Stitch Markers

New Yarn, Gifts and a Cool Picture :)

/ LDSVenus / 10 Comments

Ok, the first picture is a beautiful tonal blue yarn, colorway is I’m the Resistance. I had her do a special request to dye the tonal blue, as a full skein, that was in the American Woman color way I bought from her a couple of months ago. I wanted to use both in (I think I’ve settled on this but it might change so many things to knit :P) a cowl and fingerless mitts or hat to match for my grand daughter. The business is Awenydd Yarn & Fiber (click on catalog under the label at the top of the page to see all her beautiful pre-dyed color ways, you can also do a special order request like I did.) You can find her on YouTube where she does a Monday podcast reworking some of her older color ways while you watch her dye, a Wednesday podcast while you watch her dye from a random selection of colors of dyes from a random generator, it’s fun, and on Fridays she talks about her finished projects and works in progress etc. This request came out perfect! This is her Triple Goddess base, 100% super wash merino and a whopping 490 yards! It’s a light fingering weight. Would be perfect for a shawl, and to be honest I still haven’t ruled that out, lol. I have time to make my final choice :P. She also threw in a sample of her color way Reverie and 2 beautiful stitch markers and a progress keeper!

My son and his husband own an alpaca farm (I help out on Saturdays because they are open to the public on Saturdays.) I’m exhausted just thinking about how much work a farm takes as a business.) They took a well deserved week’s vacation a couple of weeks ago and went to FL to Disney World and Universal Studios to get away and rest, while Ev’s parents took care of the farm for them. They brought me back a Mandalorian Hoodie, a Harry Potter Gryffindor tee and 2 new pins (a Gryffindor and a Mandalorian) for my knitting project bag. You can probably tell I’m obsessed with Harry Potter and the Mandalorian :). So cool that they brought me something, it made me smile. The pin on the bottom is a zipper needle felted sheep I bought at a fiber festival a couple of years ago. In the next two pictures they are enjoying some of their Disney World adventures, they like Star Wars too.

The bottom right is just a cool picture, it’s called “a one in a million shot”.

Yarn Acquired!

/ LDSVenus / 10 Comments

Well I might have accidentally ordered a skein of yarn from an Indy (spelling?) dyer on YouTube that I follow, Awenydd Yarn and Fiber, I linked her shop, you can look for her on YouTube under that name. She does a Monday podcast reworking some of her older color ways while you watch her dye, a Wednesday podcast while you watch her dye from a random selection of colors of dyes from a random generator, it’s fun, and on Fridays she talks about her works in progress etc. This was one of her reworks of an older color way, she did last week, to jazz it up a bit. I fell in love with it, I had enough extra money and ordered it. She got it right out to me and she sent me that beautiful crystal in a heart cage progress keeper as a thank you, so pretty. I’m thinking about asking her to dye up a skein of just the blue color as a tonal next month. I thought it would make a nice shawl knitting 6 rows of the blue and 3 or of the American Woman rows throughout the shawl. What do you think? I think the blue would give it some balance and depth as a shawl, beginning and ending with the blue, and the brighter colors would make it pop a bit adding excitement and the blue in the brighter colors would pull the two together :). If I was a sock knitter I would just knit socks for July, but I’m not, so there’s that :P. She has knit samples with the skeins so you can see what the yarn works up as.

Hoping everyone is fine and not suffering with the heat. We are having thunderstorms today and tomorrow, and will be in the mid 90’s on Saturday, Sunday and next Monday, with sweltering humidity, which they said would make it feel like the low 100’s, :(. This is our late July and August weather, way too soon!!! Thank goodness for air conditioning!!!

Fall Surprise Knitting Box & Hats

/ LDSVenus / 10 Comments

I got my 3rd and final Fall Surprise Knitting Box from Twice Sheared Sheep. I don’t think anyone who gets this box follows me so I wouldn’t be giving anything away in case some haven’t gotten theirs yet. Lots of goodies! I forgot to put the bear tin back in the box for a picture of the full box, so I added it to the other things I took out to get a better picture of. I love the wolves mug, will serve many hot chocolate drinks! The mini skeins are a dk weight. Not sure what I will make with those, will have to think on it, they are soft :). There is a huge hat pom in there too! Will give the bag to my grand daughter M for her crochet, she is trying to learn. Love the counting stitch marker with the tree of life on it, it matches the progress keeper I made with a charm I received with one of my other fiber purchases. I’ll try to get a picture of that eventually, I keep forgetting (what else is new). The mushroom stitch markers I will use for progresss keepers :). I do love the bear tin for stitch markers and the very cute hedgehog tape measure. The card in there (took a picture of front and back) shows what is in the box and tells a little about them. She will be taking orders for the boxes again in Jan I think.

