Knitting

Jasmine Scarf Finished :)

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Alpaca Scarf a

I finished the Jasmine scarf by Purl Soho  (a free pattern on Raverly) for my friend and it is in the mail.  It will probably be to late to wear it this year but I know it will come in handy next year.  It will keep her toasty warm, and it is very soft.  I knit this out of  Alpaquita Superfina by Andean Yarns, 3.5 oz/220 yards. It is a discontinued yarn, which makes me sad, it is a lovely yarn.  I used almost two skeins, and a size 5 needle, I think the pattern called for a 6 but I knit a little loosely so I go down a needle size.  I also modified the number of multiples in the pattern.  It calls for 5 across, I only used 3.  I felt that made it wide enough for my purpose.  It was a fun knit, and after I figured out the very different cable effect, it was easy peasy. 🙂  The picture on the right is a close up of the pattern.

Jasmine scarf by Purl Soho Now to work on the socks I started and to start a shawl for my grand daughter’ Senior Prom.  Pictures will follow as I work on it.

Yarn Therapy Knot Bag

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Yarn Therapy Knot BagAnother knot bag is finished and in my Etsy shop.  This design was fun to embroider, tho because of the number of stitches in the embroidery and the number of color changes was time consuming, but I think it turned out pretty nice :).

The Jasmine scarf I’m working on is coming along, I’m closer to finishing it.  Hopefully it will be soon and I’ll post a picture of it before I mail it out to my friend.

Sheep Bag Added to Etsy :)

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Medium Sheep Knot Bag I finally had some spare time to embroider and sew a new bag for my Etsy shop :).  It is a cute little sheep, what better to grace a knitting/spinning project bag than a cute sheep :).  I have another bag I have embroidered and will finish sewing tomorrow to list in the shop, and fabric for two more large bags, cute stuff :).

This time of year, with Spring not far off, I sure miss getting ready to start a garden and growing all the wonderful things it produces :).  Going to try to get some squash plants to grow on my balcony again, maybe they will do better this year.

Sock Journey Has Begun!

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1st SockWell, my sock journey has begun.  I chose Regia yarn color 03765.  It has an interesting design and is fun to watch it unfold as I knit.  I am using a size 1  Addi Turbo 8″ circular needle.  Very small to knit with but since I really don’t like double pointed needles (which is why I haven’t been a big sock knitter), it’s working out all right.  I had knit one pair of tube socks (no heel) on double pointed needles (see photo on the right), but this is a regular sock with a heel flap.  We will see how it goes :P.  The pattern, a basic sock pattern (it’s one she uses to teach new sock knitters and I have no link to share with you, sorry),  was gifted to me by Benita aka the Fiber Pusher on Ravelry and she has a blog/podcast, Basically Benita ,  as well.  You should check her out at either or both places :).

Jasmine Scarf :)

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Jasmine Scarf  This scarf is called the Jasmine Scarf by Pearl Soho.  I was intrigued with the pattern design.  It looks like a herringbone design and is pretty.  I’m hoping to have this done in the next week,  I am making this for a friend who just had her last round of chemo and is cold and requested a scarf.  I thought this design was pretty and wanted to use a nice warm yarn so I chose some of my prized Andean Yarns, Alpaquita Superfina.  I was lucky enough a couple of years ago to buy a full pack of 8 skeins of this yarn because it is soooo soft and squishy.  Unfortunately it is now discontinued, but I use it for special occasions :).  My friend is special :).

2 New Knot Bags & Knitting a New Hat

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Got Fiber Knot Bag

 

 

Stress Zebra Knot Bag

I put these two bags in my Etsy shop.  I’ve made the Stress Zebra Knot Bag before for a friend but this one is for my shop, it’s just so cute.  Don’t we all feel like this sometimes?  The alpaca design looked very good, but it’s a pain to sew out because  of all the thread color changes, even tho some of the colors are the same.  Still it’s a nice looking design.

Basia Hat for JadeThis hat, Basia, is a very nice knit and the texture design is pleasant to look at.  I’m making this for a special family member who requested a hat from me.  She said she wanted lavender, so I ordered the Lilac Jacquard acid dye for 1 of the polypay skeins I still have (only about 4 more skeins tho, have thoroughly enjoyed knitting them :P).  I love the way kettle dying comes out, instead of one solid color they are usually shaded, no complaints here :).  You can also see on the hat the beautiful stitch marker I got from MekaMika on etsy.

