New Child’s Flax Sweater and Some New Progress Keepers!

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Before I start, just wanted to say, I didn’t forget Easter.  I celebrated Easter on the phone (conference call) with some members of my church, it was nice.  I just didn’t get on the computer afterwards.  Hope everyone had a good Easter, even tho we were all physically distancing ourselves.

I did finally get a picture of my Spring Robin :).  He kept his back to me so I didn’t get that beautiful red breast, but there he is :).

I didn’t get around to posting 1/2 way through this new Flax knit but here it is all finished.  Still using Hobby Lobby’s Yarn Bee Soft & Sleek, colorway Violet Stripe.  I think I neglected to say in my previous Flax sweaters my needle sizes etc.  It calls for a worsted/aran yarn and the one I am using is worsted.  I generally have to go down a size needle to get correct gauge because I am a looser knitter, but I went down two sizes on the body and sleeves and one size on the neck and cuffs.  So I used a size #5 on the ribbing and cuffs and a size #6 on the body and sleeves.  I’m sorry I don’t know what the mm sizes are :(, I like the fabric it created much better.  I used a 16 inch circular on the neck and body and 9 inch circular on the sleeves and cuffs.  I do like the way the color blocks on this yarn and pattern :).

I think my next project will be some more of those cute lace bookmarksI made 2 years ago.  They are a free pattern and the link for those is on my linked page.

I did some spinning on my balcony today, since it was about 60F.  It was nice to sit outside and enjoy a peaceful spin :).  I’m working on the second bobbin for the white wool/alpaca I am spinning.  I am having to have someone to make new bobbins for my Rick Reeves wheel, the other ones I had made didn’t fit and they didn’t have the metal piece in the middle to protect them while I spun.  I found someone who specifically makes them for this wheel.  Hopefully I can order them next month.

And as you can see, I bought some more progress keepers from CharmingMinis , they are sooooo cute, her artistry with polymer clay is amazing!! She always sneaks in a extra gift.

Hope everyone is staying safe and that we get back to normal soon, at least it’s getting warm!

New Flax Baby Sweater Finished :)

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Flax Baby Sweater 3d  Finished this baby sweater Flax by Tin Can Knits, newborn to 4XL sizes.  I love this yarn, Hobby Lobby’s Yarn Bee Soft and Sleek, colorway Pink Stripe.  This pattern is is a top down so no sewing seams and is pretty easy to knit and the yarn did all the hard work for color.  The I love the way the stripes are blocks on the smaller diameter sweater.  I did have to do a little color management on the sleeves but not a lot.  I will definitely be knitting this pattern and using this yarn again. 🙂  Now to decide what I want to work on next :).

I hope everyone is staying well and finding ways to be entertained.  My knitting and some old TV series I use to watch a long time ago that they have on Roku keeps me busy :).  I’ve started using my elliptical machine again cos it just seems easier than going out for a walk lately.  My legs were sure sore for a few days after I started it again, sheesh.

General Conference! And Progress on the Flax Baby Sweater

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Semi Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints  will be this morning’s session (11 am to 1 pm central time) and this afternoon’s session (3 pm to 5 pm central time) and tomorrow morning and afternoon sessions will be at the same times as today’s.  I love these weekend semi annual conferences, they are so uplifting and bring much peace.  Tho I always look forward to this, we can especially use peace and comfort right now.

Baby Flax sweater 3b  I didn’t realize when I bought this yarn, it would be in stripes, maybe because I didn’t look at the color name, just thought the pink shades would be perfect for a little girl’s sweater.  I was stunned at the way this color has turned out.  The color name is Pink Stripe, well duh!  I love the color blocking on a baby sweater because of it’s smaller diameter!  I will probably have to do a bit of color management and weaving in ends on the sleeves, but it will be well worth it. :).  I bought two skeins because this is worsted weight and only has 186 yards per 4 ozs and I’m sure I will need 200 and something yards especially doing color management.  I’m knitting this in a 6 to 12 months size because her baby is due in May and I wanted the baby to be able to wear it this coming winter.  Hope it will be well loved.  Plus it will be nice knitting during the conference sessions!

Hope everyone is staying safe and enjoying knitting, or art or whatever you are doing to keep busy and be comforted.

New Stitch Markers and Progress Keeper, Spring But Not, Fiber Festival and that Dang Virus.

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I have been enamored with The Mandalorian from the Disney Star Wars series.  I have finished all the season “chapters” as they are called and await this fall when the new new season comes out.  Ugh only one season a year.  But while I wait, I bought a Mandalorian stitch markers set with a Yoda progress keeper.  I got them from Adoreknit and as usual they are wonderful.  She even gave me an extra progress keeper that has the Mandaloian helmet in color and a stitch marker holder to keep them safe.  She is a great maker!

It’s Spring here but not, I have seen a few Robins, no pictures yet, might not happen this year, go into that later.  I have seen the Geese coming back, but because I live in the mid-west, Mother Nature said it’s not Spring until she says so and she sent us more snow last Saturday.  It was raining today.  Spring will be here sooner than later tho :).