The first picture is of hats that I knit every year. I use I love this Yarn Print (it comes in various colors) by Hobby Lobby. I like the striping effect it gives on hats. This year they are going to a family of children who lost their mom (3 boys and a girl). I thought they might appreciate new hats for winter. Hope they will like them. For this pattern I use worsted weight yarn, and cast on 89 stitches (for small and medium adults), knitting in the round, doing a 2X2 rib (the extra stitch at the last is knitted with the first stitch to make a good join in the round. I use a 16″ circular needle, my favorite is the Karbonz, it’s carbon with a metal like tip so It’s light weight. I use size 5 needle because I knit a little looser with my knitting style (continental combined) but the pattern calls for a size 6. The 2X2 rib makes it pretty stretchy. You can use less stitches for children, or a lighter weight yarn adjusting your needle size, for a smaller hat, just make sure it’s an odd number of stitches.

Hope everyone is well and enjoying the weather before winter gets here. We are still going between fall and summer weather and I wish the first frost would come early, my allergies are so NOT FUN, even my antihistamine is not doing the trick this year, and I’ve tried several, sigh.

Happy Flag Day, 2 New Stitch Markers and Cria at the Farm :).

/ LDSVenus / 8 Comments

Happy Flag Day!!

I like to buy stitch markers and progress keepers from Adore Knit because they are really cute and makes me happy to see them on my knitting project, and they are well made. I really love her Snoopy stitch markers and progress keepers, so cute!

These are the two new cria (baby alpaca) on the farm. Libby is a young llama (about 9 months old) but this is after having her first shearing, you can see her real color now. The next two are Liza with her cria Himalaya (cream color, nick name is Laya) and Liz with her cria, Rocky. Rocky is the same color as his dad Everest. Everest was the father of both cira. Laya may look a little dirty but my son has a splash pad for the alpaca so they can stay cool and if they sit in the dirt, after they get wet in the sprinkler on the splash pad, they get muddy :P. Liza is Liz’s daughter, so Rocky is Liza’s 1/2 brother and Laya is Liz’s grand daughter ;), Everest wasn’t related to Liza or Liz. Did I confuse you enough? My son keeps up with all the relationships so he doesn’t breed back to family lines.

This week coming week starting on Sunday is going to be very warm, in the 90’s. Ugh! Everyone, stay cool!!

Summer Surprise Box Club is Here!

/ LDSVenus / 8 Comments

I have been so excited for this box from Twice Sheared Sheep to get here! The first picture was the box packed with all the “stuff”! I put pictures up of each thing so you could see them up close, starting with the card that came in it with a description of all the pretties! The next 2 pictures are the Project Journal Stationary Set. The plastic page is a needle and crochet sizer and a 4″ stitch gauge and ruler that fits in the knitting journal I got in the Spring, then there are two really cute sparkly pens :). The next picture is a beautiful octopus collectable tin and the tin dividers to seperate your stitch makers and progress keepers. Without the dividers you can put small scissors and a small tape measure in this large tin. I really love it. The next picture is an odd and even numbered stitch marker set, I am making a diagonal scarf and I only increase and decrease on one side so this will make it ease to see what side of the project I’m on because it’s a garter stitch project :), and with it is a cute set of sea creatures stitch markers :). Next to the last picture is some beautiful fingering weight yarn by Cornbread & Honey Yarn. It is so pretty and has 490 yds!!! Last, but hardly least, is a really cute sea creature project bag with a zippered pocket on the back side, it matches the set of sea creatures stitch markers :). I did forget to get a separate picture of the two cute stickers, but you can see them in the first picture of the box. Love this box. :). One more box for this year in the Fall. :). This has been fun!

I bought 2 sets of stitch markers from Adore Knit, but I have to take pictures of them, will try to get them up tomorrow :).

