garter border.  I used a sport weight yarn and size 6 needles (because I knit a little looser other wise I would suggest a size 7 needle).  I hope it keeps him nice and warm.

V Yarn skeinI won a skein of yarn from the Never Cast Off podcast (the link to their podcast is youtube) that I watch (their group is on Raverly.)   To participate in their give-a-ways you need to be a part of their group on the Ravelry link ;).    I was very excited to have my name chosen in the drawing.  It’s a sock weight yarn in lovely greens, called Lightning Dust (80% superwash Merino & 20% nylon – 400 yds) from V Yarns.  I have linked to her Etsy shop, she also has a Ravelry group. 🙂  I have decided on a shawl rather than a pair of socks for this beautiful skein.  The shawl I am leaning toward is called the Geology Shawl .  It is beautiful!  I have a blanket that I am working on , about 2/3’s finished and then that pair of socks that I am almost finished with as well, before I start anything else tho.  🙂

I can’t believe it is almost Feb already.  We have had a mild winter this year (and I’m not complaining), tho winter is not over and we can still have some pretty cold weather before the end of March gets here.   But, SPRING is getting CLOSER!!!!

Owl Finger-less Mitts DONE!

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Owl Fingerless Mitts I did get them done :).  They are actually darker than shown in the picture, more like the previous post on my blog with just one of them done.  My photo abilities are lacking :P.  This was done using a mitten pattern from Ravelry the World’s Simplest Mitten pattern, I made some changes because I wanted finger-less mitts rather than a mitten, and I had to figure out putting the thumb gusset on the other side since I put a pattern down the front and needed a left and right mitten.  Was a fun knit :).

I will now start a scarf, will post a picture of it in a few days :).

 

Mother of All Shawl – Done!

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Mother of All Shawl a
   I have finished the Mother of All Shawl I was knitting for a special family member for her Prom dress.  She hasn’t seen it yet, I asked her to bring her dress over so I can get a picture of her with her dress and shawl.   🙂  This was a very fun knit, had to pay a little attention (as with all lace patterns) but not a lot and it was a peaceful shawl to knit.  I will definitely knit this one again :).

Mother of All Shawl d

Will get back to the socks to see if I can’t get at least one of the socks done to see what I might need to change on the next pair, there are always changes until you get things adapted to your knitting style and gauge. 🙂