The mega snow storm missed us except for a trace of snow.  I won’t complain, I didn’t want 1 or 2 feet of snow :).  I love the El Ninos that come every few years, they make for a much more pleasant winter here :).

Let It Snow Knot Bag

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Let It Snow Knot Bag This will probably be my last winter bag, tho I’ve been known to change my mind before :).  I liked this embroidery because it has a swirl that looks like a winter wind swirling around some really pretty snowflakes :).  We finally started getting snow this month.  I’m ready for Spring already tho. 🙂

Time to get my eyes checked again, I think I need new glasses for close up work, sigh.

Still working on the comfort shawl, have about 1 & 1/3 skeins left to knit.  I know, I know, knit faster :P.

New Embroidered Knot Bags and It’s Fridgid Tonight

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Knitting Keeps me from Unraveling Knot BagObsessed Knitter Knot Bag

I decided to do some sewing this week end after removing some seasonal knot bags out of my Etsy shop.  I decided I needed to add some more embroidered knot bags.  The bag on the left is one I am sending to a knitting podcaster for review.  It will be a way to get some exposure for my bags :).  After she has reviewed it, I will put a link on my blog to her podcast :).  I have another one embroidered but not sewn up yet and two more to be embroidered.  The embroidered bags take  longer to make due to the embroidery so they are a little more expensive.

I’m working on a comfort shawl for a friend who lost her companion this week.  Loss is so hard :(.

The weather here has finally hit WINTER, ugh.  We are suppose to be around -4 tonight but we are having high winds and they said that would make the wind chill between -20 and -30.  But at least it will only be for tonight and tomorrow morning, then the winds die down and we will warm up just a bit.  We will have snow on Monday and Tuesday and then we will warm back up into the 20’s in the day and teens at night :).  Is it Spring yet?

Hat Finished :)

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Another Hat

These hats are quick, relaxing to make and they look nice.  I wish I could find the website I got this pattern from so I could share it with you.  I usually am pretty good about noting the website for the patterns, but I’ll be more diligent in the future about notating on my pattern where it was from if it isn’t showing when I copy free patterns from the net.  Because of copyright issues I can’t post patterns without permission from the designer, so I usually just put a link to the website.

I like this style especially in the cold climates because the long nature of the hat allows you to fold up the bottom into a cuff and that doubles the knitted fabric over the forehead, ears and back of the neck, and keeps those areas much warmer, and wool is warm anyway so it’s a win/win :).

Hope your New Year is off to a wonderful start :).

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016 and New Year Knitting

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new-years-

I wish everyone a very Happy New Year filled with spiritual peace.  May we look forward and not backward.

One more hat start

Yes, I’m knitting one more hat, was trying to get done before the New Year but alas it won’t be done until New Year’s day.   This is some of the polypay yarn I had processed from the fleece that was given to me.  I dyed it blue but some of the yarn didn’t take up the dye as well as other parts in the skein and there were some very light spots from where the skein was tied (even tho’ I loosened the ties quite a bit), but you know what, it makes it look like faded denim so I am not going to complain, I know the recipient will enjoy it :P.

I made a knSocks by Ann Budditting New Years resolution, I made other resolutions too, but if I share them and I don’t complete them I’d have to hunt you down and wipe your memory (like they do on Star Trek)  so you are better off not knowing what they are :P.  My knitting resolution is to knit some socks.  Something I’ve wanted to do for a while now.  I’ve gotten a step closer when I bought  this book by Ann Budd, who is well known in the knitting community for sock construction, today at the 1/2 Price Book Store (I love that store!!).  The other book I have ordered from Amazon is Knitting Rules! by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee aka in the knitting world as  “the Yarn Harlot”.  It has a sock pattern called sock recipe: a good plain sock.  I have heard many people say this is their go to sock pattern.  Then when I get the sock pattern I want I will get the needle size it calls for (because the needles I will get are Addi Turbo 12″ circular needles and are expensive so I need the pattern first to see if I need size 0’s, or 1’s, I’m not a big fan of double pointed needles) and begin my sock journey.  🙂