My Spring Knitting Box :)

/ LDSVenus / 11 Comments

This came from Twice Sheared Sheep. She has a Christmas Advent box, that can be signed up for, but I’m not sure when she will open it to be pre-ordered, they go fast. This box is part of 3 boxes of 2024, spring, summer and fall, and they have to be signed up for by sometime in Feb. Next year is the next time to sign up for them.

OK! In the first picture is everything that was in the box, then I took pictures to show them a little better. I didn’t show the bag in a separate picture because it showed up well in the main picture (sorry forgot to get a picture of the bell flower stitch markers and they are hard to see in the main picture, you can see them better in the 3rd picture). I was so excited to see these beautiful gifts. The 2nd and 3rd pictures are just more explanation of the items in the box. The yarn is beautiful and so is the round (rather than long) dried flower stitch counter/marker, and the stitch marker tin (it slides open) and the journal are so cool. I have a picture of the outside and inside of the journal, you can put so much information in it! I was so excited to see the blockers, I have wanted (but never justified the money because I’m cheap :P) some of these so I didn’t have to put the millions of straight pins in to block a shawl or scarf etc (yeah I will need another box or two of these). The stickers are cool as well. I hope there will be a tin separator in the next box for the tin, it makes an oblong X in the box to separate the different knitting stitch markers/progress keepers or you can not put one in and put small scissors and a needle in instead. One for each of the bags I use is my eventual plan, they come in a smaller size as well.

Had to take my car in this past Monday for an oil change and tune up. I make sure the oil is changed when it should be and do the tune up every year because it’s cheaper to do those things than to buy a new engine, tho those things aren’t cheap anymore either. I also had them check my battery strength and my brakes. They also checked all my fluid levels and said my battery and brakes were fine. I have a great mechanic and the business is always good to and honest with me, they never do extra stuff that didn’t need to be done. I’ve been going to them for about 13 years. I would have rather slept in but my car comes first, no car means no way to get around lol. I am still meeking (my way to say complaining) about losing an hr of sleep in the mornings, because going to bed early is not my natural time clock. I should be use to it about the time they change the clock back, sigh.

WIP Bulky Cabled Alpaca Hat

/ LDSVenus / 11 Comments

This WIP (work in progress, for my non knitting friends) hopefully soon will be an FO (finished object, again for my non knitting friends.). I started this a few weeks ago and the progress was not fun as I had eye surgery on both eyes 2 weeks apart about a month and 1/2 ago and seeing anything close was, well to blurry to see. I had an around the neck magnifying glass my daughter got for me but it made everything look 3D, lol. So I’d knit for a bit then put it down and the Ott light my son got me was awesome for light.  But last week I found a pair of my old glasses from 4 years ago and I can see through the midrange section to read!!  So I have started working on this hat again for my son-in-law, who gets to go out in this very cold weather to do farm chores with the alpaca. 

I had made him a hat some months earlier but it was a bit tight and even tho he said it a fine, it wasn’t fine to me, so this new one. The yarn is bulkier (yes the yarn is from their alpaca :)) and I went up a size needles so I wouldn’t have to adjust the stitch count, this should be correct, the pattern was written for a woman’s size and my son-in-law can’t wear that size very well.  Because the yarn is bulkier, I did not make this a fold up brim, it would just be too heavy. You see a new owl chain stitch counter on there. I had to order an XL one that had bigger rings for the bigger needles (size 11).  I love it, it keeps the count so I don’t have to go back and keep recounting as I get closer to the row for the cable, saves time and aggravation having to keep recounting. I get these from Twice Sheared Sheep . The link is to her best sellers so you can see some of the things she carries, but to see all her things just click the home link and then on the 3 horizontal bars on the top left of her home page. She has some for only up to 5 rows, and some that are in a circle if you don’t like the one going to 10 rows hanging down so far on your work. There is a little clip thing on it (you can see it on the 0 by the owl) and I suspect it is for counting crochet rows instead of using the rings that go on the knitting needle, but as a knitter I would use to put on the numbers to tell me how many times I’ve done the 10 rows in case I needed more than 10 rows so I wouldn’t lose count (think socks). Her things are pretty darn cool!

