The Leaves are Falling

The leaves are falling here in New England ... which means its really time to start thinking about holiday knitting!

1. Diane's Gloves - need thumb an ends woven in. 1/15/10
2. Derek's scarf - needs to be completed.
3. Leyburn socks - second leg needs finishing. 1/14/10
4. Toe up socks - second heel and leg needs to be completed. 1/25/10
5. Cable bottom up sweater - Just needs ends woven in and buttons put on
6. Reversible Cable Scarf
7. Bat Shawl
8. Christmas Stocking
9. Baby Blanket
10. Drawstring Bag

I am still working my way through my list of projects I wanted to finish up this year. I would like to start the new year without projects that have been hanging around for years.

I finished knitting the cable sweater, just have to weave in the ends and put the buttons on and that one will be done!

I would like the bat shawl to be done by Halloween so that I can use it ... probably won't be wearing that any other time of year :o)

And the Christmas list:

1. Joe gloves
2. Diane's stocking
3. Mom headband - found a great pattern, forget where!
4. Knitter's Guild Project - we are exchanging baktus scarves this year. I got the yarn this past weekend for mine.

Took the drop spindle class this weekend and did pretty well. Now I just need to practice to get consistent with the drafting so that the yarn is the same width throughout. Practiced for an hour last night :o)

Eeek! Its almost Fall!!

1. Diane's Gloves - need thumb an ends woven in. 1/15/10
2. Derek's scarf - needs to be completed.
3. Leyburn socks - second leg needs finishing. 1/14/10
4. Toe up socks - second heel and leg needs to be completed. 1/25/10
5. Cable bottom up sweater
6. Reversible Cable Scarf
7. Blanket square
8. Lavitan Mittens
9. Bat Shawl
10. Christmas Stocking
11. Baby Blanket
12. Drawstring Bag

I picked the cabled bottom up sweater back up now that the time to wear it is almost upon us and its going well. I am over half way done the second sleeve.

Derek's scarf needs some serious attention before snow comes!

I was hoping to have the bat shawl done for this Halloween, but not sure if that's going to work out.

I would like to also have the baby blanket done by Oct. so I can give it to a coworkers who's wife is due then.

And the Christmas list:

1. Joe gloves
2. Diane's stocking

If I don't keep these items in my mind they will be forgotten!

Not sure if I am going to dye this weekend, was thinking there may not be too many nice days to dye outside for much longer.

Got a drop spindle, got to spinning, I can spin ... just not well, LOL!! A coworker who knits and I signed up for a class at the end of Sept.

Where does time go?!?!

Where does the time go? I thought I posted just a week ago and its been over four now! Yikes ... which also means Summer is near an end. I love Fall, but I do not like Winter, so I don't really enjoy seeing Summer go.

Here's the yarn I dyed a while back that I mentioned in my last post. All came out very good. The far left was something similar to a colorway I saw online that I was trying to work on mixing colors to get the color I want, for example, the yellow straight from the jar is a vibrant, bright sun yellow. I muted it down a bit with purple (its complement on the color wheel) to get the yellow I was looking for.

The middle was a way to use up some excess dye I was storing and came out a lot better than I thought it would once it was set.

The far right is Red Eyed Tree Frog. The red wasn't actually how I intended, but I do like it and I got the idea from using the colors of tree frogs. I used much more green than the other colors since the frogs are primarily green. I am curious to see how it'll knit up.



I've been working on the Icarus Shawl. I had to stop for a few weeks when I installed a new dining room floor and really did a job on my neck. I couldn't turn my head at all for about a week and then only minimally for the next two. So knitting was out, it caused more pain. Other than that, I managed to get this much done:



I've put the shawl aside for a little while since I have another two repeats of the same thing I've been doing this entire time while it keeps growing and growing and I picked the February Lady Sweater back up now that its not in the 90s and humid ... oh its still humid, but more like 70s, so I can deal with the wool of the sweater.

Here are the Buns ... finally figured out we got a boy and girl ... so the boy will have to be fixed when old enough ... which may be really soon considering the way he's acting with her ... ah hem.

Knitmas in July

I hope that July is a month of finishing. I have several WIPs at the moment that I would like to complete soon so that I can start Christmas knitting early. I only have two things this year so far, so not a huge daunting list, its entirely workable.

I dyed some yarn this weekend, it just finished drying a few hours ago and its 11pm now so no photos yet, hope to get some in sunlight tomorrow.