The Saturday before last I went to a fairly local fiber fair with my son and his spouse.  Picture shows part of their set up and I have a picture of my son using his new sock knitting machine.  He loves it and makes a pair of socks pretty quickly :).  They had me bring my more portable Rick Reeves spinning wheel and spin while I was there.  Almost finished with bobbin number 1 of the Alpaca/wool blend I was spinning at the Mall fair in Dec (yeah I’m a slow poke sometimes) then I will spin another bobbin and ply a skein of yarn :).  It was a fun day.  This wheel spins very well and I’m enjoying the experience on a double drive wheel.

I did get another charity hat done, but haven’t gotten around to getting a picture yet.  Caught another cold about 3 weeks ago (does that make 4 or 5 this winter?) and just dealing with some bronchitis now.  It’s not as bad as usual but I haven’t felt like doing a lot.  I’m doing my best to stay inside because of that dang virus going around (that is why I don’t have any first Robin pictures, but I’ll keep trying), tho once in a while I remember something I forgot at the grocery store, I try not to go, but you know how it is :P.  I was able to start and finish all of the 2 seasons of Lost in Space.  It was pretty good but oh my gosh the new season doesn’t start until next year!  All these one season a year shows will make our heads explode!  In the mean time I’ll just re-watch Merlin, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and the Star Trek series, at least they are all finished and aren’t going anywhere.  I do enjoy a good marathon from time to time :).

Everyone stay safe.

Happy Leap Day!

/ LDSVenus

New Charity Hat6Almost forgot to wish everyone a Happy Leap Day :).  I won’t say how many I’ve seen in my life, but it’s nice to have an extra day :).

Here is my latest finished charity hat.  Love the way the colors came out, hope it will be loved.  This was I Love this Yarn in the colorway Strawberry Jam.

I have started the next hat with the skein on the left.  These are quick and mindless knits but very purposeful and useful, to both the receiver and the giver. 🙂

Hope you all had a wonderful Leap Day 🙂

Happy Valentines Day!

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For Valentines Day I bought myself some new stitch markers and Progress keepers from AdoreKnit , she has some pretty cute stitch markers and progress keepers and she even threw in a tape measure!  My next purchase will be CharmingMinisShop who does hand crafted polymer clay progress keepers, they are beautiful.

The second picture is a newly finished charity hat and the skein on the left is for the new charity hat that I have just cast on.  The color is pretty, I’ll try to get a picture posted in the next week or so.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Valentines Day, even if you are single, treat yourself to something special, you are worth it, honest!!

Last Weeks Snow Picture and 02/02/2020 is a Palindrome Date!

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Jan 2020 snow

I meant to post this earlier but got sick, and now I have a pinched nerve in my lower back, ugh.  Anyway this was almost 2 weeks ago, I think we got about 4 inches and on top of the snow we already had, we had about 6 inches on the ground.  Much of the snow is melting because the last few days have been above freezing and today it got up to 50!!!  It’s our normal mid winter thaw.  But colder temps are on the way and more snow, sleet and freezing rain, sigh.  BUT, March is right around the corner.  I know in the mid west, where I live that doesn’t really mean anything we can get snow into May, tho’ it’s usually done in April, 😛  but after this month the really low below 0 temps will get better.  So far it’s been a fairly mild winter, not to many below 0 temps, certainly not like last winter :).

Today was a Palindrome date, that is when the date looks the same forward and backwards :).  02/02/2020.  Just a cool little informational note :).

Finished A Charity Hat and Began a New One, Plus My Christmas Catus is Blooming!

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I finished my Charity hat and have begun a new one.  I wanted to cast on a new project, not quite sure what yet, but held myself back from starting a real project (only working on Charity knits because I need to be knitting on something) because I need to finish spinning the yarn I’m working on for a hat for a family member, I promised so I couldn’t very well let it go anymore.  I was very sick last week with a horrible head cold.  Feeling much better, just a little cough now.  So starting tomorrow I will begin to spin on that project again. I have one bobbin done just need to start and finish the 2nd bobbin and ply them together, then dye the yarn and knit a hat :).  More on that as I get there.

I have had a Christmas cactus, that was given to me by a friend, for about 6 years.  It had never bloomed so I just kept it around because I like plants and a friend gave it to me.  I was so surprised to see blooms on it two weeks ago!!!!  Guess it isn’t sure yet when Christmas is :P, but that is ok, it looks beautiful anyway :).

Hope everyone is well and enjoying the fact that Spring will be here in about 6 weeks!! Woot Woot!!

First FO for 2020 and a Little Knitting Humor :)

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Leg Wamers  I started these leg warmers just before Christmas and didn’t get them finished in time.  So they are my first FO of 2020.  This is a pattern from Creative Knitting Magazine Autumn 2013, the pattern is called Colorfully Comfortable Leg Warmers by Kathy North.  The pattern has a different cable running down the front but I decided not to add them, they are for a teenager and felt the busy color was enough going on.  I used a size 10 12″ circular (because I didn’t have a size 9 😦 , I can’t remember what the maker of the needle is because I can’t find the package it came in, so unlike me) and a size 9 16″ Knitters Pride Karbonz circular (love Karbonz).  She loves them, hope they help keep her warm on her walks to and from school this winter, we get very cold in Jan and Feb.  Actually it is snowing right now!  Weather said between 1 and 3 inches, I think it will be closer to 1.

  Thought this knitting humor would be perfect to start the new year. 🙂