I go back next week for a vision check and to get updated glasses, so my sight should be adjusted back to normal, yea! 🙂

Hope everyone is staying warm, we had -30’s again last night and for tonight -20’s, but starting on Monday we get our midwinter thaw and will be in the 30’s woot woot!!!

New Knitting Jewelry :)

/ LDSVenus / 8 Comments

I treated myself to, what I have come to call my stitch markers and progress keeper, knitting jewelry :P. I order these from Adore Knit , she makes really cute stitch markers and progress keepers. I found some Snoopy things I didn’t have (big Peanuts fan) and she had some really nice tape measurers, I always misplace mine (even tho I should have one in all of my project bags). I really like these. I also splurged and bought a really cute knit/purl bracelet, you can see it on the back of and behind the dark tape measure, my photo skills lack some serious ability, but you can see them on her site, she shows them much better than I did. It is really pretty so now when I say knitting jewelry, it really is! She included a gift pin for my project bag and I had to show off the super cute netting bag with the hearts she put some of the stitch markers in. Thanks Steph!!

I was hoping for a little bit longer spring before summer temps came. We’ve been in the lower 80’s during the days and 60’s at night this week, tho the weather man says it should be back in the 50’s and 60’s during the days and 30’s and 40’s at night next week. The poor birds must be really mixed up!

New Needles, Stitch Markers and Some Blending of Roving going on!

/ LDSVenus

I got the Knitter’s Pride Ginger Deluxe set last year (blue one), I ordered the Special set but they sent the deluxe and I kept it because I intended to order it later anyway. So this year I re-ordered and got the Knitter’s Pride Ginger Special set (brown one) this year. They are really nice wood needles and I have really enjoyed using the Deluxe set, I made the wedding shawl last fall with that set. The Special set I wanted for hats and baby sweaters etc because the needles are shorter and they come with size 16″ and 20″ cables. going to love using them! They are on sale once a year at Webs on line, they are now having their yearly sale and they are on sale this month if you want a set.

I did order and receive some more stitch markers, sigh, addiction :P. I got another Mandalorian set with the RazorCrest ship that the Mandalorian use to have, I won’t say anymore in case you haven’t watched it. I also ordered a Minney Mouse sparkly headband stitch marker set and AdoreKnit put in a Mickey Mouse progress keeper as a gift. So cute! Love her stitch markers and progress keepers.

Last picture is a batt I made on my blending board with some polypay roving and firestar (a sparkle fiber) that I dyed. you can see the batt on the left end and the dyed firestar on the right end, and the cream colored polypay roving in the middle. I will write more about that when I make 3 more batts and start spinning it. 🙂

More Snow and Mandalorian Stitch Markers and Progress Keepers

/ LDSVenus

As you can see we had another snow storm this past Thursday, also notice how bare it is without the trees that were taken out with the Derecho we had last year in August, the yards look so sad :(. We got about 5 or 6 inches so I have to ask, is it Spring yet? It snowed again today for a bit, about 1 inch and we are due more snow tomorrow, but what makes it not nice is our temps have finally dipped into sub zero weather. It’s -13F right now with wind chills, ambient is 6 degrees. Tonight without wind chills it will be -17F and -34F with wind chills. ugh. I know the ground hog said 6 more weeks, but that doesn’t really apply to IA :P, we may get snow storms into April.

I got the new Mandalorian stitch markers and progress keepers I purchased and couldn’t be more happy!! Those of you familiar with the Mandalorian series on Disney+ will know exactly what these are (if you don’t my previous post explains them)!!! She even threw in a Grogu, aka baby Yoda, progress keeper, so cute!! I also bought a valentine Snoopy progress keeper with a heart stitch maker, I love Snoopy and these are perfect. I got all these from AdoreKnit on Etsy, I love her stitch markers and progress keepers, she has soooo many to choose from and you can choose the whole set or just the stitch markers or just the progress keeper! I want to start a new project so I can use one of these, but UFO’s (Unfinished Objects for my non knitting friends) first, sigh, I don’t like to have more than 2 reg UFO’s and one mindless UFO on the needles.

Hope everyone is fairing well during this winter season. Take care of yourself and try to do something you enjoy everyday that makes you smile, and do something kind for someone else that brings a smile to their face, winters are hard on everyone, well except maybe Santa :P.