We have baby bunnies! I will also post some photos of them when they are acclimated ... they are stressed enough right now being taken away from their mom and home, don't want to scare them too much with a camera flash :o)

Started my second Nugatory sock today. Had to purchase another set of size 1 Knit Picks circulars so that I could knit 2 at a time on separate needles ... hope that helps alleviate second sock syndrome.



The hibiscus are blooming again .. funny thing plants, they want this life sustaining liquid called water ... like every day. These poor things were dehydrated all the time, I finally realized they like - literally - about a gallon of water each day that its hot and sunny. I have a two gallon watering can and split it between the two and they are so much happier now. Plants and I don't get along so well sometimes, I either kill them with kindness or neglect :o)

OSO Mission 1 Debriefing

While I didn't get through my entire stash, I am happy with what I accomplished thusfar. I did go through the stash in the closet in my craft room, and I went through my pattern binder and pulled out anything I intend to knit in the near future and started a smaller binder with those patterns. What I refer to as my "Next to Knit" binder. I put the patterns in there and also noted if I had the yarn already and its general location. I also put a sheet in there with information about the pattern, intended recipient, what yarn I plan to use and if I have done a gauge swatch.

While doing this I got sidetracked into finishing the doors in my craft room. I completely remodeled this room last year, but the finishing touches were not done until this year. One thing I wanted to do was replace the door hinges, which the previous owners were nice enough to paint all over and make them look hideous, I jsut happened to have those on hand already I purchased them previously making sure they matched the other hardware that I replaced in the room. Also, I never painted the inside of the door jambs when I painted the doors, so I figured while I had the doors off the hinges, I might as well do that. It was a minimal pain in the butt since I had to tape off all the molding I lovingly replaced last year and spent oodles of time painting just right, but otherwise wasn't too bad.

Next plan is to check out the stash in the basement, maybe reorganize it so that like yarns are together (ie sock, baby, sweaters, etc.). Make note if they go with any patterns in my Next to Knit binder. I like to check out the stash in the basement every few months to make sure nothing has made a home in it that needs to be evicted for non-payment of rent :o)

Another task I've been putting off got somewhat done - windows. Another thing the prvious owners didn't seem to think important. Don't get me wrong, the lady did an excellent job cleaning up when she left, you could eat off the floor, it was the detail cleaning they never did. Mildew on ceilings, windows full of dirt and leaves and bugs. They also didn't realize that storm windows are meant to put down in winter. Most of them were up when we moved in in December, which leads to more crap in the sills. I cleaned two windows, storms, screens inside and out ... took a few hours. So I am not looking forward to the other 19 that still need to be done :0)

Operation Stash Organization

Since its a long weekend and I am low on funds, I thought it would be a good idea to re-organize, catalog and pillage my stash. My stash isn't all over my house ... through no fault of my own. I have these great deterrents in my house that force me to refrain from leaving yarn, needles or other knitting paraphernalia all over my house ... they are called cats. Cats are thieving, conniving, devious little creatures who were put on this earth as the bane of the knitter's existence. Don't get me wrong, not all of these creatures are of this sort. I've had the pleasure of living with some who had only one concern when I was knitting ... to sit on my lap and be in the way.

Now, if you have your own knitting room like I do and use this space as sanctuary from the evil creatures, beware .. I told you they are devious. While you sit in your sanctuary for peace and try to pray to the Knitting Goddess, they will come and attempt to foil your plans. While scratching on the door and screeching, you may think, oh poor creature you must be in pain to screech that loudly, you must be in great need of comfort ... do not fall for it ... do NOT open the door whatever you do. They often work in tandem. One will distract while the other one (and sometimes two) will succeed in accomplishing their devious plan.

On to stash organization. I've got tubs, I've got baskets, I've got bookcases. I've got patterns and queues ... all of which are in no particular way, shape or form connected. My plan is this - to connect the dots. I'm going to go through my stash and catalog yarn and patterns and make some sense of it, wish me luck. If I do not return you know what my fate has become ... I am down in the basement room with the tubs of yarn and I have been a victim of a yarn avalanche. If this is the case, please send the aforementioned evil creatures down there ... they may not attempt to rescue me, but once they are done destroying the pile of stash I am buried under I may find a route of escape!

FO: Baby Surprise Jacket II

Pattern: Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jacket
Yarn: Knit Picks Felici Sport
Needles: US 5 Addi 40"
Cast On: 6/15/10
Cast Off: 6/23/10
Sew Up & Buttons: 6/25/10

I love this pattern. It is so amazing to knit this weird, wonky looking thing and if you fold it the proper way, its a lovely baby jacket :o)